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Psalm Fifty-four
New King James Version (NKJV)
YLT
To the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction
by
David
in the coming in of the Ziphim
and they say to Saul
`Is not David
hiding himself with us?'
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 54
To the chief Musician on Neginoth
Maschil
cf15I A Psalm of David
when
the Ziphims came and said to Saul
Doth not David hide himself with us? Of the
word "neginoth"
See Gill on Psalm 4:1
title;
and of "maschil"
See Gill on Psalm 32:1
title.
The occasion of writing this psalm were the discoveries the Ziphims or Ziphites
made to Saul of David being in their neighbourhood; which they did twice
as
appears from 1 Samuel 23:14.
Which of these gave occasion to the psalm is not certain; it is very likely
that it was composed after both had been made. These Ziphims were the
inhabitants of a city called Ziph
which was in the tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:55
near
to which was a wilderness
which had its name from the city in which David was
when they came to Saul with this news of him.
Psalm 54:1 Save
me
O God
by Your name
And vindicate me by Your strength.
YLT
1O God
by Thy name save me
and by Thy might judge me.
Save me
O God
by thy name
.... That is
by himself
by his power
and of his grace and goodness; the Lord's name is often used for
himself. David in his distress applies to his God for salvation and
deliverance
who only could give it; which was right; and his prayer was
remarkably heard and answered: for when Saul came down upon the first
discovery
and beset David and his men all around
just as he was about to
seize the prey
tidings came to him of the invasion of the Philistines; which
obliged him directly to quit his pursuit of David
and return in haste for the
defence of his country
1 Samuel 23:26; and
upon the second discovery
when Saul came again to take him
Saul was delivered
into the hands of David
who could have took away his life if he would; but he
only took his spear and cruse of water by his bolster
as a proof of his being
in his power
1 Samuel 26:12. Of
such avail is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man. This prayer is
suitable enough to David's antitype and son
the Messiah; see Psalm 69:1; and
especially to sensible sinners; who
being made acquainted with
their lost and
perishing condition
inquire the way of salvation; and finding it is not by
works
but by Christ alone
apply in that way for it
and desire that God would
save them by his Son; who is his name
in whom his name is
and whose name
Jesus
a Saviour
is of God's giving; and this name is a strong tower
whither
such souls
sensible of danger
flee and are safe; nor is there any other name
in which salvation is
and which is therefore exceeding precious
and like
ointment poured forth; see Exodus 23:21. Or
"for thy name's sake"F8בשמך
"propter nomen tuum"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Gejerus
Amama
Michaelis. ; for the sake of the glory of his divine perfections; which
was displayed in the deliverance of David
and more abundantly in the salvation
of lost sinners; such as the wisdom
power
faithfulness
justice
grace and
mercy of God. Such a petition shows that man cannot save himself; that no
creature
none but God can save him; and that a sensible sinner desires to be
saved in such a way that God may be glorified;
and judge me by thy strength; David
though innocent
had many charges laid against him; his enemies were lively and strong; he puts
his cause into the hands of the Lord
his strong Redeemer
who was able to
plead it thoroughly against those that strove with him; so Christ
his
antitype
committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously
1 Peter 2:23; and
so should every believer.
Psalm 54:2 2 Hear my prayer
O God; Give
ear to the words of my mouth.
YLT
2O God
hear my prayer
Give
ear to the sayings of my mouth
Hear my prayer
O God
.... The psalmist first
puts up his petitions
and then desires to be heard; his distress
and the
fervency of his spirit
not suffering him to observe order;
give ear to the words of my mouth; for the prayer which was
conceived in his mind
and inwrought there by the Spirit of God
was expressed
vocally.
Psalm 54:3 3 For strangers have risen
up against me
And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God
before them. Selah
YLT
3For strangers have risen up
against me And terrible ones have sought my soul
They have not set God before
them. Selah.
For strangers are risen up against me
.... Meaning
such as Doeg the Edomite
or Heathen soldiers
that Saul had hired and took
into his army
who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; and such as
these rose up against David's antitype
the Messiah
Psalm 2:1
Acts 4:27. Or
rather the Ziphims
who were of his own nation
yea
of his own tribe
yet used
him as barbarously as the very Heathens would have done
or worse; and who
though notwithstanding they were of Israel
might not be Israelites indeed
but
strangers to an inward experience of divine and spiritual things: for men may
be professors of religion
and yet be strangers to God in Christ
to Christ
himself
and the way of salvation by him
and communion with him; to the Spirit
of God
and the operations of his grace on the heart; to themselves
their own
hearts
and their state and condition by nature; to the Gospel of Christ
and
to the people of God; and these are sometimes the most violent persecutors of
good and spiritual men;
and oppressors seek after my soul; or "life"F9נפשי "vitam meam"
Junius & Tremellius
Michaelis.
to take it away; as did Saul and his army; who are "the
mighty" or "strong ones"F11עריצים
"fortes"
V. L. Pagninus
Musculus
Gejerus;
"praepotentes"
Vatablus.
as the word here used signifies; see 1 Samuel 24:11; and
as the Jewish sanhedrim
Scribes and Pharisees
sought after the soul or life
of Christ
to take that away
as they did;
they have not set God before them. They did not consider
themselves as under the omniscient eye of God; they did not set his word before
them
as the rule of their conduct
but cast it behind their backs; nor did
they regard his providential mercies and layouts as a motive to engage them to
obedience to him
but despised them; they had not the fear of God before their
eyes
nor in their hearts
nor any concern for his glory; and therefore did the
wicked things they did against his servant.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 54:4 4 Behold
God is my
helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life.
YLT
4Lo
God [is] a helper to
me
The Lord [is] with those supporting my soul
5Turn back doth the evil thing to mine enemies
In Thy truth
cut them off.
Behold
God is mine helper
.... This being a matter
of wonder to be helped in so extraordinary a manner
and a sure and certain
case
and what was deserving the attention of others; for the encouragement of
their faith and hope in like cases
a "behold" is prefixed unto it:
and what is here said is true of David's son
the Messiah
and is expressed by
him in much the same language
Isaiah 50:9; and of
all the saints whom the Lord helps
as at first conversion
out of the pit
wherein is no water
out of the horrible pit
the mire and clay of nature's
darkness
ignorance
and unbelief; so out of all their afflictions and
temptations
and out of the hands of all their enemies; he helps in the
exercise of grace
and in the discharge of duty; and he helps to all mercies
temporal and spiritual
needful for them; which help is quick and present
seasonable
and suitable
always sufficient; and is what they have reason to expect both
from what he has said to them in promise
and from what he has done for them;
the Lord is with them that uphold my soul; that
ministered to his sustenance
as Abigail did
and that gathered to him and
joined him
and exposed their lives in the defence of him; these the Lord was
with
blessed
protected
and afforded them his gracious presence. Such there
were with Christ; who followed him in the regeneration; who ministered to him
of their substance
whom God rewarded in a way of grace; and he blesses them
that bless his
and do good to them; they being the excellent in the earth
in
whom is his delight
the apple of his eye
and his jewels. Or the sense is
that the Lord is he that upheld his soul; not only the chief of his upholders
but the only one: so R. MosesF12Apud Aben Ezram in loc. interprets
it
that he is the alone upholder
and is instead of all upholders
and answers
to them all; who upheld his soul in life
and followed him with his goodness:
as when God is said to be the first
and "with the last"
the meaning
is
that he is the first and the last
Isaiah 41:4; see Psalm 118:7; so he
upheld the soul of Christ in the wilderness
and in the garden
and on the
cross; see Isaiah 42:1. And he
upholds all his people in a providential way in their beings
and supplies them
with all the necessaries of life; and
in a spiritual way
maintaining their
spiritual life
supplying them with all grace
bearing them up under all
trials
holding up their goings in his ways
and preserving them to the end.
Psalm 54:5 5 He will repay my enemies
for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth.
YLT
6With a free will-offering I
sacrifice to Thee
I thank Thy name
O Jehovah
for [it is] good
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies
.... That eyed
him as Saul did; that observed his haunts
where he resorted
and who were with
him
as the Ziphites did under Saul's direction; as the WordF13לשררי "observatoribus meis"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Michaelis. here used for "enemies" signifies:
the mischief they had devised for him
he believed
would be returned upon
their own heads; the pit they digged they would fall into themselves; and the
net they had spread for others their own feet would be taken in. This was true
as of David's enemies
so of Christ's
the wicked Jews
who narrowly watched
him to take every advantage against him;
cut them off in thy truth; root and branch
as
Saul
and his family
and his courtiers
quickly were
according to the truth
of promises made to David
and of threatenings unto them.
Psalm 54:6 6 I
will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name
O Lord
for it is
good.
I will freely sacrifice unto thee
.... Not legal sacrifices;
no
nor freewill offerings the law gives directions about
though the allusion
is to them; but the freewill offerings of his mouth
Psalm 119:108; the
sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving
on account of help
salvation
and
deliverance
as appears from the following clause; which he determines to
offer
not by constraint
but willingly; not by force
but of a ready mind;
freely
and with all his heart. The sacrifice of his antitype is himself
his
soul and body
as in union with his divine Person; and this was offered up to
God
against whom man has sinned
and whose justice must be satisfied; and this
was done freely and voluntarily; he gave himself an offering; he laid down his
life of himself
and that for sinners. The sacrifices of his people are their
prayers and praises
their acts of beneficence
and the presentation of their
souls and bodies in divine service; all which they do freely
under the influence
of divine grace;
I will praise thy name
O Lord; which explains what is
meant by sacrificing: this is what is due to the Lord
and comely in his
people;
for it is good; either the name of God;
and therefore to be praised. He himself is good
as
he is
both in a way of
providence and of grace; and it is good
both pleasantly and profitably good
to sing praises to him
Psalm 147:1.
Psalm 54:7 7 For He has delivered me
out of all trouble; And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.
YLT
7For
from all adversity He
delivered me
And on mine enemies hath mine eye looked!
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble
.... As he
desired
1 Samuel 26:24;
that is
out of all his present trouble; not that he had no more afterwards;
for as soon as one trouble is gone
generally speaking
another comes; but as God
delivered him out of his present distress
so he believed he would deliver him
out of all his afflictions in future times;
and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies: or revenge
as the Targum supplies it; not that he delighted in the destruction of his
enemies
but in the justice of God glorified thereby
and in the goodness of
God to him
in delivering him from them; see Revelation 18:20.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)