Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 54:2

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 54:2. Hear my prayer — In his straits he had recourse to God; for from him alone, for the reasons alleged above, his deliverance must proceed.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 52-54 Those who act treacherously

When David fled from Saul he obtained urgently needed provisions from the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 21:1-9). He was seen by Doeg, an Edomite and a servant of Saul, who reported the matter to Saul. In a typical fit of mad vengeance, Saul ordered Doeg to kill all the priests at Nob, something that Doeg was very willing to do (1 Samuel 22:6-23). On hearing of Doeg’s butchery, David wrote a poem against him, which has been preserved in the Bible as Psalms 52:0 (see heading).

David denounces Doeg for his pride, treachery and hatred of all that is good (52:1-4). Doeg will surely meet a terrible death, which good people will recognize as a just punishment from God (5-7). His impending ruin is in contrast to the fruitfulness of the believer, who lives his life in the fellowship of God and his people (8-9).

Psalms 53:0 is a repetition of Psalms 14:0 with minor adjustments. The purpose in repeating it here was probably to add further comment on the character of Doeg described in the previous psalm. For notes on the psalm see commentary on Psalms 14:0.

Psalms 54:0 also belongs to the time of David’s flight from Saul. It was written against the people of the town of Ziph, who betrayed David to Saul when they found that he was hiding in the wooded hills nearby (1 Samuel 23:19-24). David prays to God to save him and punish his enemies (54:1-5). Confident that God will hear him, he looks forward to the day when he can show his gratitude to God by sacrifice (6-7).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. (Selah)"

The greatness of David is seen in the fact that in whatever difficulty he found himself, he always turned to God in prayer. Here he earnestly pleaded for God's help against unbelieving enemies.

"Strangers are risen up against me" These were the Ziphites who had no business whatever meddling in the affairs of Israel. They were pagans "who set not God before them." Furthermore, their willingness to help Saul may have been due to Saul's involvement with their pagan gods. Saul had even named one of his sons Ethbaal, after the old Canaanite god Baal. God's rejection of Saul was undoubtedly due, at least partially, to his tolerance of such pagan deities.

"They have not set God before them" As Spurgeon said, "David felt that atheism lay at the bottom of the enmity that pursued him."Charles Haddon Spurgeon, p. 248. This, of course, points squarely at the pagan Ziphites.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Hear my prayer, O God - My earnest cry for deliverance from the designs of those who would betray me.

Give ear to the words of my mouth - Incline thine ear to me, as one does who wishes to hear. See the notes at Psalms 17:6.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

2.Hear my prayer, O God! The language is expressive of his earnestness. He was led to this fervor of supplication by the extremity of his present circumstances, which is alluded to in the following verse, where he complains of being surrounded by men fierce, barbarous, and unrestrained by a sense of religion. There was no necessity for his informing God of a fact which was already known to him; but he disburdens his own heart by venting the cause of his fear and disquietude. By calling his enemies strangers, ⁽²⁸⁸⁾ he seems to refer to their barbarity, whether he applied the name to the Ziphites only, or, in general, to the whole army of Saul. Others consider him, in this term, to advert to their degeneracy as children of Abraham; and it is true that the Jews are repeatedly stigmatised by the prophets under this form of expression, when they had cast themselves out of the Church of God by their profligacy or impiety. But in this passage it seems to be used in a different sense. As even enemies are accustomed, in some measure, to respect the ties of kindred and relationship, David would point out to us the monstrous inhumanity of the men who now surrounded him, by the fact that they assaulted him as strangers, as persons who had never known him, or as if he had been born in some distant part of the world. He calls them, also, terrible ones, ⁽²⁸⁹⁾ not mighty, or powerful ones, as some have rendered the word; for that falls short of the meaning intended by David, which was, that they were divested of all humanity, and ready to rush upon him like wild beasts. Hence the fear with which he resorted to the protection of God. He adds, that they sought after his soul, to denote that nothing would content their insatiable cruelty but his life. And the better to express the unbridled nature of their fury, he tells us that they had no respect to God. The only thing which could be supposed, in the circumstances, to act as a restraint upon their minds, was the consideration of there being a judge in heaven to whom they were amenable for their conduct; and being insensible to this, what moderation could be expected of them?

(288) For זרים, zairim, strangers, upwards of twenty MSS. have זדים, zoidim, the proud; and this is the sense given by the Chaldee Paraphrast. As the Ziphites were Jews, and of the same tribe with David, (Joshua 15:24,) and therefore not, strictly speaking, “strangers,” some think that the proud is the true reading. But the Ziphites, as our Author justly observes, may be called “strangers,” because they acted towards David the part of strangers and enemies, in seeking to deliver him into the hands of his unjust and cruel persecutor, Saul.

(289) Ainsworth reads, “Daunting tyrants.” “Terrible dismayers, as Saul and his retinue, whose terror daunted many. See Psalms 10:18.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 54:1-7

Psalms 54:1-7 is to the chief musician on a stringed instrument. A prayer of David. When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, "David is hiding down in the wilderness of Ziph." And so, even as he didn't care about Doeg telling Saul where he was, neither did he care about the Ziphims. So he has a few choice words for them.

Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; and give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers [the Ziphites] are risen up against me, and the oppressors seek after my soul: and they have not set God before them. Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto my enemies: cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye hath seen the desire upon my enemies ( Psalms 54:1-7 ).

So David's prayer that God would honor him, and take care of his enemies. so I have learned not to seek to defend myself, but to leave my defense completely in the hands of God. Now, if you want God to defend you, then you have to just commit yourself to the hands of God and not seek to defend yourself. God is my defense. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

God’s name and His power are virtually synonymous. Psalms 54:1 contains synonymous parallelism. His name represents all that God is and what He has done (cf. Exodus 34:5-7). David asked God personally to save him with His irresistible might. He also asked God to regard the prayer for help that proceeded from the psalmist’s mouth.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. Prayer for deliverance 54:1-3

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 54

David composed this individual lament psalm after the Ziphites had told King Saul where he was hiding (1 Samuel 23:19). He expressed great confidence in God’s protection of him in it. The psalm is a fitting prayer for any believer who is maligned by others.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A psalm of David, when

the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

      1 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.   2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.   3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

      We may observe here, 1. The great distress that David was now in, which the title gives an account of. The Ziphim came of their own accord, and informed Saul where David was, with a promise to deliver him into his hand. One would have thought that when David had retired into the country he would not be pursued, into a desert country he would not be discovered, and into his own country he would not be betrayed; and yet it seems he was. Never let a good man expect to be safe an easy till he comes to heaven. How treacherous, how officious, were these Ziphim! It is well that God is faithful, for men are not to be trusted, Micah 7:5. 2. His prayer to God for succour and deliverance, Psalms 54:1; Psalms 54:2. He appeals to God's strength, by which he was able to help him, and to his name, by which he was engaged to help him, and begs he would save him from his enemies and judge him, that is, plead his cause and judge for him. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no other power to depend upon than God's strength, and those he makes his refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer of his prayers (Psalms 54:2; Psalms 54:2), which even in his flight, when he had not opportunity for solemn address to God, he was ever and anon lifting up to heaven: Hear my prayer, which comes from my heart, and give ear to the words of my mouth. 3. His plea, which is taken from the character of his enemies, Psalms 54:3; Psalms 54:3. (1.) They are strangers; such were the Ziphites, unworthy the name of Israelites. "They have used me more basely and barbarously than the Philistines themselves would have done." The worst treatment may be expected from those who, having broken through the bonds of relation and alliance, make themselves strangers. (2.) They are oppressors; such was Saul, who, as a king, should have used his power for the protection of all his good subjects, but abused it for their destruction. Nothing is so grievous as oppression in the seat of judgment,Ecclesiastes 3:16. Paul's greatest perils were by his own countrymen and by false brethren (2 Corinthians 11:26), and so were David's. (3.) They were very formidable and threatening; they not only hated him and wished him ill, but they rose up against him in a body, joining their power to do him a mischief. (4.) They were very spiteful and malicious: They seek after my soul; they hunt for the precious life; no less will satisfy them. We may, in faith, pray that God would not by his providence give success, lest it should look like giving countenance, to such cruel bloody men. (5.) They were very profane and atheistical, and, for this reason, he thought God was concerned in honour to appear against them: They have not set God before them, that is, they have quite cast off the thoughts of God; they do not consider that his eye is upon them, that, in fighting against his people, they fight against him, nor have they any dread of the certain fatal consequences of such an unequal engagement. Note, From those who do not set God before them no good is to be expected; nay, what wickedness will not such men be guilty of? What bonds of nature, or friendship, or gratitude, or covenant, will hold those that have broken through the fear of God? Selah--Mark this. Let us all be sure to set God before us at all times; for, if we do not we are in danger of becoming desperate.