Save Me, God, by Your Name
Psalm 54 summary: what it means
Psalm 54 is a short prayer for rescue. The speaker asks God to save him by his name and vindicate him by his might, and to listen to the words of his mouth. The danger is named in verse 3: strangers and violent men are after his life, and they do not set God before them. The heading ties this to the time the Ziphites told Saul that David was hiding among them.
At verse 4 the tone changes with the word Behold. God is my helper, the speaker says, and the Lord sustains his soul. He expects God to repay his enemies. The psalm ends with a promised free will offering and thanks, speaking of deliverance from all trouble as if it has already happened.
Psalm 54: Save Me, God, by Your Name
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-54
Psalm 54 commentary: explained verse by verse
Save me, God, by your name.Vindicate me in your might.
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
The prayer opens with a direct request: save me by your name, vindicate me in your might. The speaker relies on who God is and on his strength. To be vindicated is to be shown to be in the right.
Also read Micah 7:5-6, Matthew 10:21, Psalm 20:1, Psalm 26:1
Hear my prayer, God.Listen to the words of my mouth.
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
The second request is simply to be heard. Hear my prayer, listen to the words of my mouth. The speaker asks for God's attention before anything else.
Also read Psalm 143:7, Psalm 55:1-2, Psalm 13:3, Psalm 5:1-3
For strangers have risen up against me.Violent men have sought after my soul.They haven’t set God before them. Selah.
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
Here the danger is named. Strangers have risen up, violent men are seeking his life, and they have not set God before them. Their disregard for God is part of the charge, and a Selah follows.
Also read Job 19:13-15, Psalm 86:14, Psalm 53:4, Psalm 16:8
Behold, God is my helper.The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.
Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
The turn of the psalm comes with the word Behold. God is my helper, and the Lord is the one who sustains my soul. Nothing has changed outside, but the speaker's confidence has.
Also read Isaiah 50:7-9, Romans 8:31, Hebrews 13:6, Psalm 118:6-7
He will repay the evil to my enemies.Destroy them in your truth.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
The speaker expects God to repay the evil to his enemies and asks God to destroy them in his truth. The request is left in God's hands. The speaker does not say he will act himself.
Also read 2 Timothy 4:14, Psalm 94:23, Revelation 18:6, Psalm 143:1
With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you.I will give thanks to your name, LORD, for it is good.
I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.
The speaker promises a free will offering, given willingly rather than required. He will give thanks to the LORD's name, because it is good. The thanks is promised before the rescue is described as complete.
Also read Psalm 66:13-16, Psalm 116:17, Psalm 147:1, Psalm 50:14
For he has delivered me out of all trouble.My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
The last verse speaks as if deliverance has already happened: he has delivered me out of all trouble. The speaker says his eye has seen triumph over his enemies. The prayer of verse 1 ends as thanks.
Also read 2 Timothy 4:18, Psalm 34:6, Genesis 48:16, Psalm 92:11
A prayer from Psalm 54
Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might. Hear my prayer and listen to the words of my mouth. There are people who have risen up against me, people who do not set you before them. I do not have to answer them in my own strength. You are my helper. You are the one who sustains my soul. I leave the repaying of wrong to you and to your truth. I want to give to you freely, not out of pressure, and to thank your name, because it is good. You have brought me out of trouble before. Amen.
Psalm 54 Bible study questions
- According to the heading, what situation is this psalm linked to, and what does the speaker ask for in verse 1?
- In verse 3, how does the psalm describe the people who have risen up, and what does it say they have not done?
- The psalm turns at verse 4 with the word behold; what might it look like to notice help while the trouble is still present?
- Verse 6 speaks of a free will offering; what does it mean to you to give thanks freely rather than out of duty?
- Compare Psalm 54:4 with Psalm 118:7; what do both verses say about God as a helper?
Questions about Psalm 54
What is Psalm 54 about?
It is a prayer for rescue from violent men seeking the speaker's life. It moves from asking God to save and vindicate him, to confidence that God is his helper, to a promise of thanks.
Who wrote Psalm 54?
The heading attributes it to David and places it when the Ziphites came and asked Saul whether David was not hiding among them. It is addressed to the Chief Musician, on stringed instruments.
What does Psalm 54:4 mean?
It is the turning point of the psalm. The speaker declares that God is his helper and that the Lord sustains his soul, even while his enemies are still active.
What does Psalm 54:5 mean?
It expresses confidence that God will repay the evil to the speaker's enemies, and asks God to destroy them in his truth. The judgement is left to God.
What does Psalm 54 say in the KJV?
The King James Version opens: "Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength." In verse 4 it reads that the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
Is Psalm 54 numbered differently in some Bibles?
Yes. In the numbering used by the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 53.
Psalm 54 KJV: the King James Version
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.1
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.2
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.3
Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.4
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.5
I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.6
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.7
Psalm 54 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
Show the text
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃
2 בְּב֣וֹא הַ֭זִּיפִים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשָׁא֑וּל הֲלֹ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ׃
3 אֱ֭לֹהִים בְּשִׁמְךָ֣ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ תְדִינֵֽנִי׃
4 אֱ֭לֹהִים שְׁמַ֣ע תְּפִלָּתִ֑י הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃
5 כִּ֤י זָרִ֨ים ׀ קָ֤מוּ עָלַ֗י וְֽ֭עָרִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י לֹ֤א שָׂ֨מוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְנֶגְדָּ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃
6 הִנֵּ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים עֹזֵ֣ר לִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י בְּֽסֹמְכֵ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
7 ישוב הָ֭רַע לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י בַּ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ הַצְמִיתֵֽם׃
8 בִּנְדָבָ֥ה אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּ֑ךְ א֤וֹדֶה שִּׁמְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
9 כִּ֣י מִכָּל־צָ֭רָה הִצִּילָ֑נִי וּ֝בְאֹיְבַ֗י רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃
Psalm 54 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 53 there.
Show the text
1 Unto the end, In verses, understanding for David.
2 When the men of Ziph had come and said to Saul: Is not David hidden with us?
3 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me in thy strength.
4 O God, hear my prayer: give ear to the words of my mouth.
5 For strangers have risen up against me; and the mighty have sought after my soul: and they have not set God before their eyes.
6 For behold God is my helper: and the Lord is the protector of my soul.
7 Turn back the evils upon my enemies; and cut them off in thy truth.
8 I will freely sacrifice to thee, and will give praise, O God, to thy name: because it is good:
9 For thou hast delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye hath looked down upon my enemies.
Psalm 54 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 53.
Show the text
1 In finem, in carminibus. Intellectus David,
2 cum venissent Ziphæi, et dixissent ad Saul: Nonne David absconditus est apud nos?
3 Deus, in nomine tuo salvum me fac, et in virtute tua judica me.
4 Deus, exaudi orationem meam; auribus percipe verba oris mei.
5 Quoniam alieni insurrexerunt adversum me, et fortes quæsierunt animam meam, et non proposuerunt Deum ante conspectum suum.
6 Ecce enim Deus adjuvat me, et Dominus susceptor est animæ meæ.
7 Averte mala inimicis meis; et in veritate tua disperde illos.
8 Voluntarie sacrificabo tibi, et confitebor nomini tuo, Domine, quoniam bonum est.
9 Quoniam ex omni tribulatione eripuisti me, et super inimicos meos despexit oculus meus.
Printable Psalm 54: free, large print and PDF
Print Psalm 54 for free: the whole psalm or only the verses you tick. Choose regular, large or extra large print, and a plain page, a framed sheet to hang on the wall or a verse card, in the World English Bible or the King James Version. To keep a PDF, choose Save as PDF in the print window. Nothing to sign up for.
Psalm 54 at a glance
| Verses | 7 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself among us?” |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David, for the Chief Musician on stringed instruments, when the Ziphites asked Saul whether David was not hiding among them. |
| Type | Prayer and Thanksgiving |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 53 |
Read Psalm 54 when you are facing
Psalm 54 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 54 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 54 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 2 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Wikipedia, Psalm 54: numbered Psalm 53 in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source