Psalms 54 – Out of All Trouble
By Bunni Pounds and Shelly Grandpre
*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.
David is betrayed. It is brutal. It is personal. And it is real.
This is his cry for help to God. His prayer where he seeks understanding from God of the trials he is going through.
David has been betrayed by the Ziphites (or Ziphims) men from Ziph who consequently by the way were Israelites from the same tribe as David, the Tribe of Judah. 1 Samuel 23 tells the story.
David was running from King Saul who dramatically wanted David dead. The Ziphites then went to Saul and told him where he could find David. David learned of this betrayal and offers up this Psalm as a prayer for help:
“Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your strength.” (verse 1)
Here David is offering up this prayer of faith before he sees his deliverance from his enemies. He is relying upon God’s NAME and God’s STRENGTH.
God’s Name speaks of God’s character. Throughout Scripture, God reveals His character as He introduces His names to us.
Let’s read some of them.
Jehovah Tsidkenu - He is Righteous
Jehovah Shalom - He is Peace
Jehovah Rapha - He is Healer
God’s strength speaks of His great power. David had seen the nature of God in his own life and remembered the stories from his Jewish ancestors. Remember the mighty flood that wiped out all of humanity outside of Noah and his immediate family. What about the Red Sea parting and incredible deliverance of Israel from Egypt? No one can forget the story of the 10 Commandments given to Moses from God on Mount Sinai, and in his own personal story - the defeat of the Philistine giant - Goliath.
David knew that God’s strength would respond to his need if he cried out. He ultimately knew God’s Name and his character, and it influenced the way he lived his life.
Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth. (verse 2)
David asks God to give ear to his cry for help, because he knows God will hear, have mercy and rescue Him. He knows that only because he has studied and pushed into knowing God. He knows His names well.
David also understood the principles Jesus teaches us in Matthew 7:7-8 - “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
Ask. Seek. Knock…these are actions of FAITH.
David is asking God in faith, trusting that He will hear him and deliver him. He gives voice to his challenge, problem, and need knowing His God will hear and act on his behalf. He asks in faith.
“For strangers have risen up against me,
And oppressors have sought after my life;
They have not set God before them. Selah.” (verse 3)
Here David describes the need he is facing. He is under attack by fellow Israelites from Ziph - but they are behaving like strangers who care nothing for him or for God.
Have you ever had someone behave in such a way that all you could say is “who are you??” Their behavior is so out of character that you wonder what is going on.
This is how David was feeling. These fellow countrymen are acting in such a way that he doesn’t even recognize them.
The story in 1 Sam 23 tells us the Ziphites went to Saul and revealed to him where David is hiding, and subsequently Saul takes off to find and destroy David. These Ziphites were looking to gain favor with King Saul, and they don’t seem to care who they harmed in the process.
Doesn’t that sound like our world today? So many people only “looking out for #1” not caring who they harm in the process.
This betrayal even happened to Jesus when the Pharisees, who were so married to the “religious laws”, turned their back on the Son of God even unto death.
“Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is with those who uphold my life.
He will repay my enemies for their evil.
Cut them off in Your truth.” (verse 4-5)
Now David moves to proclamation and prayer. Here his deep faith and trust in God is revealed and he boldly proclaims - “God Is my Helper!”
This recalls the scripture from Deut. 32:35 and is repeated by Paul in Romans 12:19 - “Vengeance is mine says the Lord”.
David understood the strength of God’s ability to bring justice for him and that ultimately He would repay David's enemies. David knew he did not need to take matters into his own hands.
The evidence that David truly understood “biblical justice” is the fact that he did not take Saul's life. He had two opportunities but refused each time. His heart would not allow it. He knew God would take care and protect him from King Saul so he did not take vengeance into his own hands.
The Passion Translation says in verse 5: “God will see to it that those who sow evil will reap evil. So Lord, in your great faithfulness, destroy them once and for all!”
“I will freely sacrifice to You;
I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.” (verse 6)
David proves his trust and faith in God by saying he will give a free will offering of thanks and praise to God BEFORE he receives deliverance from his pursuers. He knows he will see his deliverance by God’s hand - not his own or any others. This is a show of great faith by David and a lesson we all can learn from.
Matthew Henry said concerning Psalm 54 - “Christians should follow his example: they should consider how great things God hath done for them, and should never suffer the voice of Praise and Thanksgiving to cease in the church of the redeemed”.
“For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.” (verse 7)
David CONFIDENTLY brought his request to God before God delivered him. God’s past faithfulness became the ground for his future faith. This is the language of faith. This is the triumph of trust. The final line of this Psalm shows David fully trusted God to give his enemies to him as he had in times past. He trusted in God’s Name and His strength.
The story from 1 Samuel 23 ends with Saul having to call off his chase of David because the Philistines had invaded his kingdom and he had to return home to defend it.
God delivered David by turning his enemy away from him!
David’s prayer was answered just as he trusted it would be!
“He has delivered me out of all trouble.”
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