Psalm 54
This psalm is interesting for several reasons. First, David wrote it after the incident recorded in 1 Samuel 23:19 amd 26:1. The people of Zith came to King Saul and told him where David was hidden. Second, the psalm represents David’s prayer for deliverance. Third, this psalm is intended to be sung in the liturgical services with stringed instruments. The psalm is divided into three sections—Prayer concerning David’s trouble, his trust in God, and thanksgiving.
The first section (verses 1 to 3) David addresses God with his trial. God is asked to save David “by His name.” God’s name is the sum of all His attributes—especially His grace, mercy, and truth—as revealed in the Bible through which God makes Himself known. God’s name includes all His promises about the Messiah, and the promise that God would make David the king of Israel one day. David asks God to vindicate him, that is, to judge his case against his enemies, knowing that God will justify David.
The complaint in verse 3 deals with David’s enemies who have told King Saul where he is. They are described as desirous to bring about David’s death. In this the Ziphites were not acting out of fear and love of God, nor performing a duty out of loyalty to Saul. For all of Israel certainly knew that God had removed his blessing from King Saul.
The second section (verses 4 to 5) states David’s faith in God’s help. Since David was innocent of any crime against Saul and he had no one to defend him, David trusted that God Himself would help and deliver him from this trouble. Those who helped David were moved to do so by God. David was confident that God would exact punishment for the treachery of the Ziphites, on account of God’s promises to help those who were oppressed. Note that David did not ask God’s permission to bring judgment upon his enemies, but trusted that God would do so according to His word. Since God has promised that David would become king, David prays that God would break and hinder every evil thing which would seek to prevent these promises from coming to pass.
The last two verses (6 to 7) proclaim David’s thanksgiving for God hearing his prayer. Thanksgiving for the deliverance God will bring is an act of faith, trusting that God will answer and give reason for David to rejoice in His deliverance. David is willing to offer sacrifices freely given to God for His help. David gives the sacrifice of praise to God, for He is good in all that He does and in His care of believers. David well knows how God has delivered him from trouble in the past and is confident about the future. Such confidence rests in God’s promises to deliver us from all evil. Understand that God’s deliverance has meant at times that God allows believers to be martyred for their faith in Jesus and delivers them by taking them to heaven where no evil can afflict them.