Psalms 54:1

_SAVE ME, O GOD, BY THY NAME, AND JUDGE ME BY THY STRENGTH._ Psalms 54:1.-Prayer for deliverance from godless oppressors (Psalms 54:1); confident anticipation of it, and promise of thanksgiving for it (Psalms 54:4). Title. - ON NEGINOTH - (see note on title, Psalms 4:1.) The singular, _ NªGIYNAAH_ (H5058), denotes not a particular stringed instrument, but the music on such instruments; the plural, _ NªGINOWT_ (H5058), is the music formed by numerous notes running into one another, not various instruments (Delitzsch)....

1._Save me, O God! _As David was at this time placed beyond the reach of human assistance, he must be understood as praying to be saved by the _name _and _the power of God, _In an emphatical sense, or by these in contradistinction to the usual means of deliverance. Though all help must ultimately come from God, there are ordinary methods by which he generally extends it. When these fail, and every earthly stay is removed, he must then take the work into his own hands. It was in such a situation that David here fled to the saints’ last asylum, and sought to be saved by a miracle of divine power. By appealing, in the second part of the verse, to God as his judge, he asserts his uprightness. And it must strike us all, that in asking the divine protection it is indispensably prerequisite we should be convinced of the goodness of our cause, as it would argue the greatest profanity in any to e...

1-3 God is faithful, though men are not to be trusted, and it is well for us it is so. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no other power to depend upon than God's strength, and these he makes his refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer to his prayers. Looking unto David, betrayed by the men of Judah, and to Jesus, betrayed by one of his apostles, what can we expect from any who have not set God before them, save ingratitude, treachery, malice, and cruelty? 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 set God before us at all times; for if we do not, we are in danger of despair....

PSALM LIV _The psalmist complains that strangers were risen up against_ _him to take away his life_, 1-3; _expresses his confidence in God that he will uphold him, and_ _punish his enemies_, 4, 5; _on which he promises to sacrifice to God_, 6; _he speaks of his deliverance_, 7. NOTES ON PSALM LIV The title is, "To the chief Musician upon Neginoth, an instructive Psalm of David, when the Ziphites came to Saul, and said, Doth not David conceal himself among us?" _Ziph_ was a village in the southern part of Palestine. David having taken refuge in the mountains of

SAVE ME, O GOD, BY THY NAME - The word “name” here may include the perfections or attributes properly implied in the name. It is a calling on God as God, or in view of all that is implied in his name, or that constitutes the idea of “God.” That name would imply all of power and benevolence that was necessary to secure his salvation or safety. The particular object of the prayer here is that God would save him from the design of the Ziphims to betray him to Saul. In some way David seems to have been apprised of the information which they had given to Saul, or at least to have suspected it so strongly that he felt it was necessary for him to move from place to place in order to find safety. AND JUDQE ME BY THY STRENGTH - The word “judge” here is used in the sense of declaring a judgment in his favor, or of vindicating him. See the notes at...

EXPOSITION THIS is a short psalm, written in a time of great trouble, and containing, first, an earnest prayer for deliverance (Psalms 54:1); and then an expression of confidence in God's aid, and of thankfulness for the deliverance, which is counted as absolutely certain (Psalms 54:4). The "title," which assigns the psalm to David, and makes the occasion his betrayal to Saul by the Ziphites, appears to be trustworthy. PSALMS 54:1 SAVE ME, O GOD, BY THY NAME; _i.e. _by the qualities of which thy "Name" is significant—power, goodness, and truth. AND JUDGE ME; _i.e. _"vindicate me," or "judge my cause." By thy strength;

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,...

NEGINOTH Neginoth, stringed instruments. MASCHIL Maschil, "instruction....

Psalms 54 The Prayer of the Godly _ 1. The prayer for salvation (Psalms 54:1)_ 2. The assurance of faith (Psalms 54:4) During that final apostasy when the man of sin is revealed, the saints among the Jews will suffer persecution as the prophetic Word elsewhere reveals. Here is another prophetic record of their prayers, with a believing anticipation of deliverance....

LIV. THE PSALMIST PRAYS FOR DELIVERANCE FROM POWERFUL AND BITTER FOES. He trusts in God who will destroy his enemies. When that is done, he will offer sacrifice in thanksgiving. His enemies are Jews for who would expect heathen to set God before their eyes (Psalms 54:3)? True, we are told expressly in Psalms 54:3 that the adversaries are strangers, _i.e._ foreigners, but we should read insolent men. _Cf._ also Psalms 86:14. PSALMS 54:1. The name sums up all the attributes of God, but especially His power. See on Psalms 5 and _cf._ Psalms