The One Who Keeps Us Alive

Psalm 54

For the choir director: A meditation of David, regarding the time the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “We know where David is hiding.” To be accompanied by stringed instruments.

1Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!

Defend me with your might.

2O God, listen to my prayer.

Pay attention to my plea.

3For strangers are attacking me;

violent men are trying to kill me.

They care nothing for God.

Interlude

4But God is my helper.

The Lord is the one who keeps me alive!

5May my enemies’ plans for evil be turned against them.

Do as you promised and put an end to them.

6I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;

I will praise your name, O LORD,

for it is good.

7For you will rescue me from my troubles

and help me to triumph over my enemies.

On the run from King Saul, David certainly had to deal with some weasels. He was camping out with his men in the hill country of Ziph when some local residents went running to the king, saying, “We know where David is hiding. . . . we will catch him and hand him over to you” (1 Samuel 23:19-20).

Fortunately, David had some spies of his own, who informed him that Saul was on his way. Earlier, Jonathan, David’s best friend and Saul’s son, had hurried out to the hill country of Ziph to find David. “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you!” (1 Samuel 23:17).

But King Saul nearly did find David, steadily closing in on David’s forces until only one mountain separated the troops. And then came an urgent message for the king: “The Philistines are attacking Israel again!” So David was saved as the king’s army hurried off to fight the Philistines.

This psalm expresses David’s call for God to rescue him from Saul and his trust that God will do so.

When we are in a difficult situation, we, like David, can call out to God and know that he is our helper, the one who keeps us alive.

Holy God, we praise your name,

Lord of all, we bow before you;

All on earth your scepter claim,

All in heaven above adore you;

Infinite your vast domain, everlasting is your reign.

IGNACE FRANZ

Bible Networking

In verse 6 we see a reference to a “voluntary offering.” Find other references to this in Leviticus 22:18, 21, where it is called a “freewill offering.” What kind of an offering must it be?

Notable Quotable

“What faith is here [in verse 4]! Hardly had the prayer ascended than the soul is aware of the gracious answer. Note the present tense, ‘God is my helper.’ ”

F. B. MEYER