Psalm 54 - Prayer For Protection From Enemies

 

Psalm 54 A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, “Does not David hide himself with us?” Read 1 Samuel 23:13-29. Commentary by Dennis Edwards.

Psalm 54:1-2 Save me, O God, by Your name, and judge me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

David and his six-hundred men were hiding in the wilderness of Ziph in the territory of Judah. The men of Ziph reported to Saul of David’s where abouts. Saul has David and his men surrounded, when he receives a message that the Philistines are invading the land. Saul has to leave off from pursuing after David

Psalm 54:3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

Instead of “strangers,” some expositors translate the word for “the proud.” It could therefore read, “For the proud are risen up against me.” The proud are also those who “have not set God before them.”

In the Book of James, we find the same idea.

“God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble….Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up,” James 4:6&10.

In Job we find,

“When men are cast down, then You shall say, There is lifting up; and He shall save the humble person.”

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Isaiah 66:2b “But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word.”

Numerous proverbs warn us against pride.

Proverb 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes shame, but with the lowly is wisdom.”

Proverb 16:5 “Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 16:19 “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

“The Lord is with them that uphold my soul.” Who are the “them,” David is talking about? Is he alluding to “angels,” the ministering spirits that God has ordained to help us in our battles?

After Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness we read, “Then the devil left Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him,” Matthew 4:11. Before going into Jerusalem to be crucified, Jesus goes to a mountain and is transfigured before three of his disciples and receives encouragement from Moses and Elijah. “And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah: who appeared in glory, and spoke of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem,” Luke 9:30-31.

Lastly, at the end of Jesus’ time of desperate prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, an angel came and strengthened Him for the battle ahead. “And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him,” Luke 22:43.

The author of Hebrews calls the angels, “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation,” Hebrews 1:14. Later in the book, he refers to the departed saints of the Old Testament as being “so great a cloud of witnesses,” Hebrews 12:1.

Could David had sensed or realised the help of angels?

Psalm 54:5 He (the Lord) shall reward evil unto my enemies: cut them off in Your truth.

Judgment is coming for the wicked. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Psalm 9:17. “But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, says the Lord,” Jeremiah 12:17.

Or as we read in the psalm.

Psalm 37:9-11 “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those who wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

In the writings of Apostle Paul we find,

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.”

Psalm 54:6 I will freely sacrifice unto You: I will praise Your name, O Lord; for it is good.

The name of the Lord is good. His name is wonderful. He is “the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6b. Jesus is the name to which every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess.

Psalm 54:7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye has seen His desire upon my enemies.

As David wrote elsewhere, “The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles,” Psalm 34:17. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all,” Psalm 34:19.

Or as Apostle Paul affirmed, “Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.” 2 Corinthians 1:10. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen, 2 Timothy 4:18.