Psalms 54:3

54:2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

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

KJV

For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven’t set God before them. Selah.

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

For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. [Selah

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

What does Psalms 54:3 mean?

Psalms 54:3 is a verse in the book of Psalms, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include זוּר (zûwr), קוּם (qûwm), עָרִיץ (ʻârîyts). It connects to 26 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

For

strangersזוּרzûwr/zoor/H2114to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery

are

risen

upקוּםqûwm/koom/H6965to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

against

me,

and

oppressorsעָרִיץʻârîyts/aw-reets'/H6184fearful, i.e. powerful or tyrannical

seekבָּקַשׁbâqash/baw-kash'/H1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after

after

soul:נֶפֶשׁnephesh/neh'-fesh/H5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

they

have

not

setשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

Godאֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/H430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

before

them.

Selah.סֶלָהçelâh/seh'-law/H5542suspension (of music), i.e. pause

Commentary on Psalms 54:3

CLARKE · whole chapter

Verse 5 He shall reward evil - Saul and his courtiers, instead of having God's approbation, shall have his curse. Cut them off in thy truth - Thou hast promised to save me; these have purposed to destroy me. Thy truth is engaged in my defence; they will destroy me if permitted to live: to save thy truth, and to accomplish its promises, thou must cut them off. Verse 6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee - Or, I will sacrifice nobly unto thee. Not only with a willing mind, but with a liberal hand will I bring sacrifice unto thee. For it is good - Thy name is good; it is descriptive of thy nature; full of goodness and mercy to man. And it is good to be employed in such a work: whoever worships thee in sincerity is sure to be a gainer. To him who orders his conversation aright, thou dost show thy salvation. Verse 7 For he hath delivered me - Saul had now decamped; and was returned to save his territories; and David in the meanwhile escaped to En-gedi. God was most evidently the author of this deliverance. Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies - It is not likely that this Psalm was written after the death of Saul; and therefore David could not say that he had seen his desire. But there is nothing in the text for his desire; and the words might be translated, My eye hath seen my enemies - they have been so near that I could plainly discover them. Thus almost all the Versions have understood the text. I have seen them, and yet they were not permitted to approach me. God has been my Deliverer. Introduction David, in great danger and distress from the implacable malice of his enemies, calls on God for mercy, Psa 55:1-5; wishes he had the wings of a dove, that he might flee away, and be at rest, Psa 55:6-8; prays against his enemies, and describes their wickedness, Psa 55:9-11; speaks of a false friend, who had been the principal cause of all his distresses, Psa 55:12-14; again prays against his enemies, Psa 55:15; expresses his confidence in God, Psa 55:16-18; gives a farther description of the deceitful friend, Psa 55:19-21; encourages himself in the Lord, and foretells the destruction of his foes, Psa 55:22, Psa 55:23. The title, "To the chief Musician upon Neginoth, A Psalm of David, giving instruction." This is the same as the preceding, Psa 54:1-7 (note), which see. Verse 1 Give ear to my prayer - The frequency of such petitions shows the great earnestness of David's soul. If God did not hear and help, he knew he could not succeed elsewhere; therefore he continues to knock at the gate of God's mercy. Verse 2 I mourn in my complaint - בשיחי besichi, in my sighing; a strong guttural sound, expressive of the natural accents of sorrow. And make a noise - I am in a tumult - I am strongly agitated. Verse 3 They cast iniquity upon me - To give a colourable pretense to their rebellion, they charge me with horrible crimes; as if they had said: Down with such a wretch; he is not fit to reign. Clamour against the person of the sovereign is always the watch-word of insurrection, in reference to rebellion. Verse 4 The terrors of death are fallen upon me - I am in hourly expectation of being massacred. Verse 5 Fearfulness - How natural is this description! He is in distress; - he mourns; - makes a noise; - sobs and sighs; - his heart is wounded - he expects nothing but death; - this produces fear; - this produces tremor, which terminates in that deep apprehension of approaching and inevitable ruin that overwhelms him with horror. No man ever described a wounded heart like David. Verse 6 O that I had wings like a dove! - He was so surrounded, so hemmed in on every side by his adversaries, that he could see no way for his escape unless he had wings, and could take flight. The dove is a bird of very rapid wing; and some oil them passing before his eyes at the time, might have suggested the idea expressed here. And be at rest - Get a habitation. Verse 7 Would I wander far off - He did escape;

HENRY_FULL · Psalms 54:1–3

Complaints. 1 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. We may observe here, 1. The great distress that David was now in, which the title gives an account of. The Ziphim came of their own accord, and informed Saul where David was, with a promise to deliver him into his hand. One would have thought that when David had retired into the country he would not be pursued, into a desert country he would not be discovered, and into his own country he would not be betrayed; and yet it seems he was. Never let a good man expect to be safe an easy till he comes to heaven. How treacherous, how officious, were these Ziphim! It is well that God is faithful, for men are not to be trusted, Mic. vii. 5 . 2. His prayer to God for succour and deliverance, v. 1, 2 . He appeals to God's strength, by which he was able to help him, and to his name, by which he was engaged to help him, and begs he would save him from his enemies and judge him, that is, plead his cause and judge for him. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no other power to depend upon than God's strength, and those he makes his refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer of his prayers ( v. 2 ), which even in his flight, when he had not opportunity for solemn address to God, he was ever and anon lifting up to heaven: Hear my prayer, which comes from my heart, and give ear to the words of my mouth. 3. His plea, which is taken from the character of his enemies, v. 3 . (1.) They are strangers; such were the Ziphites, unworthy the name of Israelites. "They have used me more basely and barbarously than the Philistines themselves would have done." The worst treatment may be expected from those who, having broken through the bonds of relation and alliance, make themselves strangers. (2.) They are oppressors; such was Saul, who, as a king, should have used his power for the protection of all his good subjects, but abused it for their destruction. Nothing is so grievous as oppression in the seat of judgment, Eccl. iii. 16 . Paul's greatest perils were by his own countrymen and by false brethren ( 2 Cor. xi. 26 ), and so were David's. (3.) They were very formidable and threatening; they not only hated him and wished him ill, but they rose up against him in a body, joining their power to do him a mischief. (4.) They were very spiteful and malicious: They seek after my soul; they hunt for the precious life; no less will satisfy them. We may, in faith, pray that God would not by his providence give success, lest it should look like giving countenance, to such cruel bloody men. (5.) They were very profane and atheistical, and, for this reason, he thought God was concerned in honour to appear against them: They have not set God before them, that is, they have quite cast off the thoughts of God; they do not consider that his eye is upon them, that, in fighting against his people, they fight against him, nor have they any dread of the certain fatal consequences of such an unequal engagement. Note, From those who do not set God before them no good is to be expected; nay, what wickedness will not such men be guilty of? 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 all be sure to set God before us at all times; for, if we do not we are in danger of becoming desperate.

WESLEY · Psalms 54:3

Strangers - The Zephites, whom, though Israelites, he calls strangers in regard of their barbarous and perfidious carriage.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 18:11

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

1 Samuel 17:46

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

1 Kings 18:36

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

2 Kings 19:12

Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?

1 Chronicles 29:11

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Job 19:13

He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

Psalms 16:8

I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Psalms 21:13

Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

Psalms 22:16

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Psalms 36:1

The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

Psalms 40:14

Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.

Psalms 53:4

Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

Psalms 57:5

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

Psalms 59:3

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.

Psalms 69:8

I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

Psalms 86:14

O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

Isaiah 2:11

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 2:17

And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 5:16

But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

Ezekiel 38:23

Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Habakkuk 2:20

But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Zechariah 2:13

Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

Matthew 27:20

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

John 16:3

And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

Revelation 15:3

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Revelation 15:4

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Psalms 54:3.

Exodus 4:19

And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

Genesis 1:20

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Genesis 1:21

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:24

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Genesis 2:19

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Genesis 2:7

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:8

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 21:18

Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

Frequently asked questions

What does Psalms 54:3 say?

Psalms 54:3 (King James Version) reads: "For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah."

Is Psalms 54:3 in the Old or New Testament?

Psalms 54:3 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Psalms.

Reflect

As you read Psalms 54:3, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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