Background…
The transcription gives us the background of writing. It is found in 1 Samuel 26:
- David hid in the city of Keilah and Saul took this chance to
move on him and gathered his armies. - David learned of Saul’s move on him and prayed to the Lord “O Lord, God of Israel, your
servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the
town on account of me. Will the citizens
of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul
come down, as your servant has heart? O
Lord, God of Israel, tell you servant. And the Lord said, He will. Again, David asked, “will the citizens of
Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?”
And the Lord said, They will”. (1 Samuel 23:10-12). - David and his 600 men then packed up and left Keilah. Saul, thwarted by David’s move, did not go to
Keilah. - (1 Samuel 23:14)
- The tribal people of the region, the Ziphites, went to King
Saul and told them exactly where David and his men were hiding. All they wanted was the credit for handing
him over. - This was another in a long line of “Judas” figures for David.
Psalm 54
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”
1 Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.
3 Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life— men without regard for God.
4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.
6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
Prayer
for Deliverance (verses 1-3)
- David prays, in verse 1, “save me” and “vindicate me”. Both of these expressions speak to the source
and nature of the deliverance for which David sought. Only God could rescue him from these enemies. - In his heartache, he pleads to the Lord to hear his requests.
- What exactly is the nature of the request for deliverance?
- David is asking God to deliver him from godless people. Saul was not acting in the will of God. David was God’s anointed one. As such, Saul should not have made any threat
on his life. - When you are attacked by those who are godless remember this
prayer. “Save me!” “Vindicate me!”. Only God can deliver you from the hands of
the enemy which walks the earth looking whom he may devour.
David doesn’t stop with a prayer request, but he
thanks God—in advance!—for the answer!
David, in verses 4-7 gives his…
Praise
for Deliverance (verses 4-7)
- Verse 4 shows David’s trust in God: “surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”
- Are you this confident when you pray for God to vindicate
you? Are you trusting in the One Who
sustains you? - In verse 5 David firmly shows his resolve in the Lord: the
Lord is faithful. He will accomplish His
purposes. He is just and the Righteous
Judge will do what is right! - Notice David’s response to God’s deliverance (which was still
forth-coming—it hadn’t happened yet, don’t forget!) - David said he will worship the Lord and tell of the Lord’s
goodness. The meaning of the old
testament word “praise” is closer to explain or tell—either way it implies an
action associated with this external act of worship. - What is David telling of the Lord’s goodness?
- deliverance and victory.
Next time you pray to God for deliverance, reach out in faith
and tell of God’s goodness to you.
Praise Him by telling others of how He has delivered you.
“Count your many blessings.
Name them one by one. Count your
blessings see what God has done. Count
your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your many blessings see what God has done!”
Life Meets Theology 