This article is about Psalm 54 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 54 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 55.
Psalm 54 is the 54th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 53. In Latin, it is known as "Deus in nomine tuo salvum me fac",[1] Attributed to David, it was written for one who finds oneself betrayed by a friend.[2]
The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.
(To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David,
when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?)
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
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.
Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
Verse numberingEdit
Verses 1 and 2 in the Hebrew Bible correspond to the designation in English translations:
1To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David,
2when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? (KJV)
Verses 1–7 in English versions correspond to verses 3–9 in the Hebrew text.[4]
The Ziphims lived in the wilderness of Ziph, a district to the south-east of Hebron in the Judean mountains.[5]
CommentaryEdit
The historical setting of this short Psalm is given in its title, almost a direct quotation from 1 Samuel 23:19 (a similar style of historical setting as with Psalm 52).[6] It is considered one of the psalms containing prayers against false accusations, linked with an ordeal, the taking of an oath, or an appeal to the 'higher court', as indicated in the following points:[6]
The phrase 'vindicate me' (verse 1)
A royal perspective of opponents as 'strangers' (verse 3; the New Revised Standard Version amends to 'the insolent'), 'the ruthless' (verse 3), and 'enemies' (verse 5)
A prayer before battle appealing to God as personal savior with a covenant 'faithfulness' (verse 5).
It can also be described as a lament, prayer, or complaint of an individual.[6]
Verses 1-3 pray for help and answer. Following an appeal (verses 1–2), the psalmist describes the danger facing him (verse 3), but maintains his confidence in God. In the second half of the psalm (verses 4–7), the poet, in the certainty of being heard, rejoices in help, and makes a vow of thanksgiving,[4] he promises to sacrifice a free-will offering to express 'the voluntary gratitude of a thankful heart' (verses 6–7, another example of the 'certainty of hearing').[6]
Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 54 in a metred version in German, "Hilf mir, Gott, durch den Namen dein", SWV 151, as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628. Alan Hovhaness set text from this Psalm and from Psalms 55 and 56 in his choral work Make a Joyful Noise.[8]
ReferencesEdit
^Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 53 / 54 7 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
^ abKeil, Carl Friedrich; Delitzsch, Franz. (1857-1878), Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalm 54, accessed 24 November 2021
^ abKirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 54, accessed 3 November 2020
^ abcdRodd, C. S. (2007). "18. Psalms". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 382. ISBN978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
^Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff
^"Alan Hovhaness List of Works by Opus Number". www.hovhaness.com. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Psalm 54.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Psalms Chapter 54 text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David, 2when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “David is hiding among us.” Oh God, by your name save me. text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Psalm 54:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
Psalm 54 – Help When Abandoned and Betrayed enduringword.com
psalm, this, article, about, hebrew, masoretic, numbering, greek, septuagint, latin, vulgate, numbering, psalm, 54th, psalm, book, psalms, beginning, english, king, james, version, save, name, judge, strength, slightly, different, numbering, system, used, gree. This article is about Psalm 54 in Hebrew Masoretic numbering For Psalm 54 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering see Psalm 55 Psalm 54 is the 54th psalm of the Book of Psalms beginning in English in the King James Version Save me O God by thy name and judge me by thy strength In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible this psalm is Psalm 53 In Latin it is known as Deus in nomine tuo salvum me fac 1 Attributed to David it was written for one who finds oneself betrayed by a friend 2 Psalm 54 Save me O God by thy name Beginning of Psalm 54 in Latin Psalter in the Cleveland Museum of ArtOther namePsalm 53 Deus in nomine tuo salvum me fac TextAttributed to King DavidLanguageHebrew original Psalm 54 Psalm 53Psalm 55 BookBook of PsalmsHebrew Bible partKetuvimOrder in the Hebrew part1CategorySifrei EmetChristian Bible partOld TestamentOrder in the Christian part19The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish Catholic Eastern Orthodox and Protestant liturgies Contents 1 Text 1 1 Hebrew Bible version 1 2 King James Version 1 3 Verse numbering 2 Commentary 3 Book of Common Prayer 4 Uses 4 1 Musical settings 5 References 6 External linksText EditHebrew Bible version Edit Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 54 3 Verse Hebrew1 ל מ נ צ ח ב נ ג ינ ת מ ש כ יל ל ד ו ד2 ב ב ו א ה ז יפ ים ו י אמ ר ו ל ש א ו ל ה ל א ד ו ד מ ס ת ת ר ע מ נו 3 א ל ה ים ב ש מ ך ה ו ש יע נ י ו ב ג בו ר ת ך ת ד ינ נ י4 א ל ה ים ש מ ע ת פ ל ת י ה א ז ינ ה ל א מ ר י פ י5 כ י ז ר ים ק מו ע ל י ו ע ר יצ ים ב ק ש ו נ פ ש י ל א ש מו א ל ה ים ל נ ג ד ם ס ל ה6 ה נ ה א ל ה ים ע ז ר ל י א ד נ י ב ס מ כ י נ פ ש י7 י ש יב כתיב י ש וב ה ר ע ל ש ר ר י ב א מ ת ך ה צ מ ית ם8 ב נ ד ב ה א ז ב ח ה ל ך א ו ד ה ש מ ך י ה ו ה כ י ט ו ב9 כ י מ כ ל צ ר ה ה צ יל נ י ו ב א י ב י ר א ת ה ע ינ יKing James Version Edit The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible To the chief Musician on Neginoth Maschil A Psalm of David when the Ziphims came and said to Saul Doth not David hide himself with us Save me O God by thy name and judge me by thy strength 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 Behold God is mine helper the Lord is with them that uphold my soul He shall reward evil unto mine enemies cut them off in thy truth I will freely sacrifice unto thee I will praise thy name O LORD for it is good For he hath delivered me out of all trouble and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies Verse numbering Edit Verses 1 and 2 in the Hebrew Bible correspond to the designation in English translations 1 To the chief Musician on Neginoth Maschil A Psalm of David 2 when the Ziphims came and said to Saul Doth not David hide himself with us KJV Verses 1 7 in English versions correspond to verses 3 9 in the Hebrew text 4 The Ziphims lived in the wilderness of Ziph a district to the south east of Hebron in the Judean mountains 5 Commentary EditThe historical setting of this short Psalm is given in its title almost a direct quotation from 1 Samuel 23 19 a similar style of historical setting as with Psalm 52 6 It is considered one of the psalms containing prayers against false accusations linked with an ordeal the taking of an oath or an appeal to the higher court as indicated in the following points 6 The phrase vindicate me verse 1 A royal perspective of opponents as strangers verse 3 the New Revised Standard Version amends to the insolent the ruthless verse 3 and enemies verse 5 A prayer before battle appealing to God as personal savior with a covenant faithfulness verse 5 It can also be described as a lament prayer or complaint of an individual 6 Verses 1 3 pray for help and answer Following an appeal verses 1 2 the psalmist describes the danger facing him verse 3 but maintains his confidence in God In the second half of the psalm verses 4 7 the poet in the certainty of being heard rejoices in help and makes a vow of thanksgiving 4 he promises to sacrifice a free will offering to express the voluntary gratitude of a thankful heart verses 6 7 another example of the certainty of hearing 6 Book of Common Prayer EditIn the Church of England s Book of Common Prayer this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the tenth day of the month 7 The Psalm is a Proper Psalm for Mattins on Good Friday 5 Uses EditMusical settings Edit Heinrich Schutz set Psalm 54 in a metred version in German Hilf mir Gott durch den Namen dein SWV 151 as part of the Becker Psalter first published in 1628 Alan Hovhaness set text from this Psalm and from Psalms 55 and 56 in his choral work Make a Joyful Noise 8 References Edit Parallel Latin English Psalter Psalmus 53 54 Archived 7 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist net The Artscroll Tehillim page 110 Tehillim Psalms Chapter 54 Chabad org 2019 Retrieved January 26 2019 a b Keil Carl Friedrich Delitzsch Franz 1857 1878 Commentary on the Old Testament Psalm 54 accessed 24 November 2021 a b Kirkpatrick A 1906 Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 54 accessed 3 November 2020 a b c d Rodd C S 2007 18 Psalms In Barton John Muddiman John eds The Oxford Bible Commentary first paperback ed Oxford University Press p 382 ISBN 978 0199277186 Retrieved February 6 2019 Church of England Book of Common Prayer The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762 pp 196ff Alan Hovhaness List of Works by Opus Number www hovhaness com Retrieved 2022 10 30 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Psalm 54 nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Psalm 54 Pieces with text from Psalm 54 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Psalm 54 Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library ChoralWiki Text of Psalm 54 according to the 1928 Psalter Psalms Chapter 54 text in Hebrew and English mechon mamre org For the leader On stringed instruments A maskil of David 2when the Ziphites came and said to Saul David is hiding among us Oh God by your name save me text and footnotes usccb org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Psalm 54 1 introduction and text biblestudytools com Psalm 54 Help When Abandoned and Betrayed enduringword com Psalm 54 Refrain Behold God is my helper Church of England Psalm 54 at biblegateway com Hymns for Psalm 54 hymnary org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Psalm 54 amp oldid 1173866805, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
