Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 54

PSAL. LIV.

To the master of the musicke on Neginoth, an instructing Psalme of David. When the Ziphims came and said unto Saul, doth not David hide himselfe with us?

O God, in thy name save me, and in thy power judge me. O God, heare my prayer, hearken to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and daunting tyrants seeke my soule, they have not set God before them Selah. Lo[illegible: 1 letter] God is mine helper, the Lord is with them that uphold my soule. He will turne the evill to my enviers: in thy truth suppresse thou them. With voluntarinesse I will sacrifice unto thee, I will confesse thy Name Iehovah, because it is good. For hee hath freely rid mee out of all distresse, and mine eye hath seene on mine enemies.

Annotations. ZIphi[illegible: 2 letters]s] or Zipheans. the Inhabitants of Ziph, a citie in the tribe of Iudah, Ios. 15. 24. by which there was a wildernesse and wood, wherein David hid himselfe when he fled from Ke[illegible: 2 letters]ah for feare of King Saul, and was bewrayed by these Ziphims unto the King, once and the second time, whereupon he made this Psalme. See the history, 1 Sam. 23. 14, 15. 19, &c. and 26 1, 2. Vers. 5. strangers] the Ziphims, estranged from God, and alienated from his people, Psal. 58. 4. Isa. 1. 4. So wicked men are called Heathens, Psal. 59. 6. In Psal. 86. 14. his is repeated by David: but for Zarim, strangers, there he calleth them Zedim, proud. daunting tyrants] terrible dismayers, as Saul and his retinue, whose terrour daunted many. See Psal. 10. 18. seeke my soule] my life, to take it away: see the note on Psal. 35. 4. Vers. 6. with them that uphold] or, among the upholders, the valiant souldiers that helped David in his battels: as 1 Chron. 12. 1. &c. a like manner of speech is, Iudg. 11. 35. thou art among them that trouble me. Vers. 7. returne the evill] to wit, which they intend against me. For the righteous escapeth out of trouble, and the wicked shall come in his stead, Prov. 11. 8. suppresse them] restraine them, or cut them off. Compare Psal. 143. 12. Vers. 8. With voluntarinesse] or, In freenesse; that is, freely, liberally, of a willing minde. Such sacrifices the law mentioneth, Levit. 7. 16. Vers. 9. eye hath seene] to wit, the worke, or reward of God; in Chaldee, the vengeance on mine enemies, mentioned before in vers. 7. and as is expressed in Psal. 91. 8. but often this word is concealed, as Psal. 35. 21. and 92. 12. or hath viewed them with delight: see Psal. 22. 18.