The bare pale hills of Horesh at midday under a high white sky, a thin scrub of oak in one fold and a far empty track leading away north.

Lament · David

Psalm 54

Someone told. David’s own tribesmen gave him away to Saul. This is a prayer for the day you find out who told.

7 verses≈ 3 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–41Book IDavid's prayers: 'The LORD is my shepherd'
42–72Book II'As the deer pants'; the throne under pressurePsalm 54
73–89Book IIIAsaph and Korah: the kingdom falls
90–106Book IVBack to Moses: the LORD reigns
107–150Book VSongs of ascents, and the last Hallelujah

Save Me by Your Name

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?”

Save me, O God, by Your name,

and vindicate me by Your might!

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From high above, a long bare ridge across the frame: on the near slope a small band of men moving fast in a line, and on the far slope, half hidden by the crest, a larger column of soldiers with spears catching the light, both heading the same way.

Hear my prayer, O God;

listen to the words of my mouth.

For strangers rise up against me,

and ruthless men seek my life—

men with no regard for God.

Selah

Late afternoon in a thicket of scrub oak on a wilderness hillside: Jonathan, bow and quiver on his back, grips David's forearm in both hands, the two men face to face in dappled light, a few of David's men keeping watch among the rocks.

Surely God is my helper;

the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

He will reward my enemies with evil.

In Your faithfulness, destroy them.

Pray

Hand it over

Is someone you trusted the one who gave you away? Pray for help “by Your name,” not by your own cleverness. Then hand the reckoning to God, and leave it with Him.

Evening in the wilderness of Maon: a long column of soldiers with spears turning away along a valley floor, dust trailing behind them, while high on the shadowed side of a great rock a small band of men watches them go, under a calm amber sky.

Freely I will sacrifice to You;

I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.

For He has delivered me from every trouble,

and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

0:11

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

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Psalm 54

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A verse to carry with you

Surely God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

Psalm 54:4

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