Bible Commentaries

Psalms 54:1. By thy name. See note on Proverbs 18:10.

Psalms 54:7. Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. The words, his desire, are not in the Hebrew. David says merely that his enemies came within sight, to show how imminent was his danger.

REFLECTIONS.

When the Ziphites, as 1 Samuel 23., strangers to David, denied him hospitality, and stirred up Saul the second time to come against him, he had, as at all times, recourse to God in prayer, and trusted not his bow and shield.

He thanks the Lord for being delivered at this time, by the unexpected invasion of the Philistines. Behold, the Lord is my helper, being with those that upheld him. The enemies, without intending it, often do great services to the church.

From this deliverance, David augurs future evils to his enemies, and prays that God would cut them off and scatter them. These, being prayers on the field of battle, are not to be understood in a worse sense than usual prayers for victory.

We are reminded of paying our vows to the Lord. I will offer sacrifices liberally, for the Lord hath delivered me at a critical time, when my eyes saw my enemies. How opportune and striking was this deliverance. When Saul was about to fall on David, a messenger, covered with sweat and dust, cried, Saul, Saul, the Philistines have invaded the land! See on 1 Samuel 23.

David, says the Chaldaic, wrote this ode partly while Absalom’s revolt suddenly surprised him, and partly after the storm had subsided.