Psalm 54

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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
"Save me, O God, by thy name"
Francesco d'Antonio del Cherico - Leaf from a Gradual- Initial (D) with John the Baptist - 1950.1 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif
Beginning of Psalm 54 in Latin, Psalter in the Cleveland Museum of Art
Other name
  • Psalm 53
  • "Deus in nomine tuo salvum me fac"
TextAttributed to King David
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 54
←  Psalm 53
Psalm 55  →
Book Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
Category Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part Old Testament
Order in the Christian part19

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]

Contents

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant liturgies.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text [3] [4] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

VerseHebrewEnglish translation (JPS 1917)
1לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃‎For the Leader; with string-music. Maschil of David:
2בְּבֹ֣א הַ֭זִּיפִים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשָׁא֑וּל הֲלֹ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ׃‎when the Ziphites came and said to Saul: 'Doth not David hide himself with us?'
3אֱ֭לֹהִים בְּשִׁמְךָ֣ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ תְדִינֵֽנִי׃‎O God, save me by Thy name, And right me by Thy might.
4אֱ֭לֹהִים שְׁמַ֣ע תְּפִלָּתִ֑י הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃‎O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.
5כִּ֤י זָרִ֨ים ׀ קָ֤מוּ עָלַ֗י וְֽ֭עָרִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י לֹ֤א שָׂ֨מוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְנֶגְדָּ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃‎For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul; They have not set God before them. Selah
6הִנֵּ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים עֹזֵ֣ר לִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י בְּֽסֹמְכֵ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃‎Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is for me as the upholder of my soul.
7(ישוב) [יָשִׁ֣יב] הָ֭רַע לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י בַּ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ הַצְמִיתֵֽם׃‎He will requite the evil unto them that lie in wait for me; Destroy Thou them in Thy truth.
8בִּנְדָבָ֥ה אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּ֑ךְ א֤וֹדֶה שִּׁמְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה כִּי־טֽוֹב׃‎With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto Thee; I will give thanks unto Thy name, O LORD, for it is good.
9כִּ֣י מִכׇּל־צָ֭רָה הִצִּילָ֑נִי וּ֝בְאֹיְבַ֗י רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃‎For He hath delivered me out of all trouble; And mine eye hath gazed upon mine enemies.

King James Version

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?)
  1. Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
  2. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
  3. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
  4. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
  5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
  6. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.
  7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

Verse numbering

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. [5]

The Ziphims lived in the wilderness of Ziph, a district to the south-east of Hebron in the Judean mountains. [6]

Commentary

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). [7] 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: [7]

It can also be described as a lament, prayer, or complaint of an individual. [7]

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, [5] 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'). [7]


Uses

Eastern Orthodox Church

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 53 (Psalm 54 in the Masoretic Text) is read every day as part of the Sixth Hour service. It is part of the seventh Kathisma division of the Psalter, read at Matins on Tuesday mornings, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays during Lent, at the Third Hour and Matins, respectively. [8]

Book of Common Prayer

In 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. [9]

The Psalm is a Proper Psalm for Mattins on Good Friday. [6]

Musical settings

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. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 53 / 54 Archived 7 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  2. ↑ The Artscroll Tehillim, page 110
  3. ↑ "Psalms – Chapter 54". Mechon Mamre.
  4. ↑ "Psalms 54 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  5. 1 2 Keil, Carl Friedrich; Delitzsch, Franz. (1857-1878), Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalm 54, accessed 24 November 2021
  6. 1 2 Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 54, accessed 3 November 2020
  7. 1 2 3 4 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.
  8. ↑ The Holy Psalter, Saint Ignatius Orthodox Press, 2022
  9. ↑ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff
  10. ↑ "Alan Hovhaness List of Works by Opus Number". www.hovhaness.com. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
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