Psalms 54 · The Lantern

Save me, O God, for thy Name's sake: and avenge me in thy strength.

The suffering of the prophet David is … a type of the passion of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. This is why David's prayer also corresponds in sense with the prayer of Christ, who being the Word, was made flesh. As man, Christ suffered all things in a human fashion and spoke in a human fashion in everything he said.

"O God, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me" [Psalm 54:1]. Let the Church say this, hiding amid the Ziphites.

"O God, in your name." Above, in other Psalms, the Psalmist magnified the iniquity of sinners with regard to the inclination toward sin and the contempt of God; here he sets forth the persecution that he suffers from them. The title: "unto the end, understanding, of David, in verses." The first part of the title is plain. The second touches on the history written in 1 Sam.

Hear my prayer, O God: and hearken unto the words of my mouth.

For strangers are risen up against me: and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul.

He has next added the reason why He prays for His words to be heard: For strangers are risen up against Me and violent men have sought after My soul; they have not set God before their eyes.

"For aliens have risen up against me" [Psalm 54:3]. What "aliens"? Was not David himself a Jew of the tribe of Judah? But the very place Ziph belonged to the tribe of Judah; it was of the Jews. How then "aliens"? Not in city, not in tribe, not in kindred, but in flower. ...But see the Ziphites, see them for a time flourishing. With reason "alien" sons.

"Because strangers have risen up." Here he sets forth the necessity of praying, where he magnifies the persecution of his enemies: first from their disposition, second from their power, third from their contempt of God. From their disposition, because when someone who is utterly alien to another persecutes him, this is dangerous, because he attacks without mercy.

Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: destroy thou them in thy truth.

After this there is a return to the Person of God, to Whom the petition was at the first addressed: Destroy them by Your truth. Truth confounds falsehood, and lying is destroyed by truth.

"Turn away evil things unto mine enemies" [Psalm 54:5]. So however green they are, so however they flourish, for the fire they are being reserved. "In Your virtue destroy Thou them." Because to wit they flourish now, because to wit they spring up like grass: do not thou be a man unwise and foolish, so that by giving thought to these things thou perish for ever and ever.

"Turn back evils upon my enemies." Here he asks to be heard on behalf of his enemies. And he asks two things against the two things they were doing to him, because they were persecuting him and seeking to kill him. And so he asks that they themselves may suffer persecution and be destroyed.

An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy Name, O Lord: because it is so comfortable.

For next there follows: I will sacrifice unto You freely. The sacrifices of the Law, which consisted of whole burnt-offerings and oblations of goats and of bulls, did not involve an expression of free will, because the sentence of a curse was pronounced on all who broke the Law. Whoever failed to sacrifice laid himself open to the curse.

For among them (the Egyptians) these offices, which we are taught to render to the Lord at separate hours and at intervals of time with a reminder from the convener, are celebrated freely and continuously throughout the whole day in conjunction with their work.

"I will sacrifice willingly to you." Here he sets forth the recompense. And first the recompense is set forth. Second, the reason for the recompense. He intends to offer as recompense two things: sacrifice and confession.

For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

Psalms54