1 To the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself with us?” God, save me by your name, and by your might judge me.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 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.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "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.
Save Me by Your Name 2 God, hear my prayer; give ear to the sayings of my mouth.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 The obvious thing for the Prophet to say was, O God, hear me. But because he is speaking as the mouthpiece of Him, Who alone knew how to pray, we are given a constantly reiterated demand that prayer shall be heard. The words of St. Paul teach us that no man knows how he ought to pray: For we know not how to pray as we ought.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O God, hearken to my prayer, in Thy ears receive the words of my mouth" [Psalm 54:2]. ...To Thee may my prayer attain, driven forth and darted out from the desire of Thy eternal blessings: to Thy ears I send it forth, aid it that it may reach, lest it fall short in the middle of the way, and fainting as it were it fall down.
3 For strangers have risen against me, and ruthless men have sought my life; they have not set God before them. Selah.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 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.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "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.
4 See, God is my helper; the Lord is among those who uphold my soul.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 The introduction of a pause marks a change of person. He no longer speaks but is addressed. For now the prophetic utterance assumes a general character.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For behold, God helpeth me" [Psalm 54:4]. Even themselves know not themselves, amid whom I am hiding. But if they too were to set God before their face, they would find in what manner God helpeth me. For all holy men are helped by God, but within, where no one seeth.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "For behold, God helps me." Here he shows that he has been heard in his prayer. And first he shows that he has been heard with regard to one thing.
5 He will return the evil to those who watch me; in your faithfulness destroy them.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 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.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "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.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, LORD, for it is good.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 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.
John Cassian · AD 435 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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "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.
7 For from all distress he has rescued me, and on my enemies my eye has looked.
Hilary of Poitiers · AD 367 Then He gives thanks to God the Father for the accomplishment of all these acts: I will give thanks unto Your name, O Lord, for it is good, for You have delivered Me out of all affliction. He has assigned to each clause its strict fulfilment.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For out of all tribulation You have delivered me" [Psalm 54:7]. For this cause I have perceived how good a thing is Your name: for if this I were able before tribulations to acknowledge, perchance for me there had been no need of them. But tribulation has been applied for admonition, admonition has redounded to Your praise.