Psalm 54:1

Psalm 54:1

A Prayer for deliverance

David was a fugitive when he penned this song; he spent many months fleeing from the jealousy of King Saul. It was a time of constant moving from place to place, never being able to settle, never knowing if the local people could be trusted, never being sure whether a contact was a spy or not. 1 Samuel 23 gives us a glimpse of what it must have been like; David and his 600 fighting men have been authorised to go to a city called Keilah and to save the people there from the Philistines. He did as commanded and inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the inhabitants of Keilah. However, when he enquired of the Lord if it was safe to stay there the Lord made it clear that King Saul would come and destroy the city and that the local people would willingly hand over David, who had saved them, to him. 

So, the company led by David remained as outlaws, often living in the wilderness, surviving by their wits and never daring to stay in one place for very long. David was in the southern desert of Ziph at a town called Horesh and the Ziphites went to Saul to report that the fugitives were hiding on their land. This is the narrative that forms the backdrop of Psalm 54.

“The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.”

Saul replied, “The Lord bless you for your concern for me. Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”

 1 Samuel 23:19-23

 

v1        It is only on understanding the context of this Psalm that we get an idea of the emotional and mental suffering of David and his men. No doubt, he felt responsible for them all and all David had to keep him going was the promise that he was anointed to be King of Israel and one day, that promise would be fulfilled. In fact, Saul’s son Jonathan, David’s dearest friend, had visited him to remind of that fact. 

“While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.”

 1 Samuel 23:15-18.

Thus, David begins his song with a cry for help and salvation. In the midst of this traumatic period of his life he was learning trust and obedience, and to believe the promises that the Lord God made to him would be fulfilled. It is the might of the name of the Lord Most High that David trusts, He knows that if the Lord is with him, all will be accomplished. We can learn from David!