David's Cry for Rescue
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A wisdom psalm of David, when the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?”
The Ziphites had just offered to hand David over to Saul. His prayer is short and undramatic — save me by your name — and settles on one steady claim: surely my Father is my helper, the one who upholds my life.
54 1O my Father, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. 2O my Father, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth. 3For strangers have risen against me, and ruthless men want to kill me—they have no regard for our Father.
4Surely my Father is my helper; the Sovereign Father is the upholder of my life. 5He will turn back the evil on those who lie in wait for me; in your faithfulness, put an end to them. 6With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will praise your name, my Father, for it is good. 7For he has rescued me from every trouble, and I have looked in triumph on my enemies.