Psalms

Psalm 54:1–7

¹For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil^a of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?”

Save me, O God, by Your name,

and vindicate me by Your might!

²Hear my prayer, O God;

listen to the words of my mouth.

³For strangers rise up against me,

and ruthless men seek my life —

men with no regard for God.

Selah

⁴Surely God is my helper;

the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

⁵He will reward my enemies with evil.

In Your faithfulness, destroy them.

⁶Freely I will sacrifice to You;

I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.

⁷For He has delivered me from every trouble,

and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Footnotes

a 54:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Read all of Psalm 54

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 54:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
With stringed instruments	בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת	bin·ḡî·nōṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural	H5058 music
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּ֥יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of David	לְדָוִֽד׃	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
When the Ziphites	הַ֭זִּיפִים	haz·zî·p̄îm	Article; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H2130 Ziphite
went	בְּב֣וֹא	bə·ḇō·w	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to Saul	לְשָׁא֑וּל	lə·šā·’ūl	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and said	וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Is David	דָ֝וִ֗ד	ḏā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
not	הֲלֹ֥א	hă·lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
hiding	מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר	mis·tat·têr	Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular	H5641 hide, conceal
among us	עִמָּֽנוּ׃	‘im·mā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5973 with
Save me	הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי	hō·wō·šî·‘ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H3467 deliver
O God	אֱ֭לֹהִים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
by Your name	בְּשִׁמְךָ֣	bə·šim·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
and vindicate me	תְדִינֵֽנִי׃	ṯə·ḏî·nê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H1777 judge
by Your might	וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥	ū·ḇiḡ·ḇū·rā·ṯə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1369 strength, might

Psalm 54:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Hear	שְׁמַ֣ע	šə·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
my prayer	תְּפִלָּתִ֑י	tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8605 prayer
O God	אֱ֭לֹהִים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
listen	הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה	ha·’ă·zî·nāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H238 give ear, listen, hear
to the words	לְאִמְרֵי־	lə·’im·rê-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of my mouth	פִֽי׃	p̄î	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth

Psalm 54:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
strangers	זָרִ֨ים׀	zā·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2114 be a stranger
rise up	קָ֤מוּ	qā·mū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
against me	עָלַ֗י	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
and ruthless	וְֽ֭עָרִיצִים	wə·‘ā·rî·ṣîm	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine plural	H6184 awe-inspiring, terror-striking
men seek	בִּקְשׁ֣וּ	biq·šū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H1245 seek
my life	נַפְשִׁ֑י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
men with no	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
regard	שָׂ֨מוּ	śā·mū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7760 put, place, set
for God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

Psalm 54:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Surely	הִנֵּ֣ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
God	אֱ֭לֹהִים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
is my helper	עֹזֵ֣ר	‘ō·zêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5826 help, succour
the Lord	אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
is the sustainer	בְּֽסֹמְכֵ֥י	bə·sō·mə·ḵê	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H5564 lean, lay, rest, support
of my soul	נַפְשִֽׁי׃	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

Psalm 54:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He will reward	יָשׁוֹב	yå̄·šōḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
my enemies	לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י	lə·šō·rə·rāy	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H8324 watcher
with evil	הָ֭רַע	hā·ra‘	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
In Your faithfulness	בַּ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗	ba·’ă·mit·tə·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
destroy them	הַצְמִיתֵֽם׃	haṣ·mî·ṯêm	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H6789 put an end to, exterminate

Psalm 54:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Freely	בִּנְדָבָ֥ה	bin·ḏā·ḇāh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H5071 voluntariness, freewill-offering
I will sacrifice	אֶזְבְּחָה־	’ez·bə·ḥāh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to You	לָּ֑ךְ	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular
I will praise	א֤וֹדֶה	’ō·w·ḏeh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H3034 throw, cast
Your name	שִּׁמְךָ֖	šim·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
O LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it is good	טֽוֹב׃	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good

Psalm 54:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
He has delivered me	הִצִּילָ֑נִי	hiṣ·ṣî·lā·nî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5337 strip, plunder
from every	מִכָּל־	mik·kāl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
trouble	צָ֭רָה	ṣā·rāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6869 id.
and my eyes	עֵינִֽי׃	‘ê·nî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H5869 eye
have looked in triumph on	רָאֲתָ֥ה	rā·’ă·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7200 see
my foes	וּ֝בְאֹיְבַ֗י	ū·ḇə·’ō·yə·ḇay	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H341 be hostile to