Beautiful Psalm 54:1-4

 

Psa. 54:1‏ לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃

‎Psa. 54:2‏ בְּב֣וֹא הַ֭זִּיפִים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשָׁא֑וּל הֲלֹ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ׃

‎Psa. 54:3‏ אֱ֭לֹהִים בְּשִׁמְךָ֣ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ תְדִינֵֽנִי׃

‎Psa. 54:4‏ אֱ֭לֹהִים שְׁמַ֣ע תְּפִלָּתִ֑י הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

‎Psa. 54:5‏ כִּ֤י זָרִ֨ים ׀ קָ֤מוּ עָלַ֗י וְֽ֭עָרִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י לֹ֤א שָׂ֨מוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְנֶגְדָּ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃

‎Psa. 54:6‏ הִנֵּ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים עֹזֵ֣ר לִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י בְּֽסֹמְכֵ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃

‎Psa. 54:7‏ יָשׁוֹב [יָשִׁ֣יב] הָ֭רַע לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י בַּ֝אֲמִתְּךָ֗ הַצְמִיתֵֽם׃

‎Psa. 54:8‏ בִּנְדָבָ֥ה אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּ֑ךְ א֤וֹדֶה שִּׁמְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

‎Psa. 54:9‏ כִּ֣י מִכָּל־צָ֭רָה הִצִּילָ֑נִי וּ֝בְאֹיְבַ֗י רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינִֽי׃

        

        Like Psalm 23, this psalm is short and very meaningful when we are faced with adversity. I believe the way this psalm was written is to help people to reflect over David's personal thoughts when he was betrayed by the Ziphites. In very much the same way, we see this in the lectio divina (Latin: divine reading of the Scriptures). An example is provided here. 

        It begins with the introduction, לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת , which tells us who the psalm is prepared for. It is for the 'chief musician' or some call it 'choir director' and it appears that he was in charge of the players of stringed instruments. 

        The word  מַשְׂכִּ֥יל  is not translated, but I believe this is something like a rendition or an attribute to David. The psalm is therefore an attribute to David (לְדָוִֽד). The context is also given so that people could understand the circumstances involved. 

        If this psalm is written by a third party, it is probably attributed to David. Perhaps, David had shared his own thoughts about that incident and the psalter helped to put it in words. Or, David could have also written it, but the story is based on the narrative we read in 1 Samuel 23 where the Ziphites (זִּיפִים) told King Saul that David (and his men) were hiding in their land. There was an agreement between King Saul and the Ziphites to spy on David's whereabouts, and all his hideouts so that King Saul could pursue him to the last hideout to finish him off. 

        If we understand how lectio divina is written, we will see how Psalm 54 was put together to enable us to experience a closer relationship with God by putting ourselves in David's shoes. Hence, the entire chapter gives us the first person perspective which is different from the third person narrative in 1 Samuel 23. 

        In verses 3 & 4, we see David turning to One and Only One who could save him. He is none other than God (אֱ֭לֹהִים) Himself. Who do we turn to when we are in distress? 

        Four verbs are used in these two verses, which the psalmist linked David and God, 

•         הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי  which means 'save me.' This same root word  ישׁע is how we get two names, Joshua and Jesus. 
•        תְדִינֵֽנִי  means 'vindicate'. The Hebrew root word is דין which is translated as 'judge.' This tells us how David turned to God as the One who could see from Heaven and knew what was on the mind (motive) of Saul. God is the best judge, and David turns to Him for vindication. Bear in mind that the word we see in the word וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥, the root word is גבר which means 'might', 'strength' or 'power.' Just as he did, David once again looked up to God as the One who has the power to save him from King Saul and his army. 
•  שְׁמַ֣ע Here is a word that we have come across time and again. "Hear , O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" (see footnote 1) The word is in the Imperative, and this is like David demanding God to hear his cry.          

• הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה is a hifil imperative. The English translation 'Give ear' does not bring out the nuances that we see when we understand the Hebrew grammar. Hifil is a 'causative active' and 'imperative' means a strong urging from the person who speaks this word. It is like David telling God, "You have ears, O Lord. Cause Your ears to hear me!" This is a sound of desperation on the part of David.  How often do we call to God with such strong impulsion as David did! He did it to show God that he had no one else to turn to but God alone!

 I will leave the rest of the verses to another day. 

 FOOTNOTES:

1. Deut 6:4 is an imperative given to Israel to listen or hear this declaration that is God and He is only One God. 

”שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃“

(Deuteronomy 6:4 HMT-W4)