Psalm 54 — My Help Comes From the Lord

Intro |

Have you ever been falsely accused? Have you ever felt like you didn’t deserve the judgement, ridicule, or the treatment you were getting from someone?

I remember the first time I experienced this type of treatment. I was in 4th grade, and one of my classmates, who also lived in my neighborhood, decided he would start bullying me. I didn’t really know how to process this. I had not done anything to this kid—his treatment of me was mean, wrong, and unjust. It was hurtful.

I didn’t know where to turn for help, so I took things into my own hands.

I wish I could say that was the last time something like this happened, and greater still I wish it was the last time I tried to vindicate myself, but it was not.

So, let me ask, where do you turn for help when you feel abandoned, mistreated, or falsely accused?

You may remember in David’s life he spent a lot of time fleeing from King Saul.

Jonathan, Saul’s son, advised David to flee and he went to the priestly city of Nob (Psalm 52) for supplies.

The priest Ahimelech helped David, and later one of Saul’s main men killed all the priest there. But Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son escaped, and went to tell David what happened. This was hard for David, and in Psalm 52 we heard as he processed these events.

Psalm 54 picks up here, and can be found in 1 Sam 22-23. The Philistines were fighting against the boarder town of Keilah, and David, under the guidance of the Lord, went and attacked the Philistines in order to save Keilah.

When Saul learned about what David had done he and his men went to capture him.

But again, under the guidance of the Lord, David escaped south into the hill country of Ziph. Unfortunately, even in this remote wilderness high country David was not safe.

In fact, later, when David and his men were hiding in Hakilah, the Ziphites went to Saul and reported, that David was hiding there.

This is where the title of today’s Psalm comes from, “A MASKIL OF DAVID WHEN THE ZIPHITES WENT AND TOLD SAUL, “IS NOT DAVID HIDING AMONG US?” The very people who David had saved their city, men of his own tribe, were betraying him.

J.M. Boice states, “David was rejected, pursued, betrayed. But it was out of this dark, dangerous, and disillusioning situation that David called upon God in the words of Psalm 54.

OUTLINE

vv.1-3—God is mighty to save, so I can call on him for help when I fell falsely accused.

vv.4-5—God is faithful to preserve his people, so I can be confident in him when I feel falsely accused.

vv.6-7—God has delivered me from my great accuser, therefore I will worship him at all times.

1. vv.1-3—God is mighty to save, so I can call on him for help when I fell falsely accused.

v.1—“O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might.”

David was in a hard place. Betrayed, accused, and vulnerable, but he believed that salvation would come from God.

There was no earthly thing he could do, no where he could hide.

So, he looks to the name of God — this is was an appeal to God’s reputation.

David knew that he was God’s man, and God has been faithful to deliver those who are his!

1 Sam 17:37 David told Saul in preparation to fight Goliath, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!””

With deep confidence, David trusted in the name of God, for his name was a declaration to his character, to his trustworthiness.

He also appeals to the might/power of God.

v.1—David calls God by the name Elohim = mighty or supreme one.

v. 4— Lord = adonay = master or sovereign one.

v.6—Yahweh = jehovah = There is great debate on what this name means because it is so great and all encompassing that nothing we can say does it justice.

the eternal, self-existent, covenant keeping God.

Ps. 53:1 “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

But David believed, Prov. 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”

David knew that earthly routes of escape were gone, only God could save him.

v.3— David says about his pursuers, “ruthless men seek my life; they do not set god before themselves (v.3).”

So, in his distress, David confidently prays to God for help!

2. vv.4-5—God is faithful to preserve his people, so I can be confident in him when I feel falsely accused.

Though David was in a tight situation, he was confident that God would provide the help he needed.

David was not like me in fourth grade, he didn’t double down and try to take care of things himself.

He knew he had a helper...

“helper”— azar = is a military term for ally.

David trusted that God (adonay-the sovereign master of all things) had his back.

THE CONTEXT...

1 Sam 23:26 “Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.”

I can imagine the scene, can’t you.

David knew he was in trouble, yet even in the face of certain doom, David trust in the sovereign power of God to vindicate him.

Prov. 1:16-19 “for the feet [of the wicked] run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.”

David doesn’t wallow in his sorrow, no, he calls on the one whois the “upholder of his life.”

In times where you have felt abandoned by a friend, family member, or a spouse how have you responded?

Was your response like me in 4th grade? Have you taken matters into your own hands?

Maybe, as a way to make yourself look better, you spoke badly about those who hurt you.

Or maybe, as a move to protect yourself, you detached and pretended as if you were not hurt.

Both responses come from your own strength, rather than trusting in the righteous power of God to “return the evil to my enemies” (v. 5).

David prays this way quit often in the Psalms, and in doing so he is expressing his firm conviction of the inevitability of God’s righteous judgement.”

In Ps. 109:6-12 this sounds harsh. “Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit! May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!”

Ps. 103:6-8 we see the longsuffering nature of God, “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

Church, you can go to God with complete confidence that his justice will prevail. It is okay to pray for the justice of those who have done you wrong, but I would also encourage you to pray for their salvation.

If you constantly look, for God to strike down the wicked without longing for their eternal good, you will grow cold and hard hearted.

So remember to be confident in the LORD, not in yourself.

Rom.12:17-19 “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.””

3. vv.6-7—God has delivered me from my greatest accuser, therefore I will worship him at all times.

David’s final appeal here is so interesting. It shows a deep confidence in the help that God provides.

It is so easy to think of the Christianity as the pursuit of a good life, morality, and ease—but when we read the Bible we see that it is much more than that.

In the midst of hiding, running, and being falsely accused David believed that his deliverance was sure.

Not just a temporal or circumstantial deliverance, but deliverance from “every trouble (v.7).”

v. 7b— “my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.”

David shows his confidence in the Lord by declaring “With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good” (v.6).

Lord = Yahweh — David was sure that the eternal, self-existent, covenant keeping God would do what he said he would, so sure that he speaks as if it were already accomplished!

David was not yet delivered from his accusers, but having brought his need before the Lord he experienced something better than temporal deliverance—he is reminded of who God is, and he enjoys the peace that comes from trusting in him.

Paul knew this peace in his weakness, 2 Cor. 12:9-10 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

CONCLUSION |

You and I, unlike David, are not running for our life from a physical pursuer, but we do have a spiritual enemy who is the greatest of all deceivers, the most terrible of all tempters, and he is the accuser who seeks to discourage to trust in your self.

Did you know that (Rev. 12:10) Satan is referred to as the accuser of our brothers who accuses them day and night before our God.”

So, let me ask, do you have days when you feel the accusations of Satan tearing away at your spiritual peace and comfort. He knows he can’t condemn you fully, so he reminds you of past sins, he tempts you to compare yourself to others, and even question your salvation.

“Satan will strive to blot out the light of God. He will whisper alongside the promises of God, “But does this really apply to a sinner like you?”

In moments like this where do you turn for help?

Rom 8:33-34 “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

As Satan stands and accuses you before the Father, Jesus the Son stands greater still to show that his blood was shed for you.

The resurrection proves that when Jesus, through false accusation and agony, called upon God from the cross, he was heard .

So you too can be confident when you cry out Save me, when you declare “surely you are my help,” “I know I have been delivered from all my troubles”…Jesus will also hear and give you the help you need for today, and one day he will return to deliver you finally from the great accuser—but until then, let us confidently worship the one who saves those who call upon his name.