Certain Faith
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
1 Save me, O God, by thy name,
And judge me by thy strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers are risen up against me,
And oppressors seek after my soul: They have not set God before them.
Selah.
4 Behold, God is mine helper:
The Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies:
Cut them off in thy truth.
6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee:
I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.
7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble:
And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
Certain Faith
As we read through the Book of Psalms, we are captivated by the heartfelt sorrow expressed by David at times of betrayal. Whether the hurt was caused by a false friend or a stranger, the sharp pain and emotional distress cut deeply. Once again, in Psalm 54, David tells his tale of woe because of the betrayal of the Ziphites. David has learned that he can always put his trust in God, who is always faithful. David commences by retelling the betrayals of the Ziphites. When he was hiding from Saul, who sought to kill him, they went and told Saul where he was hiding. When David discovered their treachery, he cried out, “Save me, O God by thy name and judge me by thy strength” (54:1). He asks the Lord to hear his prayer and listen to his words. David knows that God is always aware of what is happening. He is listening and awaiting our call to come to our aid. He explains that strangers and oppressors rise up against him to oppress his soul. These people, whom David thought he could trust as he sought refuge from Saul, were not righteous. “They have not set God before them”(54:3). “Selah”, said next, is a point of pause or reflection about what has been said.
After this moment, David turns again to God. He speaks with assurance that God is his helper. This righteous and just God will reward evil on his enemies who betrayed him. For this, David will freely sacrifice unto God and declare His name. Many times before, God hath delivered David out of all trouble (54:7). He can confidently speak from experience that he has seen what God will do to his enemies.
David’s life has been fraught with numerous times of hardship, oppression, betrayals and struggles. However, with every situation, as God proves over and over His power to save, David grows more and more confident in expressing his assurance that God will help him overcome. The scripture says, “many are the afflictions of the righteous but God delivers them out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). I, too, have a testimony of God’s love, grace, healing and power that has strengthened me many times in my life. I love to share my testimony in words and songs. I thank God for His faithfulness and immeasurable joy which strengthens me, especially in times of trouble. Surely, He is able to carry you through.
Debra Hill
Debra Hill is an independent inspirational singer, author, songwriter, and writer. As a blind performer, she adds a personal story of God’s faithfulness. Her life exemplifies that Christ’s power will work to lift all regardless of circumstances.
Elizabeth Expands:
We find the story of the Ziphites in 1st Samuel chapter 26. In chapter 25, Samuel himself has just died, and David has taken Abigail, the clever wife of Nabal, as his wife. He remains on the run from Saul, who seeks constantly to end his life. While David is hidden with his family and his men in the wilderness, the Ziphites of the wilderness of Ziph go to Saul and report to him where David is. Saul brings three thousand men of Israel’s army to this place to find David and kill him.
Thankfully, God uses this betrayal as a triumph for David. David and his man Abishai slip into Saul’s camp at night through those three thousand men, and take the spear and cruse of water from by his bed, proving that the Lord was with David.
“The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed. And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.” 1 Samuel 26:23-25 KJV
Meet Elizabeth Baber
Elizabeth Baber is the latest addition to the Debra Hill Sings team, working as the head Virtual Assistant for the wonderful woman herself. Elizabeth would identify as an author(ess), spreadsheet fanatic, and all-around geek. The majority of her time is spent serving Central Virginia’s low-vision patients as a technician with the MedRVA Foundation.
When not at work, she can be found cooking with her fiancé, coaching Teen Bible Quizzing, wrestling novel ideas, running an online Dungeons and Dragons server, or trying her hand at one of a hundred rotating crafting hobbies.
Some of her work can be found on her website: www.writingonwords.com and you can contact her at elizabeth@writingonwords.com.
I would love to hear what this Psalm brings to mind for you! Write back to me in Facebook comment or blog reply.
Disclaimer: The intention of this project is not to teach, but rather to share. Please use due diligence in studying the word of God, and seek guidance from your local religious leaders for any questions or concerns.
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