The Meaning of Psalms 54:1 Explained

Psalms 54:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?} Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

YLT: To the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction, by David, in the coming in of the Ziphim, and they say to Saul, 'Is not David hiding himself with us?' O God, by Thy name save me, and by Thy might judge me.

Darby: {To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David; when the Ziphites came, and said to Saul, Is not David hiding himself with us?} O God, by thy name save me, and by thy strength do me justice.

ASV: Save me, O God, by thy name, And judge me in thy might.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician  on Neginoth,  Maschil,  [A Psalm] of David,  when the Ziphims  came  and said  to Saul,  Doth not David  hide  himself with us?}} Save  me, O God,  by thy name,  and judge  me by thy strength. 

What does Psalms 54:1 Mean?

Study Notes

Neginoth Neginoth, stringed instrucments.
Maschil Maschil, "instruction."

Context Summary

Psalm 54:1-7 - Sinners All-God Alone Can Help
That Psalms 53:1-6 should be a repetition of Psalms 14:1-7, with very few variations, suggests, as does the "verily, verily" of Christ, that the truths contained in these words are worthy of special attention. They supply the Apostle, in Romans 3:1-31, with his phraseology for describing the state of the ungodly before the searching eye of Omniscience.
We have here a photograph of the human heart. Jew and Gentile are alike in their innermost texture. There is nothing to choose between the Pharisee and the publican, except when either turns the balance by humble confession, as in Luke 18:9, etc.
Psalms 54:1-7 is probably founded on 1 Samuel 23:19. It is short, as if compressed by the urgency of David's need. Evidently he was in sore straits, though conscious of the rectitude of his cause. Notice how he makes his transition from prayer to praise, Psalms 54:4. He affirms, in spite of everything, that God is still his helper. He hears the approaching footsteps of those who are pledged to uphold Him, and God is with them. As he speaks thus in the confidence of faith, the storm clears away. He is delivered; his eye has seen the defeat of his foes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 54

1  David, complaining of the Ziphims, prays for salvation
4  Upon his confidence in God's help he promises sacrifice

What do the individual words in Psalms 54:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician with stringed instruments a Contemplation of David when went the Ziphites and said to Saul is not David hiding with us God by Your name Save me and by Your strength vindicate me
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד בְּב֣וֹא הַ֭זִּיפִים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשָׁא֑וּל הֲלֹ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ אֱ֭לֹהִים בְּשִׁמְךָ֣ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ תְדִינֵֽנִי

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת  with  stringed  instruments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: נְגִינָה  
Sense: music, song, taunt song.
מַשְׂכִּ֥יל  a  Contemplation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַשְׂכִּיל  
Sense: (Hiphil) poem, song or poem of contemplation.
לְדָוִֽד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
בְּב֣וֹא  when  went 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַ֭זִּיפִים  the  Ziphites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: זִיפִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Ziph.
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְשָׁא֑וּל  to  Saul 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
הֲלֹ֥א  is  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
דָ֝וִ֗ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר  hiding 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
עִמָּֽנוּ  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
אֱ֭לֹהִים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּשִׁמְךָ֣  by  Your  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי  Save  me 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
וּבִגְבוּרָתְךָ֥  and  by  Your  strength 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּרָה  
Sense: strength, might.
תְדִינֵֽנִי  vindicate  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: דֹּון 
Sense: to judge, contend, plead.