To the choirmaster leader, with stringed instruments, a Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, ‘David is in hiding among us’

“Save me!

O God!

By your name,

Vindicate me by your might.

Hear my prayer!

O God!

Give ear to the words of my mouth!”

This short Psalm 54 refers to an incident in the life of David from 1 Samuel, chapter 23. This event also involved Saul, who is generally the heavy or bad person in these psalms. He is usually the opposite of the good David, but rarely mentioned. This time it is a group of Ziphites who went to King Saul to tell him where David was hiding. In this choral psalm with stringed instruments, David wanted to be saved. He called on God to help him by hearing his prayer. He was trying to get away from King Saul. His plea was directly to God. He wanted to be vindicated.