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Day 146

Psalm 54:1a "Save me, O God by Your name..."

Day 146 – Psalm 54

“Save me, O God by Your name…” Psalm 54:1a

SUPERSCRIPTION

“To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, ‘Is David not hiding with us?'”

1. Standard features

a) Addressing the Chief Musician.
b) Instruction concerning musical accompaniment (Stringed instruments).

2. Historical notation

a) Betrayal by the Ziphites with whom David had taken refuge.
b) The Wilderness of Ziph and the Ziphites were mentioned in 1 Samuel 23.

DEADLY HUNT FOR DAVID’S LIFE

David knew that King Saul was bent on killing him. He had spies all over Israel who reported to the king if David’s presence was discovered in the vicinity.

1. Taking refuge at Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1-13)

David had come to the rescue of Keilah, which had come under the attack of the Philistines. Nevertheless, Keilah was prepared to betray David to King Saul, even though David helped them!

2. Taking refuge in the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:14-29)

Keilah was more of a town than Ziph. The region of Ziph included a wilderness. David fled to a forest in the wilderness of Ziph, thinking that he would be safer there.

However the Ziphites reported to King Saul that David was taking refuge in their region. Saul immediately dispatched soldiers to capture David (1 Samuel 23:19-23).

3. Highlights in this episode in the wilderness of Ziph

a) Jonathan sought and found David. They renewed their covenant of friendship with each other (1 Samuel 23:16-18).
b) Just when it seemed certain that David would be delivered into the hands of Saul, there was an urgent message for the king to return to Israel to fight the Philistines who had invaded the land. Saul rushed back and thus David was spared from death.