For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 54

1 Save me, O God, by your name;
    vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me –
    people without regard for God.

4 Surely God is my help;
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness destroy them.

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
    I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
7 You have delivered me from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

A. Find Out:    

1. What, in general does David ask? v.1
2. What, specifically, does he ask? v.2
3. What has been happening to him? v.3
4. What truth does he rely upon? v.4
5. What does he say he will do? v.6
6. Why? v.7

B. Think:

1. How does this psalm start out in desperation?
2. How does it end in hope?
3. Why do you think the change takes place?

C. Comment:

     The notes at the beginning of the psalm indicate that David wrote it when he was on the run from Saul and was likely to be betrayed by some of the people through whom he passed. He has a sense that he is about to be attacked by those who are against him and against God. His life is under threat. So what does he do?

     He prays. Again and again we find that this was the reaction of David to difficult circumstances, to seek God. Moses was another man who had done the same. Whenever he had opposition or whenever he had a crisis we find him seeking God. Is that our reaction when things go wrong, when people seem against us, to seek God?

     In his praying he declares the truth: God is for him! God is the one who will help him and sustain him. He knows that from his past experience. So, he says, knowing the Lord is my helper may all evil rebound on itself, may those who seek my downfall be destroyed. My God has faithfully upheld me and therefore I may expect Him to come against those who come against me. Very well, I will trust in this and I will simply get on and praise and worship my God because I know the outcome! He has delivered me in the past and therefore I can trust in Him for the present. It is as good as done. I will praise Him.

D. Application:

1. When crisis comes, is our first response to go to God with it?
2. When we pray, do we declare the truth and receive faith and peace?