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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 54 To the end. In hymns. Of understanding for David. On the Ziphites’ coming and saying to Saul, “Is not David in hiding among us?” he psalm’s drift is clear: the mighty David sings praise to God for intervening and causing him to escape the snares of the enemies. The Ziphites feigned friendship for David, remember, but betrayed to Saul where he was trying to escape detection1 —as even today we see some people putting on a guise of friendship while full rather of pretense than of friendship. At some point Saul gave credence to their information and took to the field against him with numerous forces; then, when he was on the point of ensnaring him unawares , he was prevented by the incursion of foreigners: he learned they were deployed against the region, and turned about to speed assistance to those under attack. Then the mighty David offered this hymn to God for accepting his petition and obviating the imminent disaster. He offered this psalm in particular as general instruction for them so that everyone under unjust attack from some people might in complete compunction offer supplication like David [1265] to the God who is able to rescue them like the inspired author from the hand of wrongdoers.2 (2) Save me, O God, by your name (v. 1). Invocation of your name, he is saying, is for me sufficient for safety. In this way, too, the divine apostles performed the great wonders: “In the name 311 1. Cf. 1 Sam 23.19. 2. Schulze’s text of the commentary is drawn from various codices, some adhering to the particular story of 1 Sam 23, others wishing to apply the psalm more generally. This composite editing is visible also in the patchwork text that follows. of Jesus Christ,” Scripture says, “get up and walk.”3 And judge me in your might. You are righteous, he is saying, and source of righteousness ; so judge me and those warring unjustly. O God, hearken to my prayer, and not only this, but also, give ear to the words of my mouth (v. 2): accept my petitions with favor—to a high degree ; hence he said, Because strangers have risen up against me, and, not only this, but also, powerful men have sought my life (v. 3). I need your assistance and support, O Lord, he is saying, harassed as I am by impious men trusting in their great power, human though it is and dependent on this belief in many gods, and longing to dispatch me to death. They presume to make this attempt against me, however, since they are ignorant of your providence, or rather they even despise it. In fact, he added this in the words, They do not set God before them. (3) Having made his petition in this way, he loudly proclaims the assistance coming before long: Lo, God in fact assists me, and the Lord is the support of my life. You will turn back the evils on my foes (vv. 4–5), that is, they sank a pit and dug it out, and will fall into the hole they have made.4 Then he also directs his prayer to the all-holy Spirit of God in saying, and in your truth destroy them utterly . I shall voluntarily sacrifice to you (v. 6). But for my part, he is saying , I am instructed by your grace that you will deem me worthy of providential care, and with the troubles besetting me you will encircle those responsible for them, and will deliver a righteous verdict against them. This in fact is the meaning of in your truth destroy them utterly. I shall voluntarily sacrifice to you: having benefited from them, with all zeal I shall offer pleasing sacrifices to you. (4) To teach the form of worship, he added, [1268] I shall confess to your name, Lord, because it is good. Because you have rescued me from every tribulation, and my eye has looked down on my foes (vv. 6–7): I shall offer you the sacrifice of praise, recounting your favors . This, in fact, is useful to me and pleasing to you (and to all helped by you). It is right for me to do this, freed as I have been from calamities of all kinds and contemplating the ruin of the 312 THEODORET OF CYRUS 3. Cf. Acts 3.6. 4. Cf. Ps 7.15. enemies. Now, that the Lord of all...

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