Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 54:3
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
3. This verse is repeated almost verbatim in Psa 86:14 (a mosaic constructed of fragments of other Psalms), with the change, accidental or intentional, of strangers into proud. The consonants of the Heb. words zrm, strangers, and zdm, proud, are almost identical, and some Heb. MSS. and the Targ. read zdm here; but the rest of the versions support the Massoretic Text.
and oppressors &c.] Render, and violent men have sought my life, as in 1Sa 23:15, “David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life.” It has been argued that the terms ‘strangers’ and ‘violent men’ are inapplicable to Israelites, and prove that the title is erroneous. No doubt they are often used of foreign invaders or oppressors (Isa 25:2 ff; Isa 29:5; Eze 31:12; cp. Isa 1:7; Eze 7:21); but ‘violent men’ or ‘terrible ones’ is not exclusively so used (Job 6:23; Jer 15:21), and might well be applied to Saul and his followers; while the Ziphites might be designated ‘strangers,’ in view of their unneighbourly behaviour. It is however possible that ‘strangers’ refers to the men of Keilah, whom there is some ground for regarding as Canaanites. The peculiar term ‘lords’ or ‘owners’ applied to the men of Keilah (1Sa 23:11-12) seems to have been specially (though not exclusively) used of Canaanites. See Jos 24:11; Jdg 9:2 ff; and J. S. Black’s note on the latter passage in the Smaller Cambridge Bible for Schools.
they have not set God before them ] They have no regard for God’s will, and no fear of His judgements. Cp. Psa 10:4-5; Psa 36:1; and contrast Psa 16:8; Psa 18:22. Under other circumstances loyalty to Saul might have required the Ziphites to surrender David: as it was, they were simply fighting against God in making themselves the tools of Saul’s blind rage, for it must have been well known that God intended David to be Saul’s successor.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For strangers are risen up against me – That is, foreigners; those of another nation or land. Saul and his friends who sought the life of David were his own countrymen; these persons who sought go betray him were another people. They attempted to gain the favor of Saul, or to secure a reward from him, by betraying to him an innocent man whom he was persecuting.
And oppressors seek after my soul – Seek after my life. The word here rendered oppressors means people of violence; the proud; the haughty; persecutors; tyrants. The word properly denotes those who exert their power in an arbitrary manner, or not under the sanction of law.
They have not set God before them – They do not act as in the presence of God. They do not regard his authority. See the notes at Psa 36:1. The word Selah here merely marks a musical pause. It indicates nothing in regard to the sense.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Strangers are risen up against me] The Ziphites.
And oppressors] Saul, his courtiers, and his army.
They have not set God before them.] It is on no religious account, nor is it to accomplish any end, on which they can ask the blessing of God.
Selah.] This is true.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Strangers; the Ziphites, whom, though Israelites, he calls strangers, in regard of their barbarous and perfidious disposition and carriage towards him, by which they showed themselves to be estranged from God, as the wicked are said to be, Psa 58:3, and from the commonwealth of Israel, and from all the laws of piety and humanity; for which causes he calls such persons heathens, Psa 59:5, and elsewhere.
They have not set God before them; they cast off all regard to thy presence and authority, and all fear of thy judgments.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. strangersperhaps Ziphites.
oppressorsliterally,”terrible ones” (Isa 13:11;Isa 25:3). Such were Saul and hisarmy.
not set . . . themactedas atheists, without God’s fear (compare Ps16:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For strangers are risen up against me,…. Meaning such as Doeg the Edomite, or Heathen soldiers, that Saul had hired and took into his army, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; and such as these rose up against David’s antitype, the Messiah, Ps 2:1 Ac 4:27. Or rather the Ziphims, who were of his own nation, yea, of his own tribe, yet used him as barbarously as the very Heathens would have done, or worse; and who, though notwithstanding they were of Israel, might not be Israelites indeed, but strangers to an inward experience of divine and spiritual things: for men may be professors of religion, and yet be strangers to God in Christ, to Christ himself, and the way of salvation by him, and communion with him; to the Spirit of God, and the operations of his grace on the heart; to themselves, their own hearts, and their state and condition by nature; to the Gospel of Christ, and to the people of God; and these are sometimes the most violent persecutors of good and spiritual men;
and oppressors seek after my soul; or “life” i, to take it away; as did Saul and his army; who are “the mighty” or “strong ones” k, as the word here used signifies; see 1Sa 24:11; and as the Jewish sanhedrim, Scribes and Pharisees, sought after the soul or life of Christ, to take that away, as they did;
they have not set God before them. They did not consider themselves as under the omniscient eye of God; they did not set his word before them, as the rule of their conduct, but cast it behind their backs; nor did they regard his providential mercies and layouts as a motive to engage them to obedience to him, but despised them; they had not the fear of God before their eyes, nor in their hearts, nor any concern for his glory; and therefore did the wicked things they did against his servant.
Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2].
i “vitam meam”, Junius Tremellius, Michaelis. k “fortes”, V. L. Pagninus, Musculus, Gejerus “praepotentes”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) For strangers.This verse, with some variations, occurs again (Psa. 86:14); some MSS. even reading here proud, instead of strangers. With the received reading we must understand by the word foreign oppressorsthough, doubtless, the inscription of the Psalm may be defended by taking the word in a derived sense of those Israelites who have degenerated, and so deserve the name aliens.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Strangers The word denotes foreigners, heathen, those who are not of the seed of Israel. If the reference is to the Ziphites, such they were to David in spirit, and in this moral sense the word often occurs. Compare Jer 23:14; Mat 18:17. But it may refer to Doeg the Edomite, and the political intrigues of his nation through him, to destroy the Hebrew monarchy.
Oppressors seek after my soul Fierce men search after my life. They were Saul’s spies, and the allusion seems to be to the king’s order, (1Sa 23:23,) “See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me and I will go with you.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 54:3. Strangers are risen up against me The inhabitants of Ziph, and of the wilderness and mountains near it, might very probably, as some think, be chiefly aliens and foreigners, under the dominion of the Hebrews. But it is to be remarked, that zarim, strangers, is not always to be understood of persons who are strangers by birth or nation, but as to acquaintance, manners, and affection, of a hostile disposition and mind, strangers as to religion, virtue, compassion, and humanity. See Psa 69:8.; Hos 5:7. That this is the Psalmist’s meaning appears from the following words: Oppressors seek after my life, who have not set God before them: a description which well agrees with the character and conduct of these treacherous Ziphites. Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 54:3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
Ver. 3. For strangers are risen up against me ] He meaneth not foreigners, but home dwellers; Saul, Doeg, Ziphims, Nothi et spurii, strangers to religion, reason, common humanity; Jews outwardly, but not inwardly; heathens upon the matter, Psa 59:5 Amo 9:7 Rev 11:2 . The pope showed himself no better in delivering up for money Zemes the Great Turk’s brother, who fled to him for safeguard of his life, wrongfully sought after.
Oppressors seek after my soul
They have not set God before them
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
strangers = aliens: the Ziphites, or the men of Keilah (1Sa 23:12). Some codices, with two early printed editions and Arm., read “insolent men”. Compare Psa 86:14.
my soul = me, or my life. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Selah. Connecting David’s danger with David’s true and only source ofhelp (App-66).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
strangers: Psa 69:8, Psa 86:14, Job 19:13-15
oppressors: Psa 22:16, Psa 59:3-5, Mat 27:20-23
they have: Psa 16:8, Psa 36:1, Psa 53:4, Joh 16:3
Reciprocal: 1Sa 23:14 – Saul 1Sa 23:19 – the Ziphites 1Sa 23:20 – our part Psa 55:3 – oppression Psa 59:5 – the heathen Psa 63:7 – Because Psa 143:3 – the enemy Psa 144:7 – the hand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
54:3 For {b} strangers are risen up against me, and {c} oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
(b) That is, the Ziphims.
(c) Saul and his army who were like cruel beasts, could not be satisfied except by his death.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Ziphites were strangers to David, and Saul’s soldiers were violent antagonists of David. David could expect divine assistance because their hostility was contrary to God’s will. David was Israel’s anointed king whom God intended to place on Saul’s throne. This verse is almost identical to Psa 86:14.