What does Psalms Chapter 53 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The Ziphite report supplies the inscription’s occasion for a saving-name petition. The speaker asks help against strangers and mighty people. Recalled deliverance accompanies future free sacrifice and praise.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Deus, in nomine tuo. The separate heading identifies a prayer for distressed help. The inscription is unto the end, in verses, understanding for David, when Ziph's men told Saul he was hidden with them, citing 1 Kings 23.19. The speaker asks salvation by God's name, judgment in His strength and hearing of prayer and mouth's words.

Strangers rose and mighty people sought his soul without setting God before their eyes. He calls God helper and protector and asks evils turned back and enemies cut off in truth. The text does not name royal troop movements, an armed coalition, fortifications rejected or ambush maneuvers.

He will freely sacrifice and praise God's good name, saying God delivered him from all trouble and his eye looked down on enemies. The recalled delivery and future offering are retained without specifying how rescue occurred or adding generous gifts, peaceful detachment, defeated troops or a universal explanation of persecutors' motives.

The story inside

Opening: The Ziphite report supplies the inscription’s occasion for a saving-name petition. Development: The speaker asks help against strangers and mighty people. Conclusion: Recalled deliverance accompanies future free sacrifice and praise.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The Ziphite report supplies the inscription’s occasion for a saving-name petition.
2
The speaker asks help against strangers and mighty people.
3
Recalled deliverance accompanies future free sacrifice and praise.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 60835–60838
53:2. When the men of Ziph had come and said to Saul: Is not David hidden with us? [1 Kings 23.19] 53:3. Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me in thy strength.
Lines 60842–60846
53:5. For strangers have risen up against me; and the mighty have sought after my soul: and they have not set God before their eyes. 53:6. For behold God is my helper: and the Lord is the protector of my soul.
Lines 60851–60855
53:8. I will freely sacrifice to thee, and will give praise, O God, to thy name: because it is good: 53:9. For thou hast delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye hath looked down upon my enemies.