---
title: "Poole"
description: "PSALM 54 Of which he speaks 1 Samuel 23:0, when they did seek to betray him a second time. The psalmist, complaining of his oppressors, prayeth forGod’s p"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54"
---

PSALM 54
Of which he speaks [1 Samuel 23](../../../kjv/1-samuel/23), when they did seek to betray him a second time.
The psalmist, complaining of his oppressors, prayeth forGod’s protection; and for the righteous punishment of his enemies, [Psalms 54:1-3](../../../kjv/psalms/54/1-3). Placing his hope in God’s help, [Psalms 54:4](../../../kjv/psalms/54/4),[Psalms 54:5](../../../kjv/psalms/54/5), he promiseth a free sacrifice of thanksgiving to him, [Psalms 54:6](../../../kjv/psalms/54/6),[Psalms 54:7](../../../kjv/psalms/54/7).

**By thy name,**i. e. by thy own strength, as the next words explain it, because I have no other refuge. Or, *for thy name*, i.e. for thy own glory, which is concerned in my deliverance.
**Judge me,**i.e. judge or give sentence for me, or plead my cause, as this phrase is oft taken, as we have seen.

**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, [Psalms 58:3](../../../kjv/psalms/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, [Psalms 59:5](../../../kjv/psalms/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.

**Behold;**consider it, and see the vanity of all your wicked practices against me.
**The Lord is with them that uphold my soul;**he fights for them, and on my behalf, and therefore against all mine enemies.

**In thy truth;**or, *for* or *according to thy truth*; whereby thou art engaged to fulfil thy promises made to me, and thy threatenings denounced against thine and mine implacable enemies.

**Freely sacrifice;**not by constraint, as many do, because they are obliged to it, and cannot neglect it without shame and inconvenience to themselves; but with a willing and cheerful mind, which thou lovest in and above all sacrifices.
**It;**either thy name; or rather, to praise thy name;
**is good,**i.e. an act of justice, and piety, and gratitude.

He speaks of it as a thing already done, either to express his assurance of it, or because this Psalm was made after it was done.
**His desire;**or, *thy vengeance*; which may be understood out of [Psalms 54:5](../../../kjv/psalms/54/5). But there is no necessity of any supplement. The words in the Hebrew run thus,
**mine eye hath looked upon mine enemies;**either with delight, as this phrase signifies, [Psalms 22:17](../../../kjv/psalms/22/17); [Psalms 27:4](../../../kjv/psalms/27/4), and elsewhere; or without fear or shame. I shall not be afraid to look them in the face, having God on my side.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible -  Psalms 54"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54","name":"Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible -  Psalms 54","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"PSALM 54 Of which he speaks 1 Samuel 23:0, when they did seek to betray him a second time. The psalmist, complaining of his oppressors, prayeth forGod’s p","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible","name":"Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms","name":"Psalms"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/psalms/54","name":"54"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```