Psalms 54:3

Psalms 54:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
• New International Version (NIV)Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah
• New King James Version (NKJV)For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God before them. Selah

Context of Psalms 54:3

1God, you are great, so please help me! Use your power to show that I am right. 2God, hear my prayer, and listen carefully to what I am saying. Strangers are attacking me! Cruel people want to kill me. They do not respect you, God. Selah. 4But I know that God is the one who gives me help. My Lord takes care of me. 5Pay back my enemies with their own evil. Please do what you have promised and destroy them.

Psalms 54:3 word by word

כִּ֤י זָרִ֨ים׀ קָ֤מוּ עָלַ֗י וְֽ֭עָרִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י לֹ֤א שָׂ֨מוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְנֶגְדָּ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For strangersזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
• are risen upקוּםqûm · to arise: attackH6965
• against me, and oppressorsעָרִיץ‛ârîyts · ruthlessH6184
• seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• after my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• they have not setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• Selahסֶ֫לָהselâh · SelahH5542

Cross-references for Psalms 54:3

• Psalms 69:8I have become like a stranger to my brothers. I am like a foreigner to my family.
• Psalms 86:14God, proud people are attacking me. Cruel men have joined together to kill me. They do not respect you at all.
• Job 19:13God has caused my brothers to stay away from me. My friends do not want to meet me.
• Psalms 22:16Wicked people are everywhere around me. They are ready to attack me, like a group of wild dogs. They tear apart my hands and my feet.
• Psalms 59:3Look at them! They are waiting to kill me! Cruel men are ready to attack me. Lord, I have not done anything against them, but they still want to kill me.
• Matthew 27:20But the leaders of the priests and the important Jews talked to the crowds of people. They said, ‘You must ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free. Then he must tell the soldiers to kill Jesus.’
• Psalms 16:8I will always trust the Lord to be with me. He is very near to me, so I will not be upset.
• Psalms 36:1A wicked person turns against God completely. He does not respect God.
• Psalms 53:4People who do wicked things understand nothing. They destroy my people as easily as they eat bread. They never pray to God.
• John 16:3They will do these things to you because they have never known either the Father or me.

Commentaries on Psalms 54:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Strangers 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For 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”…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The strangers were excluded from the covenant community (see Psalm 109:11; Proverbs 5:10). Proud and violent people do not respect God or others (see Psalms 35:11, 25; 86:14; Proverbs 11:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. strangers--perhaps Ziphites. oppressors--literally, "terrible ones" (Is 13:11; 25:3). Such were Saul and his army. not set ... them--acted as atheists, without God's fear (compare Psa 16:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 54:3

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Godlessness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Neginoth
• Psalms
• Psalms, Book of
• Ziphims
• Maschil

Commentaries on Psalms 54

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary