Psalm 54: God is my Rescuer!

“May you be set free from all your fears.
May you be saved from all your troubles.
May you be rescued from every calamity.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita, Beautiful Quotes

The Psalms are prayers of dearly faithful people.  We can pray them ourselves as they are in different versions, and we can pray them into a personal prayer language that lives and breathes our own faith by rewriting the text in our own words. 

By Paraphrasing the Psalm ... we can find deeper meaning.   

Read Psalm 54.  The notation for this psalm is "for the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: David is hiding with us.” The Ziphites betrayed David after he helped them.    (See 1 Samuel 23:19-20) Psalm 54 is a psalm of deliverance, the prayers of David, the psalmist, crying out as Saul hunted him.  Have you ever felt like you need deliverance, from your enemies or from the circumstances of life?  

Step 1:  Read the Psalm from a translated version, below is the NET version.  Read it several times and out loud if you dare!  As you consider how David is pleading with God through this psalm, what message are you hearing for your own life?

 

O God, deliver me by your name!
Vindicate me by your power!
O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say!
For foreigners attack me;
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)
Look, God is my deliverer!
The Lord is among those who support me.
May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil!
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them!
With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you!
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!
Surely he rescues me from all trouble,
and I triumph over my enemies.

Step 2:  Explore the images you find in the psalm and seek new ways of proclaiming the message of deliverance in words and phrases that translate to the situation we find in our world today.  Be creative and think not in words but in ideas and give your psalm a sweeping form.

Step 3:  Take up a journal OR pull up a blank document on the computer ... begin writing in a stream of consciousness with new images, words, and phrases.  Let the images grow and become.  Let the words and phrases emerge to translate the psalm anew in your own prayer language, a new song!

Step 4:  Paraphrase the Psalm for yourself with your own images and your own words and phrases ... here is mine and feel free to share yours in the comments

Cindy's Paraphrase of Psalm 54 ...


            Help me out of this mess I'm in, Rescuing God!
            Claim me as your friend and be my strong ally!      
            Hear me as I pour out my pain to you!
            As I cry out, contemplate each word that passes my lips!
            People I don’t even know tear me down
            Cruelty rules the world; people refuse to acknowledge your presence
            As they devalue your people and all of our lives
            I cannot believe my eyes for you rescue me when I join them
            You pick me up when I fall down
            I don’t wish evil upon anyone but allow consequences to fall!
            Be faithful to yourself, God of Justice!
            Upon all people, let your judgment rest and reign supreme!
            I give my life to you and let go of my power!
            I praise your name, Loving God, for your mercy is unfathomable to me
            Compassionate God, I know you will lift me up
            And I will call those who refuse to bow down to you foolish
            for you reign over creation!  Let your kingdom come!
 

Lectio Divina ...

Step 1:  Read Psalm 54 slowly and reverently ...

Use the NET text, my paraphrase or your own, or take link to use this Message Paraphrase:

What image, word, or phrase calls for your attention?  Spend a few moments pondering ...

Sculpture at The Guggenheim Museum in New York City

Step 2:  Read your selection again and reflect ...

How does this paraphrase illuminate your life right now?

Step 3:  Read your selection again and respond ...

What do you say to God about your life and how you are seeing God's presence in it?

Write a one-sentence prayer as an Amen to your time of lectio divina ... here is mine and feel free to share yours in the comments.

Holy Presence, I know you are always with me.  You call me into the depths and invite me to give up my life and my power to follow you.  Help me, O God, to enter into the partnership you are calling me into no matter what the cost!  Amen

End with a Breath Prayer as you fade into the Silence of step 4 ... Use this one or allow one to arise for you from your own prayerful time with Psalm 54.

Breathing in ... Compassionate God
Breathing out ...  Pick me up when I fall down

Step 4:  As you pray your breath prayer, allow it to unfold into silence ... simply rest in the presence of God who IS the Blessed Silence for you will gain strength for your journey as you allow silence to envelop you with grace.

Amen.  So be it!