Psalms 54:1

“By Thy Name”

Psalms 54:1 says “Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.”

What does a person need to know to be saved? According to this verse in Psalms all it takes is the name of God. Now when this verse in Psalms was written the New Testament had not been written yet and therefore the name of Jesus Christ had not yet been revealed.

Notice that the name used here in connection with salvation is the word Eloheem. This Hebrew word is plural. It is the name God. It should be no surprise that later in these Psalms the name Jehovah is mentioned because Jesus is Jehovah.

A name represents a lot of information. Think about the name God or Eloheem it is plural and therefore it is a reference to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. So yes God the Son is mentioned here.

Now think about the name Jesus and what it means: Savior. Most people in this world today when they hear the name of Jesus probably in their minds are familiar with some of the gospel story. What comes to your mind when you hear the name of Jesus Chirst? His virigin birth? His miracles? His love for mankind? His suffering and sacrifice and death on the cross? His resurrection? His power to forgive men of their sins? “Save me, O God, by Thy name.”

The last half of Psalms 54 says “judge me by Thy strength” Judgment and salvation certainly go together. If there is going to be judgment by God is will be in strength or in other words it will be a complete and perfect judgment. When Jesus died on the cross he said, “it is finished.” Because it was a complete judgment for all the sins of the world not for some of the sins nor for just some people but all people and all their sins. This is judgment in strength.

In the same sense we should pray “judge me by Thy strength” because a Christian should desire to be sanctified to be purged of sin to grow in the faith.

Psalms 54:2-3 says, “Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah”

A true believer in Jesus has many enemies. That does not mean that you should not love your enemies but it is just a fact of life in a world of spiritual warfare. Those who are strangers and oppressors to you will include whoever does not set God before them. In otherwords anyone who is not a Christian.

The word oppressor is a word that means in great power or violent. It is human nature, the selfish nature of man to dominate and use violence over other men. This is one of the greatest failures of the governments is to dominate and control to oppress men. It is no wonder we often need to pray to God to be saved from our circumstances.

In talking about the oppressor verse 3 says, “oppressors seek after my soul” in other words they seek to destroy you spiritually. Psalms 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the man that walked not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But His delight is in the law of the LORD: and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”

Psalms 54 :4 says, “Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.” If the Lord is with them that uphold your soul then the Lord is against them that seek to oppress you. Notice the connection between both phrases in verse 4. God is mine helper and one of the primary ways in which He is your helper is through those that uphold your soul in other words other believers.

Psalms 54:5-7 says, “He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in Thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise Thy name, O LORD; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen His desire upon mine enemies.”

In talking about the judgment and destruction of evil doers and those that oppress the soul notice the last phrase of verse 7 which says, “His desire upon mine enemies” God’s desire is that my enemies repent of their sins and be saved. But if they refuse to repent eventually God’s desire will be that they go to their judgment. Therefore when we consider these two possibilities we can see that God will see his desire upon my enemies. Of course what we pray for is that they will repent and be saved.

If you have never turned from your sins to Jesus you can do so right now. Whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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