Skip to content- Ziphites are from the tribe of Judah, they lived about 15 miles southeast of Hebron. Twice they betrayed King David (1 Sam 23:19, 26:1), and both times the Lord delivered him. In the first time, when Saul was chasing David in the wilderness of Maon, a messenger came to Saul, and told Saul to return home to flight the Philistine whom have made a raid on the land. (1 Sam 23:27). On the second time, David had an opportunity to kill Saul in the wilderness of Ziph but chose not to do so, because [The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed] (1 Sam 27:11).
- [By Your name] (v1) means “on the basis of your character”, especially power (v1) and faithfulness (v5). Although David would not kill Saul by his own hand, he believed that the righteous God will strike Saul down. [As the Lord lives, surely the Lord will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.] (1 Sam 26:10).
- Strangers (v3) refers to the Ziphites, who are not gentiles but from the tribe of Judah. Stranger in this context is a word use to describe someone who turned his back on someone else.
- God is my helper (v4). God sent Jonathan to encourage King David. (1 Sam 23:16-18).
- David sacrifices to God (v6) by giving thanks to God’s name, and praising God for His goodness (v6). Today we do not sacrifice animal to God, instead we sacrifice by giving thanks to Him and praising Him for He had done for us.
- In verse 1 to 6 King David speaks directly to God. In verse 7, David speak to the readers and witness for the Lord.
