1 Samuel 23:14

23:14 David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, ¹  but God did not deliver David ²  into his hand.

1 Samuel 23:19

23:19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?

1 Samuel 23:24

23:24 So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.

Psalms 54:1

Psalm 54 ³ 

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song ⁴  by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.” ⁵ 

54:1 O God, deliver me by your name! ⁶ 

Vindicate me ⁷  by your power!

[23:14]  ¹ tn Heb “all the days.”

[23:14]  ² tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[54:1]  ³ sn Psalm 54. The psalmist asks God for protection against his enemies, confidently affirms that God will vindicate him, and promises to give thanks to God for his saving intervention.

[54:1]  ⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.

[54:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “Is not David hiding with us?”

[54:1]  ⁶ tn God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character, which would instill fear in the psalmist’s enemies (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:17).

[54:1]  ⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.