Psalms 54:3

For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life—men with no regard for God. Selah

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses God directly in prayer, framing a present crisis while anticipating divine intervention.

The words — The text identifies two groups pursuing the speaker: זָרִים (za.Rim), translated as strangers, and עָרִיצִים ('a.ri.tzim), translated as ruthless men.

The thread — The pursuit by those who disregard God recurs in Psalms 86:14, while John 16:3 links this antagonism to a failure to know God.

Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that opposition often stems from irreverence, requiring the reader to anchor trust in divine support rather than human alignment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּ֤יkifor זָרִ֨ים׀za.Rimstrangers קָ֤מוּKa.muthey have risen up עָלַ֗י'a.La/ion/ me וְֽ֭עָרִיצִיםVe./'a.ri.tzimand/ ruthless [people]בִּקְשׁ֣וּbik.Shuthey have sought נַפְשִׁ֑יnaf.Sh/ilife/ my לֹ֤אlo'not שָׂ֨מוּSa.muthey have set אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimGod לְנֶגְדָּ֣םle./neg.Da/mto/ before/ themselves סֶֽלָה׃Se.lahSelah

King James Version

For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

Cross-references

Psalms 86:14 The arrogant rise against me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life; they have no regard for You.
Psalms 36:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. An oracle is in my heart regarding the transgression of the wicked man: There is no fear of God before his eyes.
John 16:3 They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
Psalms 53:4 Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon God.
Job 19:13 He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
Psalms 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalms 22:16 For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
Psalms 40:14 May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
Psalms 59:3 See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.
Psalms 69:8 I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,