Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. New Living Translation Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. English Standard Version O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. Berean Standard Bible Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. King James Bible Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. New King James Version Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. New American Standard Bible Hear my prayer, God; Listen to the words of my mouth. NASB 1995 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. NASB 1977 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Legacy Standard Bible O God, hear my prayer; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Amplified Bible Hear my prayer, O God; Listen to the words of my mouth. Christian Standard Bible God, hear my prayer; listen to the words from my mouth. Holman Christian Standard Bible God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth. American Standard Version Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Contemporary English Version Listen to my prayer and hear what I say. English Revised Version Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. GOD'S WORD® Translation O God, hear my prayer, and open your ears to the words from my mouth. Good News Translation Hear my prayer, O God; listen to my words! International Standard Version God, listen to my prayer, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. NET Bible O God, listen to my prayer! Pay attention to what I say! New Heart English Bible Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth. Webster's Bible Translation Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleHear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. World English Bible Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionO God, hear my prayer, "" Give ear to the sayings of my mouth, Young's Literal Translation O God, hear my prayer, Give ear to the sayings of my mouth, Smith's Literal Translation O God, hear my prayer: give ear to the sayings of my mouth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleO God, hear my prayer: give ear to the words of my mouth. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible O God, hear my prayer. Listen to the words of my mouth. New Revised Standard Version Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleHear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated God, hear my prayer and given ear to these the words of my mouth. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. Brenton Septuagint Translation O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Vindicate Me by Your Might1For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?” Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might! 2Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. 3For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life—men with no regard for God. Selah… Cross References Psalm 5:1-2 For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. / Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray. Psalm 17:1 A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer—it comes from lips free of deceit. Psalm 86:6 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and attend to my plea for mercy. Psalm 130:2 O Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy. Psalm 143:1 A Psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me. 1 Samuel 1:10-11 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. / And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.” 2 Chronicles 6:19-20 Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You. / May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. Nehemiah 1:6 let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. Isaiah 37:17 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to all the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God. Daniel 9:17-18 So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary. / Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion. Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Luke 11:9-10 So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. / If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. John 16:23-24 In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. / Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. Treasury of Scripture Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. Psalm 5:1-3 To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation… Psalm 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Psalm 55:1,2 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication… Jump to Previous Ear Hear Mouth Prayer Sayings WordsJump to Next Ear Hear Mouth Prayer Sayings WordsPsalm 54 1. David, complaining of the Ziphims, prays for salvation4. Upon his confidence in God's help he promises sacrifice Hear my prayer, O God; This phrase is a direct appeal to God, emphasizing the psalmist's reliance on divine intervention. The use of "hear" suggests an urgent plea, reflecting the psalmist's belief in God's ability to respond to human needs. In the historical context, prayer was a central aspect of Jewish worship, often conducted in the Temple or during personal devotion. The psalmist's call to God aligns with other biblical instances where individuals seek God's attention, such as in 1 Kings 8:28, where Solomon asks God to hear the prayers of His people. This phrase also foreshadows the New Testament teaching on prayer, where believers are encouraged to approach God with confidence, as seen in Hebrews 4:16. listen to the words of my mouth. Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe author of this psalm, David is seeking God's help during a time of distress. He is known for his deep relationship with God and his reliance on prayer. 2. God The recipient of David's prayer, God is portrayed as a listener and responder to the cries of His people. 3. Ziphites The context of Psalm 54 is linked to the betrayal of David by the Ziphites, who informed King Saul of David's location, as recorded in 1 Samuel 23. 4. Saul The King of Israel at the time, Saul was pursuing David to kill him, which prompted David's plea for divine intervention. 5. Wilderness of Ziph The geographical setting where David was hiding when the Ziphites betrayed him to Saul. Teaching Points The Power of PrayerDavid's example shows that prayer is a powerful tool for believers in times of trouble. We should approach God with confidence, knowing He hears us. God as a Listener The verse emphasizes God's attentiveness to our prayers. We can trust that God listens to the words of our mouths, just as He did with David. Faith in Adversity Despite being betrayed and pursued, David's faith in God did not waver. We are encouraged to maintain our faith and trust in God's deliverance during our own trials. The Importance of Specificity in Prayer David's prayer is specific and earnest. We should not hesitate to bring our specific needs and concerns before God. Reliance on God Over Man David's reliance on God rather than human intervention serves as a reminder to prioritize divine help over human solutions. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Psalm 54:2?2. How can Psalm 54:2 inspire your daily prayer life and communication with God? 3. What does "hear my prayer, O God" reveal about God's attentiveness to us? 4. How does Psalm 54:2 connect with Philippians 4:6 about presenting requests to God? 5. In what ways can you ensure your prayers align with God's will? 6. How can you apply the urgency of David's plea in your own prayers? 7. How does Psalm 54:2 reflect the nature of God's response to human prayer? 8. What historical context surrounds the plea for God's attention in Psalm 54:2? 9. How does Psalm 54:2 challenge the belief in God's omnipresence and omniscience? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 54? 11. What is the Sinner's Prayer? 12. (2 Samuel 22 compared with Psalm 18) Why do these passages have slight variations if both are supposed to be inspired or accurate accounts? 13. Why does Psalm 34:17-18 promise God hears and delivers the righteous but seem to conflict with other passages describing unanswered prayers? 14. In Psalm 54:1-3, where is the archaeological or historical evidence confirming that David's enemies were truly 'strangers' seeking his life? What Does Psalm 54:2 Mean Hear my prayer- David begins with an urgent, personal plea. The verb “hear” is direct, confident, and expectant—he assumes the living God responds (Psalm 34:15; 1 John 5:14). - Prayer is treated as conversation, not ritual. In Psalm 55:1, he repeats, “Give ear to my prayer, O God,” showing that persistent praying is welcomed. - This appeal also reflects dependence; like Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:27, David knows every request is safest in God’s hands. - For us, the phrase encourages: • Bring every concern, big or small, without delay (Philippians 4:6). • Approach with boldness made possible through Christ (Hebrews 4:16). O God - In the middle of crisis (see the inscription linking Psalm 54 to the Ziphites’ betrayal, 1 Samuel 23), David addresses the covenant LORD personally. - By naming God, he acknowledges: • God’s sovereignty over enemies (Psalm 46:10). • God’s faithfulness to promises (Numbers 23:19). - The invocation reminds us that prayer rests on who God is, not on our eloquence. Like the tax collector of Luke 18:13, calling on God’s character, not self-merit, is what secures mercy. listen to the words - David moves from “hear” to “listen,” stressing an attentive, deliberate hearing (Psalm 66:19: “God has surely listened; He has heard my voice in prayer”). - Words matter. Proverbs 18:21 warns of their power; Psalm 19:14 asks that spoken words be acceptable to God. - God does not tire of specifics. Enumerating requests—“words”—guards against vague, faithless wishing (Mark 10:51, where Jesus asks the blind man to state his need). of my mouth - Spoken prayer involves the whole person—heart, mind, and tongue (Romans 10:10). - Articulating needs out loud can steady the believer’s faith, just as public confession of trust encouraged others (Psalm 40:9-10). - Yet “mouth” also calls for purity; James 3:10 warns that blessing God and cursing others should not come from the same lips. David’s plea therefore implies a commitment to sincere, undefiled speech. summary Psalm 54:2 models a humble yet confident appeal: David asks the covenant-keeping God to actively listen to his voiced, specific requests. The verse invites believers today to pray plainly, personally, and expectantly, trusting that the God who hears also answers. Verse 2. - Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. (comp. Psalm 39:12; Psalm 55:1).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Hearשְׁמַ֣ע (šə·ma‘) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently my prayer, תְּפִלָּתִ֑י (tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 8605: Intercession, supplication, a hymn O God; אֱ֭לֹהִים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative listen הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה (ha·’ă·zî·nāh) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 238: To broaden out the ear, to listen to the words לְאִמְרֵי־ (lə·’im·rê-) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 561: Something said of my mouth. פִֽי׃ (p̄î) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to Links Psalm 54:2 NIVPsalm 54:2 NLT Psalm 54:2 ESV Psalm 54:2 NASB Psalm 54:2 KJV Psalm 54:2 BibleApps.com Psalm 54:2 Biblia Paralela Psalm 54:2 Chinese Bible Psalm 54:2 French Bible Psalm 54:2 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 54:2 Hear my prayer God (Psalm Ps Psa.) |