A pile hammer includes a cylinder, a piston displaceably guided in the cylinder, and a striker displaceably guided in the cylinder. The striker is disposed underneath the piston in the operating position of the pile hammer. A combustion chamber is delimited axially by a face surface of the striker that lies in the interior of the cylinder and by a face surface of the piston. Using at least one fuel feed device a predetermined amount of fuel can be introduced into the combustion chamber during each work cycle. An end ring is disposed on the cylinder for forming a capture groove. The piston is provided with a step that projects outward, which makes contact with the capture groove in the upper end position of the piston, and the end ring is elastically connected with the cylinder.