Psalm 17:8-15

Listen to Psalm 17:8-15

8 Guard me as the apple of Your eye;^[a] hide me in the shadow of Your wings^[b]

9 from^[c] the wicked who treat me violently,^[d] my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have become hardened;^[e] their mouths speak arrogantly.

11 They advance against me;^[f] now they surround me. They are determined^[g] to throw [me] to the ground.

12 They are^[h] like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.^[i]

13 Rise up, Lord! Confront him; bring him down. With Your sword, save me from the wicked.

14 With Your hand, Lord, [save me] from men, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life: You fill their bellies with what You have in store, their sons are satisfied, and they leave their surplus to their children.

15 But I will see Your face in righteousness;^[j] when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.^[k]

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Psalm 17:8-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 17

\\<>\\. This prayer was put up by David either in his own person, on his own account, praying to God for the vindication of his cause, and for salvation and deliverance from his enemies; or in the person of the Messiah, whose type he was, and of the whole church, so Jerom of old interpreted it; and the title of it in the Arabic version is, ``a prayer in the person of a perfect man, and of Christ himself, and of everyone that is redeemed by him;'' in which preservation and protection are prayed for, and hope of eternal life is expressed. It was written, according to Theodoret, when David suffered persecution from Saul.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

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