Psalms 17:2-12

2 diligam te Domine fortitudo mea

3 Dominus firmamentum meum et refugium meum et liberator meus Deus meus adiutor meus et sperabo in eum protector meus et cornu salutis meae et susceptor meus

4 laudans invocabo Dominum et ab inimicis meis salvus ero

5 circumdederunt me dolores mortis et torrentes iniquitatis conturbaverunt me

6 dolores inferni circumdederunt me praeoccupaverunt me laquei mortis

7 cum tribularer invocavi Dominum et ad Deum meum clamavi exaudivit de templo %sancto; suo vocem meam et clamor meus in conspectu eius introibit in aures eius

8 et commota est et contremuit terra et fundamenta montium conturbata sunt et commota sunt quoniam iratus est eis

9 ascendit fumus in ira eius et ignis a facie eius exarsit carbones succensi sunt ab eo

10 inclinavit caelos et descendit et caligo sub pedibus eius

11 et ascendit super cherubin et volavit volavit super pinnas ventorum

12 et posuit tenebras latibulum suum in circuitu eius tabernaculum eius tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris

Psalms 17:2-12 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.