Psalm 17:3-13

3 You have ¹tried my heart, you have ²visited me by ³night, you have ⁴tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have ⁵held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

6 I ⁶call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; ⁷incline your ear to me; hear my words.

7 ⁸Wondrously show^[a] your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from ⁹their adversaries at your right hand.

8 Keep me as ¹⁰the apple of your eye; hide me in ¹¹the shadow of your wings,

9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who ¹²surround me.

10 ¹³They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they ¹⁴speak arrogantly.

11 They have now surrounded our ¹⁵steps; they set their eyes to ¹⁶cast us to the ground.

12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion ¹⁷lurking in ambush.

13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

Psalm 17:3-13 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.

Cross References

• 1. 17:3 See Job 23:10
• 2. 17:3 Job 31:14
• 3. 17:3 Ps. 16:7; [Job 33:15]
• 4. 17:3 Judg. 7:4; Zech. 13:9; 1 Pet. 1:7; [Ps. 139:1; Mal. 3:2, 3]
• 5. 17:5 Job 23:11; [Ps. 44:18]
• 6. 17:6 Ps. 86:6, 7; 116:1, 2
• 7. 17:6 See Ps. 31:2
• 8. 17:7 Ps. 31:21
• 9. 17:7 Ps. 44:5; 59:1; 139:21
• 10. 17:8 Deut. 32:10; Zech. 2:8
• 11. 17:8 Ps. 36:7; 57:1; 63:7; 91:4; [Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34]; See Ruth 2:12
• 12. 17:9 [1 Sam. 23:26]
• 13. 17:10 [Ps. 119:70]
• 14. 17:10 Ps. 31:18; 1 Sam. 2:3
• 15. 17:11 [Ps. 89:51]
• 16. 17:11 Ps. 62:4
• 17. 17:12 [Ps. 10:8, 9]

Footnotes

• [a] 17:7 Or 'Distinguish me by'