Psalm 17:9-15

9 From the ¹wicked who despoil me, My ²deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have ³closed their unfeeling heart, With their mouth they ⁴speak proudly.

11 They have now ⁵surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes ⁶to cast us down to the ground.

12 He is ⁷like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion ⁸lurking in hiding places.

13 ⁹Arise, O LORD, confront him, ¹⁰bring him low; ¹¹Deliver my soul from the wicked with ¹²Your sword,

14 From men with ¹³Your hand, O LORD, From men of the world, ¹⁴whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You ¹⁵fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes.

15 As for me, I shall ¹⁶behold Your face in righteousness; ¹⁷I will be satisfied with Your ¹⁸likeness when I awake.

Psalm 17:9-15 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.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 31:20
• 2. Psalms 27:12
• 3. Job 15:27; Psalms 73:7
• 4. 1 Samuel 2:3; Psalms 31:18; Psalms 73:8
• 5. Psalms 88:17
• 6. Psalms 37:14
• 7. Psalms 7:2
• 8. Psalms 10:9
• 9. Psalms 3:7
• 10. Psalms 55:23
• 11. Psalms 22:20
• 12. Psalms 7:12
• 13. Psalms 17:7
• 14. Psalms 73:3-7; Luke 16:25
• 15. Psalms 49:6
• 16. Psalms 11:7; Psalms 16:11; Psalms 140:13; 1 John 3:2
• 17. Psalms 4:6, 7
• 18. Numbers 12:8

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "fat"
• [b] Or "whose portion in life is of the world"
• [c] Or "with" beholding