Psalm 17:12

12 Like aryeh eager to tear his prey, and like a young lion lurking in ambush.

Psalm 17:12 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 17:12

Like as a lion [that] is greedy of his prey
Or "the likeness of him is as a lion" ^F9; meaning Saul, as Kimchi interprets it; or everyone of them that compassed them about, as Aben Ezra observes; sometimes wicked and persecuting princes are compared to lions, for their strength and cruelty; see ( Proverbs 28:15 ) ( 2 Timothy 4:17 ) ; so the devil is called a roaring lion, ( 1 Peter 5:8 ) ; and the antichristian beast is said to have the mouth of a lion, ( Revelation 13:2 ) ;

and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places;
to leap upon its prey, and seize it at once, as it has opportunity; this denotes the secret and insidious method which the enemies of Christ take to do mischief; see ( Psalms 10:9 Psalms 10:10 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (hyrak wnwymd) "similitudo ejus, vel cujusque est tanquam leonis", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; so Musculus, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Psalm 17:12 In-Context

10 They have closed up callously and mercilessly against me; with their mouth they speak with ge’ut (pride).

11 At every step they have surrounded me; their purpose is to strike down to ha’aretz;

12 Like aryeh eager to tear his prey, and like a young lion lurking in ambush.

13 Arise, Hashem, confront him, cast him down; deliver my nefesh from the resha with Thy cherev;

14 From men with Thy yad, Hashem, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life, and with Thy treasures Thou fillest their belly; they are satisfied with children, and leave their abundance to their babes.