Psalms 17:34-44

34 qui perfecit pedes meos tamquam cervorum et super excelsa statuens me

35 qui doces manus meas in proelium et posuisti arcum aereum brachia mea

36 et dedisti mihi protectionem salutis tuae et dextera tua suscepit me et disciplina tua correxit me in finem et disciplina tua ipsa me docebit

37 dilatasti gressus meos subtus me et non sunt infirmata vestigia mea

38 persequar inimicos meos et conprehendam illos et non convertar donec deficiant

39 confringam illos nec poterunt stare cadent subtus pedes meos

40 et praecinxisti me virtute ad bellum subplantasti insurgentes in me subtus me

41 et inimicos meos dedisti mihi dorsum et odientes me disperdisti

42 clamaverunt nec erat qui salvos faceret ad Dominum nec exaudivit eos

43 et comminuam illos ut pulverem ante faciem venti ut lutum platearum delebo eos

44 eripe me de contradictionibus populi constitues me in caput gentium

Psalms 17:34-44 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.