Psalms 17:9

9 from the face of unpious men, that have tormented me. Mine enemies have (en)compassed my soul; (from the face of the unpious, or of the wicked, who torment me. My enemies have surrounded me;)

Psalms 17:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 17:9

From the wicked that oppress me
Or "waste" or "destroy" {g}; as wild beasts do a field or vineyard when they get into it; and such havoc do persecutors and false teachers make of the church and people of God, when they are suffered to get in among them, ( Psalms 80:13 ) ( Acts 20:29 ) ; wherefore from such wicked and unreasonable men protection is desired, ( 2 Thessalonians 3:2 ) ;

[from] my deadly enemies;
enemies against his soul or life, who sought to take it away, nothing would satisfy them but this;

[who] compass me about;
on all sides, in order to obtain their desire; such were the enemies of Christ, and so they are described, ( Psalms 22:12 Psalms 22:13 Psalms 22:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (ynwdv wz) "quid vastant", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "qui vastaverunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Michaelis.

Psalms 17:9 In-Context

7 Make wonderful thy mercies; that makest safe them that hope in thee. (Show thou me thy constant love, thou who savest me; with thy right hand save thou those who trust in thee, from those who stand against them.)

8 Keep thou me as the apple of thine eye; and from them that against-stand thy right hand. Cover thou me under the shadow of thy wings; (Keep thou me as the apple of thine eye. Cover thou me, or hide me, under the shadow of thy wings;)

9 from the face of unpious men, that have tormented me. Mine enemies have (en)compassed my soul; (from the face of the unpious, or of the wicked, who torment me. My enemies have surrounded me;)

10 they have closed (al)together their fatness; the mouth of them spake pride. (they be enclosed in their own fatness; their mouths have spoken proudly, or boastfully.)

11 They casted me forth, and have (en)compassed me now; they ordained to bow down their eyes into [the] earth. (They surround me now, wherever I turn; they lie in wait, to bring me down to the ground.)