Psalms 17
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Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 17:1-15
In the Shadow of Your Wings
A Prayer of David.
1Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2From your presence let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
3You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,
you have tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
8Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11They have now surrounded our steps;
they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.
12He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14from men by your hand, O Lord,
from men of the world whose portion is in this life.
You fill their womb with treasure;
they are satisfied with children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 17:1-15
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
1Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.
3Though you probe my heart,
though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil;
my mouth has not transgressed.
4Though people tried to bribe me,
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
through what your lips have commanded.
5My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not stumbled.
6I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
I find it easy to be loved by God when all is well in my world. When things start going wrong, I start questioning whether God is really with me. I worry that I didn’t do something right or that I misunderstood what God was calling me to do as my professional or employment goals fall apart around me. Or maybe I am just sad that the people I respect or love or wish would be my friends are not responding to me the way that I would like.
In any case, this Psalm is full of some of the most touching reminders of God’s care. I am so glad, when I experience the depression and worry of this life, to hold on to these descriptions of how much God loves me. I am thankful for the psalmist, who understood what it means to have faith in the protection of God, while acknowledging the very real fear and pain in his life.
Lisa Clark Diller
Chair, Dept. of History and Political Studies
Southern Adventist University (as of this writing)