Psalm 17

"YHWH, hear a righteous case!"

Purpose: To petition YHWH to deliver the upright psalmist from enemies.

Content: David claims to be upright, petitions YHWH fordeliverance, describes his enemies' wickedness, and asksYHWH to provide for his people and that he may see YHWH's face.

Message: The righteous should appeal to YHWH for vindication.

Author: David

Videos

Poetic Features Video

Video forthcoming

Overview

Translation

Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 17.

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1. A prayer. By David.

YHWH, hear a righteous case!

Pay attention to my cry!

Listen to my prayer

which is made without deceitful lips!

2. May my judgment come from you.

May your eyes see uprightness.

3. You have examined my heart; you have inspected [my heart] at night;

you have tested me; you find nothing.

What I say is not different from what I think.

4. As for what people do, by the word of your lips

I have restrained violent behavior,

5. my steps persisting in your ways.

My feet have not slipped.

6. I have called out to you, God, for you answer me.

Incline your ear to me! Hear what I am saying!

7. Carry out your covenant acts wondrously, deliverer of those who take refuge

at your right hand from their adversaries.

8. Guard me like the apple of your eye!

You must hide me in the shade of your wings

9. from wicked people who have been violent toward me,

[from] my ravenous enemies who gather around against me!

10. They have closed their fat;

they have spoken arrogantly with their mouths.

11. They have tracked me down; now they surround me.

They fix their eyes to scan over the land.

12. He is like a lion eager to maul;

And like a vigorous lion lurking in hiding places.

13. Arise, YHWH! Confront his face! Cause him to bow down!

Deliver my life from wicked people by your sword,

14. from mortal men, by your hand, YHWH, from worldly people

whose portion is in this life. May you fill their belly with what you have stored up for them!

May the children eat their fill and have some left over for their little ones!

15. After being vindicated, may I see your face.

May I be satisfied with [seeing] your likeness when I awake.

The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.

For links to other translations of Psalm 17, click here.

Verse-by-Verse

Click the link to view all of Psalm 17 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.

• v. 1
• v. 2
• v. 3
• vv. 4-5
• v. 6
• v. 7
• vv. 8-9
• v. 10
• v. 11
• v. 12
• vv. 13-14
• v. 15

Layer-by-Layer

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

Exegetical Issues

• The Form and Function of זמתי in Ps 17:3
• The Text of Ps 17:11a
• The Text and Meaning of Ps 17:14
• The Text and Meaning of Ps 17:14 Part II (Draft)

Guardian: Hans Nyman