Bible Commentaries
Psalms 17

Introduction

Psalms 17:0

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see “Guide to Good Bible Reading”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

Verses 1-5

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 17:1-5 1Hear a just cause, O Lord, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. 2Let my judgment come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity. 3You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. 4As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the paths of the violent. 5My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped.

Psalms 17:1 Notice the parallel imperatives referring to the psalmist's prayer.

1. hear BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperative, cf. Psalms 17:6; Psalms 27:7; Psalms 28:2; Psalms 30:10; Psalms 39:12; Psalms 54:2; Psalms 61:1; Psalms 64:1; Psalms 84:8; Psalms 102:1; Psalms 119:149; Psalms 130:2; Psalms 143:1

2. give heed BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil imperative, cf. Psalms 5:2; Psalms 55:2; Psalms 61:1; Psalms 86:6; Psalms 142:6

3. give ear BDB 23, KB 27, Hiphil imperative, cf. Psalms 5:1; Psalms 39:12; Psalms 49:1; Psalms 54:2; Psalms 55:1; Psalms 77:1; Psalms 80:1; Psalms 84:8; Psalms 140:6; Psalms 141:1; Psalms 143:1

Psalms is a book of God's people earnestly asking Him to hear (i.e., take note of and respond to) their sensed needs.

In Psalms 17:1 the words of the one with a just cause (BDB 841) is contrasted to the words of the one with “deceitful lips” (cf. Isaiah 29:13).

Psalms 17:1 is parallel to Psalms 17:6. All three strophes of this Psalm begin with several imperatives beseeching God to act on the psalmist's behalf!

NASB, NKJV“not from deceitful lips” NRSV, NJB“from lips free of deceit” TEV“honest prayer” JPSOA“without guile”

The psalmist is asserting his integrity. He prays with no hidden motives or known lies (cf. Isaiah 29:13).

Psalms 17:2 As verse one had three imperatives, this verse has two understood jussives.

1. let my judgment/vindication come forth from Your presence BDB 422, KB 425, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

2. let Your eyes look with equity BDB 302, KB 301, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

NASB“equity” NKJV“upright” NRSV“the right” NJB, TEV, JPSOA, REB“right” LXX“straightforwardness”

The MT has “evenness,” “uprightness,” or “equity” (BDB 449). Here it refers to YHWH judging fairly or impartially. The psalmist is asking for the God of justice to render a just verdict (cf. Psalms 17:1a).

Psalms 17:3-5 The psalmist enumerates why God should judge/vindicate him.

1. what God has done (all perfects)

a. He tried his heart, Psalms 17:3a

b. He visited him by night, Psalms 17:3b (a & b are parallel with no distinction intended)

c. He tested him and found nothing, Psalms 17:3c (see SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD TESTS HIS PEOPLE)

2. what he has done or not done

a. he has not transgressed with his mouth, Psalms 17:0:3d

b. he has kept away from the path of the violent (the word, BDB 829, means “robber,” cf. Jeremiah 7:11, but can mean “violent,” cf. Ezekiel 18:10), Psalms 17:4

c. he has walked God's paths, Psalms 17:5a

d. he has not slipped, Psalms 17:5; Psalms 17:5b (cf. Psalms 18:36)

The concept of “path” means that the psalmist has followed carefully God's covenant guidelines (cf. Psalms 37:31; Psalms 40:2; Psalms 44:18; Psalms 66:9; Psalms 73:2; Psalms 119:105; Proverbs 14:15). Wicked people

1. deviate from the path to the right or left

2. stumble on the path

3. have slippery steps

See SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD TESTS HIS PEOPLE.

17:3d The UBS Text Project (pp. 182-183) has a good brief note about the options for translating this line of poetry.

“If זמתי is interpreted as an infinitive construct with a suffix, the last part of Psalms 17:3 should be interpreted as ‘my plans (thoughts) do not go beyond my mouth' (i.e., my thoughts correspond with my words, my words confirm with my ideas). If זמתי is interpreted as a verb in the first person singular, the clause should be interpreted as ‘if I devise 〈something〉 (i.e. something wicked), 〈this〉 should not cross my mouth.”

Also see NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 1112, for the same suggested emendation. The change from the MT, “my wickedness” (BDB 273, KB 273) to “I have considered” or “I planned” (BDB 273, KB 273, Qal perfect) involves only a change of vowels.

Verses 6-12

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 17:6-12 6I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech. 7Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them. 8Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings 9From the wicked who despoil me, My deadly enemies who surround me. 10They have closed their unfeeling heart, With their mouth they speak proudly. 11They have now surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground. 12He is like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion lurking in hiding places.

Psalms 17:6-12 This strophe describes God's actions toward the psalmist and his opponents' actions.

1. God's actions

a. he called and God answered, Psalms 17:6

b. God showed His covenant love and loyalty (i.e., lovingkindness, see Special Topic: Lovingkindness)

c. God gave him refuge (see note at Psalms 5:11)

d. God kept/protected “the apple of my eye” (an idiom of tender care for someone especially close, cf. Deuteronomy 32:10; Proverbs 7:2)

e. God hid him in the shadow of His wings (see Special Topic: SHADOW AS METAPHOR FOR PROTECTION AND CARE)

2. the opponent's actions

a. they despoiled him (i.e., kill him), Psalms 17:9

b. they surrounded him, Psalms 17:9; Psalms 17:9b, Psalms 17:11a

c. they closed their heart (lit. “their fat [BDB 316] they have closed” [BDB 688, KB 742, Qal perfect],” cf. LXX; “fat” is used in a negative sense of people in Psalms 17:4 and 119:70)

d. they speak proudly against him

e. they set their eyes against him

f. they tear him like a lion, Psalms 17:12; Psalms 17:12

What a sharp contrast!

Psalms 17:6

NASB, NKJV“incline Your ear to me” TEV, NJB, JPSOA“turn your ear to me”

This is a Hebrew idiom, which when used in prayers, asks YHWH to turn/bend (cf. 2 Kings 19:16; Isaiah 37:17; Daniel 9:18; Psalms 31:2; Psalms 71:2; Psalms 86:1; Psalms 88:2; Psalms 102:2; Psalms 116:2).

YHWH, though a non-corporal spiritual being, is described in human vocabulary. See the Special Topic: God Described as Human (anthropomorphism). Humans have no vocabulary but that related to this planet and their physicalness. Human vocabulary used of God or the spiritual realm is always figurative.

Psalms 17:7 This verse has a series of powerful, emotive theological terms related to YHWH's person and mercy.

1. wondrously show BDB 811, KB 930, Hiphil imperative (see related word BDB 810 in Psalms 33:22, see Special Topic: Wonderful Things)

2. lovingkindness, YHWH's hesed BDB 338 (see Special Topic: Lovingkindness) which denotes His covenant loyalty and steadfast love

3. O Savior BDB 446, Hiphil participle, i.e., the one who saves, cf. Psalms 106:7, Psalms 106:21

4. refuge BDB 340, Qal participle, YHWH is a strong and mighty fortress for those who take refuge in Him, cf. Psalms 5:11; Psalms 18:2

▣ “at Your right hand” This phrase can be understood in several senses.

1. the place close to YHWH where the needy seek refuge, cf. NASB, TEV

2. the means by which YHWH delivers the needy (i.e., His strong right hand, cf. NKJV, JPSOA, REB, see SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND)

3. the close association between the psalmist and his enemies (i.e., close associates, cf. NRSV)

Psalms 17:9 “the wicked” It is hard to identify this group. It could refer to

1. covenant partners who, for their own purposes, attack the psalmist

2. covenant partners who knowingly violate YHWH's covenant

3. the surrounding nations who ignorantly, blindly follow idols and not YHWH

Only the context of the Psalm and the individual strophe can help the identification. I am not sure “the wicked” realize they are such. Often they think they are serving God in their actions.

In this Psalm they seem to be wealthy, successful Israelites who see their possessions and children as a covenant sign of God's approval.

Psalms 17:11 “They have now surrounded us” The MT has the verb (BDB 685, KB 738) as singular but it is paralleled in the next line with a plural verb. So the Masoretic scholars put a marginal note (Qere) suggesting it be read as a plural (cf. NASB “us” in Psalms 17:11, lines a and b).

I think the singular (MT) is best. This Psalm is an individual lament, but later came to be used liturgically for the whole community, which is so common in the Psalms.

NASB, NKJV“our steps” NRSV“they track me down” NJB“they are advancing”

The Hebrew of Psalms 17:11 starts with “our steps” (BDB 81, feminine plural, אשׁרינו) but by a change of vowels, can become a verb, “advance” (BDB 80, אשׁר), which is in one Hebrew manuscript, cf. NRSV, NJB.

NASB“to cast us to the ground” NKJV“crouching down to the earth” NRSV“to cast me to the ground” TEV“to pull me down” NJB“hurl me to the ground” LXX“to incline at the ground” PESHITTA“to bury me in the ground”

The verbal “to cast” (Qal infinitive construct) is literally the verb “incline” (BDB 639, KB 692) used in Psalms 17:6, but here that translation does not fit the context. Remember words have meaning only in context! Poetry forces words to be used in unique ways.

Verses 13-15

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psalms 17:13-15 13Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword, 14From men with Your hand, O Lord, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes. 15As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.

Psalms 17:13-15 The psalmist calls on God to act on his behalf (Psalms 17:13).

1. arise BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal imperative

2. confront BDB 869, KB 1068, Piel imperative

3. bring low BDB 502, KB 499, Hiphil imperative

4. deliver BDB 812, KB 930, Piel imperative

Notice the “froms,” which characterize the opponents (Psalms 17:13-14).

1. from the wicked

2. from men (NET Bible [p. 867, #32] emends it to “from those who kill,” i.e., “murderers” in both lines a and b)

a. whose portion in life is of the world

b. whose belly is full

c. who have many children

d. who leave their wealth to their children

However, the psalmist is characterized as

1. one who beholds God's face in righteousness (idiom of intimacy, cf. Psalms 11:7)

2. one who is satisfied with God's presence (cf. Psalms 16:11)

Both of the verbs of Psalms 17:15 are cohortatives.

1. see/behold BDB 302, KB 301, Qal imperfect used in a cohortative sense

2. satisfied BDB 959, KB 1302, Qal cohortative

Psalms 17:15 As the wicked (and their posterity) are satisfied (BDB 959, KB 1302, Qal imperfect) with earthly things, ill-gotten gains; the psalmist (emphatic “I”) is satisfied (BDB 959, KB 1302) with YHWH's presence!

▣ “when I awake” This verb (BDB 884, KB 1098, Hiphil infinitive construct) is used in several senses.

1. awake from a special vision of God

2. awake from a night's sleep

3. awake from drunkenness

4. awake from death

I think #4 best fits the context (i.e., YHWH's presence, cf. 2 Kings 4:31; Job 14:12; Psalms 139:18; Isaiah 26:19; Jeremiah 51:39, Jeremiah 51:57; Daniel 12:2). If so, then the ending of Psalms 16:0 and Psalms 17:0 are similar!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. How did YHWH deal with the psalmist's claim of innocence?

2. How does the psalmist claim that he is innocent?

3. Explain the imagery of “at Your right Hand.”

4. Explain the imagery of “the apple of the eye.”

5. Explain the imagery of “in the shadow of Your wings.”