Psalms 17:1-15 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

XVII. The Prayer of a Godly Man for Deliverance from his Foes. These foes are not foreign enemies but worldly Jews who persecute their pious and innocent neighbours. The cry for Divine help is made in Psalms 17:1 and is repeated in Psalms 17:6; Psalms 17:13.

Psalms 17:1-5. In Psalms 17:2 follow mg.

Psalms 17:3 b. With slight alteration of the text translate Thou shalt find no evil thought in me; my mouth shalt not transgress. Such self-complacency is common in the Pss. and is a marked point of divergence from Christian piety.

Psalms 17:4 is hopelessly corrupt; even RV requires an emended text and As for the works of men gives no satisfactory sense.

Psalms 17:6-12; Psalms 17:10 a. They have closed their fat (cf. mg.), i.e. their gross, unreceptive heart. This is a good description of worldly Jews, but is quite unsuitable if applied to foreign invaders.

Psalms 17:14. Translate, from men with thy right hand, O Yahweh, from men whose portion is from this world all their life long, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure, etc. Another admirable description of worldly Jews. Two points deserve notice. (a) The Psalmist rises above the common notion which prevails in the Pss. and OT generally, that material prosperity is always a token of Divine approval. (b) The Psalmist, probably though not certainly, has in his mind the hope of life after death. But this hope is not definitely expressed (p. 371). In Psalms 17:15 When I wake is best taken in its literal sense. The Psalmist when morning dawns will visit the Temple. Then like Isaiah (Isaiah 6) he hopes to see the glory of Yahweh or His beauty (Psalms 27:4). Glory indeed is the LXX rendering of the word which is commonly and more strictly translated by likeness.

Related Commentaries of Psalms 17:1

Psalms 17:1-15

1 Hear the right,a 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 slipb 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 oppressc 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 Liked as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O LORD, disappointe 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.