1 A prayer of David. Lord, please hear my cry for justice! Please pay attention to my call for help! Listen to the prayer of an honest man! 2 Vindicate me before you—for you see what is right. 3 You have observed my thoughts, you have visited me at night, you have examined me—and you have found nothing wrong. I promised myself I wouldn't say anything I shouldn't. 4 With regard to the actions of others: I have done what you told me and I have avoided what violent people do. 5 I have not strayed from your path; my feet have not slipped from it. 6 God, I call out to you because I know you will answer; please listen carefully to what I have to say. 7 Show me how wonderful your trustworthy love really is, Savior of those who come to you for protection against their enemies! 8 Keep me safe as someone you love; hide me underneath your wings. 9 Protect me from the attacks of the wicked who want to destroy me, from my enemies who surround me, intent on killing me. 10 They have no compassion, and all they have to say is pure arrogance. 11 They hunt me down and surround me, looking for the chance to knock me down in the dust. 12 They are like lions, longing to tear their prey apart; like fierce lions crouching in ambush. 13 Lord, stand up and confront them! Force them to back down! By your sword rescue me from the wicked! 14 Lord, by your power, save me from people whose only thought is for this world. May they be filled with what you have in store for them, their children too, with left-overs for their grandchildren! 15 As for me, I shall see your face in all its goodness. When I awake, I will be so pleased to see you face to face.
Psalm 17 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (15)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 142:6; Psalm 61:1; Psalm 145:18; Matthew 15:8; Daniel 9:18–19
- 2 Psalm 37:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–9; Ezekiel 18:25; Ezekiel 18:29; Jude 24
- 3 Job 23:10; Psalm 26:2; Acts 11:23; Psalm 39:1; Malachi 3:2
- 4 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Corinthians 3:3; Psalm 119:9–11; Matthew 4:10; Matthew 4:7
- 5 Psalm 44:18; Psalm 119:133; 1 Samuel 2:9; Psalm 121:3; Psalm 121:7
- 6 Psalm 116:2; Psalm 86:7; Psalm 88:2; Psalm 66:19–20; Psalm 55:16
- 7 Psalm 60:5; Psalm 5:11–12; Psalm 31:21; Psalm 20:6; Isaiah 41:10
- 8 Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalm 91:4; Psalm 91:1; Proverbs 7:2; Zechariah 2:8
- 9 Psalm 35:4; Psalm 35:7; Psalm 7:5; Psalm 31:20; Psalm 35:12
- 10 1 Samuel 2:3; Psalm 123:4; Psalm 31:18; Revelation 13:5–6; Matthew 13:15
- 11 Proverbs 6:13–14; Psalm 37:14; Psalm 10:8–10; 1 Samuel 26:2–3; 1 Samuel 23:26
- 12 Psalm 7:2; Psalm 10:9; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Timothy 4:17; Psalm 22:13
- 13 Psalm 3:7; Psalm 44:26; Psalm 7:6; Psalm 44:23; Psalm 7:11–13
- 14 Job 22:18; John 17:14; John 8:23; Psalm 49:17–19; Luke 16:8
- 15 2 Corinthians 3:18; Matthew 5:6; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 11:7; 1 John 3:2–3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Our King in this Psalm speaks in the character of the human nature He assumed, of whom the royal title at the time of His passion was eminently set forth. 2. Now He saith as follows; "Preserve me, O Lord, for in Thee have I hoped" (ver.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
The same form of speech is found in the psalm: "I have called upon Thee, for Thou hast heard me, O God," where we should expect it to be said, Thou hast heard me, O God, for I have called upon Thee.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Some have thought that God is fire; others that He is, as it were, a man with wings, because of a true text ill understood, Thou shalt hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… supposed from such language that man in the form of this flesh is made in the image of God, wings also are ascribed to Him, which man has not at all; and it is said to God, "Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings," that men may understand that such things are said of that ineffable nature not in …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Whence it is said in the Psalms, "Keep me under the shadow of Thy wings." But as to others who in the day of judgment shall repent, but all too late, and who shall mourn, yet unavailingly, it hath been foretold by Wisdom what they shall then say as they repent and groan for anguish of spirit, "What hath pride …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)