13 Up! Lord, come out against him, make him low, with your sword be my saviour from the evil-doer.
Come to me, Lord; keep me safe, O my God; for you have given all my haters blows on their face-bones; the teeth of the evil-doers have been broken by you.
Come up, Lord, in your wrath; be lifted up against my haters; be awake, my God, give orders for the judging.
God is the judge of the upright, and is angry with the evil-doers every day. If a man is not turned from his evil, he will make his sword sharp; his bow is bent and ready. He has made ready for him the instruments of death; he makes his arrows flames of fire.
Make my soul safe from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever.
It is time, O Lord, for you to let your work be seen; for they have made your law without effect.
Ho! Assyrian, the rod of my wrath, the instrument of my punishment!
They come from a far country, from the farthest part of heaven, even the Lord and the instruments of his wrath, with destruction for all the land.
Has it not come to your ears how I did it long before, purposing it in times long past? Now I have given effect to my design, so that by you strong towns might be turned into masses of broken walls.
Are you not eternal, O Lord my God, my Holy One? for you there is no death. O Lord, he has been ordered by you for our punishment; and by you, O Rock, he has been marked out to put us right.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 17
Commentary on Psalms 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 17
Ps 17:1-15. This Psalm is termed a prayer because the language of petition is predominant. With a just cause, sincerely presented, the writer prays for a just decision and help and protection. Pleading former mercies as a ground of hope, he urges his prayer in view of the malice, pride, rapacity, and selfishness of his foes, whose character is contrasted with his pious devotion and delight in God's favor.
2. sentence—acquitting judgment.
from thy presence—Thy tribunal.
things that are equal—just and right, do Thou regard.
3. proved … visited … tried—His character was most rigidly tested, at all times, and by all methods, affliction and others (Ps 7:10).
purposed that, &c.—or, my mouth does not exceed my purpose; I am sincere.
4. works of men—sinful practices.
by the word of thy lips—as a guide (Ps 119:9, 11, 95).
destroyer—violent man.
5. May be read as an assertion "my steps or goings have held on to Thy paths."
6. wilt hear me—that is, graciously (Ps 3:4).
7. Show—set apart as special and eminent (Ex 8:18; Ps 4:3).
thy right hand—for Thy power.
8. Similar figures, denoting the preciousness of God's people in His sight, in De 32:10, 11; Mt 23:37.
9. compass me—(compare Ps 118:10-12).
10. enclosed … fat—are become proud in prosperity, and insolent to God (De 32:15; Ps 73:7).
11. They pursue us as beasts tracking their prey.
12. The figure made more special by that of a lion lurking.
13-15. disappoint—literally, "come before," or, "encounter him." Supply "with" before "sword" (Ps 17:13), and "hand" (Ps 17:14). These denote God's power.
14. men … world—all men of this present time. They appear, by fulness of bread and large families, to be prosperous; but (Ps 17:15) he implies this will be transient, contrasting his better portion in a joyful union with God hereafter.