_HEAR THE RIGHT, O LORD, ATTEND UNTO MY CRY, GIVE EAR UNTO MY PRAYER, THAT GOETH NOT OUT OF FEIGNED LIPS._ Psalms 17:1.-The grounds on which David rests his prayer-the righteousness of his cause; his heart, mouth, and steps will bear God's testing (Psalms 17:1); the prayer itself-that Yahweh will k... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET MY SENTENCE COME FORTH FROM THY PRESENCE; LET THINE EYES BEHOLD THE THINGS THAT ARE EQUAL._ Let my sentence come forth from thy presence - i:e., Let thy sentence, in vindication of my righteous cause, come forth before the whole world, by delivering me from my enemies. LET THINE EYES BEHOLD... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Thou hast proved ... tried me - as pure gold tested by the searching fire, and found to have no dross. The Hebrew for tried is literally 'm... [ Continue Reading ]
_CONCERNING THE WORKS OF MEN, BY THE WORD OF THY LIPS I HAVE KEPT ME FROM THE PATHS OF THE DESTROYER._ Concerning the works of men - i:e., their ordinary actings, which are naturally and essentially corrupt (Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Psalms 51:5). David's language undesignedly coincides with that... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOLD UP MY GOINGS IN THY PATHS, THAT MY FOOTSTEPS SLIP NOT._ HOLD UP MY GOINGS IN THY PATHS, (THAT) MY FOOTSTEPS SLIP NOT - a beautiful supplement to Psalms 17:4, "I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer" - namely, a prayer for perseverance in the ways of God. My having done so theretofore h... [ Continue Reading ]
_I HAVE CALLED UPON THEE, FOR THOU WILT HEAR ME, O GOD: INCLINE THINE EAR UNTO ME, AND HEAR MY SPEECH._ I have called upon thee (and now call again), for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Here begins the chief prayer of the psalm, based on the Psalmist's right... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Show thy marvelous loving-kindness - `Signalize thy loving-kindnesses.' The Hebrew х_ HAPLEEH_ (H6395)] is literally, single out thy loving-kindnesses,... [ Continue Reading ]
_KEEP ME AS THE APPLE OF THE EYE, HIDE ME UNDER THE SHADOW OF THY WINGS,_ Keep me as the apple of the eye. This prayer rests on the East fact of history (Deuteronomy 32:10) 'The Lord kept him (Israel) as the apple of His eye.' The promise of God to Israel in prayer is found in Zechariah 2:8, "He th... [ Continue Reading ]
_FROM THE WICKED THAT OPPRESS ME, FROM MY DEADLY ENEMIES, WHO COMPASS ME ABOUT._ From my deadly enemies - literally, 'my enemies in soul.' Compare Ps. 41:14 ,... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY ARE INCLOSED IN THEIR OWN FAT: WITH THEIR MOUTH THEY SPEAK PROUDLY._ They are enclosed in their own fat - literally, 'their fat they have closed up;' they have wholly covered themselves with fat - i:e., with spiritual callousness. Compare Judges 3:22; metaphorically of spiritual obesity and p... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY HAVE NOW COMPASSED US IN OUR STEPS: THEY HAVE SET THEIR EYES BOWING DOWN TO THE EARTH;_ They have now compassed us in our steps. So the Qeri' reads х_ CªBAABUWNUW_ (H5437)]. But the harder reading of the Khethibh (text) is less likely to be due to correctors х_ CªBAANUWNIY_ (H5437)], 'They ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_LIKE AS A LION THAT IS GREEDY OF HIS PREY, AND AS IT WERE A YOUNG LION LURKING IN SECRET PLACES._ Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey - literally, 'the likeness of him (the ideal wicked Man_1:-1 :e., all the wicked personified in one man) is as a lion which is greedy to tear in pieces.'... [ Continue Reading ]
_ARISE, O LORD, DISAPPOINT HIM, CAST HIM DOWN: DELIVER MY SOUL FROM THE WICKED, WHICH IS THY SWORD:_ Arise, O Lord, disappoint him - literally, 'anticipate his presence,' for it threatens me with destruction: be thou beforehand with him, so as to thwart his designs which he comes in person to execu... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ From men, (which are) thy hand - rather (see note, Psalms 17:13),... [ Continue Reading ]
_AS FOR ME, I WILL BEHOLD THY FACE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: I SHALL BE SATISFIED, WHEN I AWAKE, WITH THY LIKENESS._ As for me - in contrast to my enemies for whom the Lord is preparing destruction. I WILL BEHOLD THY FACE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS - righteousness which was the ground on which the Psalmist all alon... [ Continue Reading ]