Psalms 17 · Verse 1

Psalms 17:1

A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
Psalms 17:1, King James Version

Psalms 17:1 in other translations

BSBA prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer— it comes from lips free of deceit.
WEBA Prayer by David. Hear, LORD, my righteous plea. Give ear to my prayer that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips.
ASVA Prayer of David. Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
YLTA Prayer of David. Hear, O Jehovah, righteousness, attend my cry, Give ear to my prayer, without lips of deceit.
DARBYA Prayer of David. Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, which is not out of feigned lips.
BBELet my cause come to your ears, O Lord, give attention to my cry; give ear to my prayer which goes not out from false lips.
WebsterA Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend to my cry, give ear to my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

What does Psalms 17:1 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

David implores the succor of God against his enemies; and professes his integrity and determination to live to God's glory, Psa 17:1. He prays for support, and expresses strong confidence in God, Psa 17:5-9; describes the malice and cruelty of his enemies, and prays against them, Psa 17:10-14; receives a strong persuasion of support and final victory, Psa 17:15. The title is, A prayer of David; in which there is nothing that requires explanation. David was most probably the author of this Psalm; and it appears to have been written about the time in which Saul had carried his persecution against him to the highest pitch. See 1Sam 27:1-12 : The Arabic calls it "A prayer of a perfect man, of Christ himself, or of any one redeemed by him." Dr. Delaney, in his life of David, supposes that this poem was written just after parting with Jonathan, when David went into exile. Verse 1 Hear the right - Attend to the justice of my cause, יהוה צדק Yehovah tsedek, righteous Jehovah. "O righteous Jehovah, attend unto my cry." Goeth not out of feigned lips - My supplication is sincere: and the desire of my heart accompanies the words of my lips.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 17:1-7
This psalm is a prayer. Feigned prayers are fruitless; but if our hearts lead our prayers, God will meet them with his favour. The psalmist had been used to pray, so that it was not his distress and danger that now first brought him to his duty. And he was encouraged by his faith to expect God would notice his prayers. Constant resolution and watchfulness against sins of the tongue, will be a good evidence of our integrity. Aware of man's propensity to wicked works, and of his own peculiar temptations, David had made God's word his preservative from the paths of Satan, which lead to destruction. If we carefully avoid the paths of sin, it will be very lead to destruction. If we carefully avoid the paths of sin, it will be very comfortable in the reflection, when we are in trouble. Those that are, through grace, going in God's paths, should pray that their goings may be held up in those paths. David prays, Lord, still hold me up. Those who would proceed and persevere in the ways of God, must, by faith prayer, get daily fresh supplies of grace and strength from him. Show thy marvellous loving-kindness, distinguishing favours, not common mercies, but be gracious to me; do as thou usest to do to those who love thy name.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 17:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שִׁמְעָ֤הshim.'Ahhear !H8085
יְהוָ֨ה\׀Yah.wehO YahwehH3068
צֶ֗דֶקTze.dekrighteousnessH6664
הַקְשִׁ֥יבָהhak.Shi.vahpay attention to !H7181
רִנָּתִ֗יri.na.Ticry of entreaty myH7440
הַאֲזִ֥ינָהha.'a.Zi.nahgive ear to !H238
תְפִלָּתִ֑יte.fi.la.Tiprayer myH8605
בְּ֝לֹ֗אbe.Lo'with notH3808
שִׂפְתֵ֥יsif.Teilips ofH8193
מִרְמָֽה\׃mir.MahdeceitH4820

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 17:1

  • Psalms 142:6

    Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

  • Psalms 61:1

    To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

  • Psalms 145:18

    The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

  • Matthew 15:8

    This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

  • Daniel 9:18-19

    O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

  • 1 John 3:21

    Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

  • Psalms 66:19

    But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

  • 2 Chronicles 7:15

    Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

  • Psalms 86:1

    A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

  • Psalms 7:8

    The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

  • Psalms 43:1

    Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

  • Psalms 18:20

    The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David, in confidence of his integrity, craves defence of God against his enemies.
10 He shews their pride, craft, and eagerness.
13 He prays against them in confidence of his hope.

A.M. 2942. B.C. 1062. (Title.)
86:1; 142:1; *titles
Hear.
7:8; 18:20; 43:1; 140:12; 1Jo 3:21
the right. Heb. justice. attend.
5:2; 55:2,3; 61:1; 66:19; 142:6; 2Ch 7:15; Ne 1:6; Da 9:18,19
not out of feigned lips. Heb. without lips of deceit.
18:44; *marg:
145:18; Jer 3:10; Mt 15:8; Joh 1:47

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 17:1

    A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

  • Psalms 17:2

    Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

Read all of Psalms 17

Psalms 17:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Oración de David. OYE, oh Jehová, justicia; está atento á mi clamor; escucha mi oración hecha sin labios de engaño.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Prière de David. Écoute, ô Éternel, la justice; sois attentif à mon cri; prête l’oreille à ma prière, qui ne s’élève pas de lèvres trompeuses.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Höre, Jehova, die Gerechtigkeit, horche auf mein Schreien; nimm zu Ohren mein Gebet von Lippen ohne Trug!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In finem. Puero Domini David, qui locutus est Domino verba cantici hujus, in die qua eripuit eum Dominus de manu omnium inimicorum ejus, et de manu Saul, et dixit: