Psalms 17 · Verse 8

Psalms 17:8

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
Psalms 17:8, King James Version

Psalms 17:8 in other translations

BSBKeep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
WEBKeep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
ASVKeep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
YLTKeep me as the apple, the daughter of the eye; In shadow of Thy wings thou dost hide me.
DARBYKeep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
BBEKeep me as the light of your eyes, covering me with the shade of your wings,
WebsterKeep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shade of thy wings.

What does Psalms 17:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Similar figures, denoting the preciousness of God's people in His sight, in De 32:10, 11; Mt 23:37.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Keep me as the apple of the eye - Or, as the black of the daughter of eye. Take as much care to preserve me now by Divine influence, as thou hast to preserve my eye by thy good providence. Thou hast entrenched it deeply in the skull; hast ramparted it with the forehead and cheek-bones; defended it by the eyebrow, eyelids, and eyelashes; and placed it in that situation where the hands can best protect it. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings - This is a metaphor taken from the hen and her chickens. See it explained at large in the note on Mat 23:37 (note). The Lord says of his followers, Zac 2:8 : "He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye." How dear are our eyes to us! how dear must his followers be to God!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 17:8-15
Being compassed with enemies, David prays to God to keep him in safety. This prayer is a prediction that Christ would be preserved, through all the hardships and difficulties of his humiliation, to the glories and joys of his exalted state, and is a pattern to Christians to commit the keeping of their souls to God, trusting him to preserve them to his heavenly kingdom. Those are our worst enemies, that are enemies to our souls. They are God's sword, which cannot move without him, and which he will sheathe when he has done his work with it. They are his hand, by which he chastises his people. There is no fleeing from God's hand, but by fleeing to it. It is very comfortable, when we are in fear of the power of man, to see it dependent upon, and in subjection to the power of God. Most men look on the things of this world as the best things; and they look no further, nor show any care to provide for another life. The things of this world are called treasures, they are so accounted; but to the soul, and when compared with eternal blessings, they are trash. The most afflicted Christian need not envy the most prosperous men of the world, who have their portion in this life. Clothed with Christ's righteousness, having through his grace a good heart and a good life, may we by faith behold God's face, and set him always before us. When we awake every morning, may we be satisfied with his likeness set before us in his word, and with his likeness stamped upon us by his renewing grace. Happiness in the other world is prepared only for those that are justified and sanctified: they shall be put in possession of it when the soul awakes, at death, out of its slumber in the body, and when the body awakes, at the resurrection, out of its slumber in the grave. There is no satisfaction for a soul but in God, and in his good will towards us, and his good work in us; yet that satisfaction will not be perfect till we come to heaven.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 17:8 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.

שָׁ֭מְרֵנִיSham.re.nikeep meH8104
כְּאִישׁ֣וֹןke.'i.Shonlike [the] pupil ofH380
בַּת\־bat-[the] daughter ofH1323
עָ֑יִן'A.yinan eyeH5869
בְּצֵ֥לbe.Tzelin [the] shadow ofH6738
כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָke.na.Fei.khawings yourH3671
תַּסְתִּירֵֽנִי\׃tas.ti.Re.niyou will hide meH5641

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

Cross references for Psalms 17:8

  • Deuteronomy 32:10

    He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

  • Psalms 91:4

    He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

  • Psalms 91:1

    He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

  • Proverbs 7:2

    Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

  • Zechariah 2:8

    For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

  • Psalms 61:4

    I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

  • Luke 13:34

    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

  • Ruth 2:12

    The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

  • Psalms 36:7

    How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

  • Psalms 57:1

    To the chief Musician, Al–taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

  • Matthew 23:37

    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

  • Psalms 63:7

    Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
apple.
De 32:10; Pr 7:2; Zec 2:8
hide.
36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 91:1,4; Ru 2:12; Mt 23:37; Lu 13:34

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

Context

  • Psalms 17:7

    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.

  • Psalms 17:8

    Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

  • Psalms 17:9

    From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

Read all of Psalms 17

Psalms 17:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Guárdame como lo negro de la niñeta del ojo, escóndeme con la sombra de tus alas,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Garde-moi comme la prunelle de l’œil; cache-moi sous l’ombre de tes ailes,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Bewahre mich wie den Augapfel im Auge; birg mich in dem Schatten deiner Flügel
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Commota est, et contremuit terra; fundamenta montium conturbata sunt, et commota sunt: quoniam iratus est eis.