The big picture
Psalms 17 opens in verse 1 with “Hear the right, O LORD , attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 8 with “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,”, and closes in verse 15 with “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake…” Repeated or prominent terms include hear, LORD, eyes, hand, lion. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 15Psalms 17:1-8
1–8: Hear the right, O LORD , attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer…
Psalms 17:1–8 opens with “Hear the right, O LORD , attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of…” and reaches “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 17 develops its own movement around hear, LORD, eyes, hand, lion, with particular weight carried by hear, lips, paths.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Hear the right, O LORD , attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.” Naming Hear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Psalms 17:1-8
King James Version1Hear the right, O LORD , attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
2Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
3Thou 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.
4Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
5Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7Shew 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.
8Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
Psalms 17:9-15
9–15: From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me…
Psalms 17:9–15 opens with “From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.” and reaches “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 17 develops its own movement around hear, LORD, eyes, hand, lion, with particular weight carried by lion, LORD, wicked.
Context that brings the passage to life
“From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.” The line’s distinctive content terms include compass, deadly, enemies. Its relationship to verses 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
“They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.” The line’s distinctive content terms include inclosed, mouth, proudly. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 17:9-15
King James Version9From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
10They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
11They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
12Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13Arise, O LORD , disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
14From 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.
15As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 17:1 begins with “Hear the right, O LORD , attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 17:8 forms a natural hinge: “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,”
The final note
Psalms 17:15 leaves the reader with “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words hear, LORD, eyes, hand, lion, lips help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the covenant promise besides descendants?
Kings, land and an enduring relationship in which God is their God.
How are Isaac and Ishmael distinguished without erasing either?
Isaac carries the named covenant line; Ishmael is heard and promised fruitfulness and twelve princes.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.