Psalms 17:9
in Psalms 17from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
KJV
From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
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This verse in Psalms 17
Commentary
10 notes on this verse"From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about." The foes from whom David sought to be rescued were wicked men. It is hopeful for us when our enemies are God's enemies. They were deadly enemies, whom nothing but his death would satisfy. The foes of a believer's soul are mortal foes most emphatically, for they who war against our faith aim at the very life of our life. Deadly sins are deadly enemies, and what sin is there which hath not death in its bowels?
This site's exposition
the apple of Your eye
on Psalms 17:8-9
The apple of Your eye is the pupil, which an eyelid shuts over before a man decides to blink. The shadow of Your wings sets a bird over its young, and Deuteronomy 32:10 and 11 use both pictures of the LORD over Israel.
This site's exposition
from the wicked who assail me
Albert Barnes read the wicked who assail the psalmist as men who lay him waste, the way war ravages a city. Adam Clarke saw huntsmen who surround a forest and drive the deer toward the nets. The hunt runs on to the lion of verse 12.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Thine eye": which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as by Christ's humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the righteous and sinners. "In the covering of Thy wings protect Me." In the defence of Thy love and mercy protect Me. "From the face of the ungodly who have troubled Me."
The Medieval Church2 voices
Next he shows from what it is fitting to be delivered: "from the face of the wicked who have afflicted me," that is, from the power and presence of demons, or of false brethren. 2 Cor. 11: "In perils from false brethren." "Who have afflicted …
"My enemies." Here he sets forth the necessity for deliverance. And concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth the affliction he suffers. Second, the likeness of the affliction, at "They received me." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he sets …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
From the wicked that oppress me,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
"From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about." The foes from whom David sought to be rescued were wicked men. It is hopeful for us when our enemies are God's enemies. They were deadly enemies, whom nothing but his death would satisfy. The foes of a believer's soul are mortal foes most emphatically, for they who war against our faith aim at the very life of our life. Deadly sins are deadly enemies, and what sin is there which hath not death in its bowels? These foes oppressed David, they laid his spirit waste, as invading armies ravage a country, or as wild beasts desolate a land. He likens himself to a besieged city, and complains that his foes compass him about. It may well quicken our business upward, when all around us, every road, is blockaded by deadly foes. This is our daily position, for all around us dangers and sins are lurking. O God, do thou protect us from them all.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
From my deadly enemies, who compass me about - This is a metaphor taken from huntsmen, who spread themselves around a large track of forest, driving in the deer from every part of the circumference, till they are forced into the nets or traps which they have set for them in some particular narrow passage. The metaphor is carried on in the following verses.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
From the wicked that oppress me - Margin, “That waste me.” The margin expresses the sense of the Hebrew. The idea is that of being wasted, desolated, destroyed, as a city or country is by the ravages of war. The psalmist compares himself in his troubles with such a city or country. The “effect” of the persecutions which he had endured had been like cities and lands thus laid waste by fire and sword. From my deadly enemies - Margin, “My enemies against the soul.” The literal idea is, “enemies against my life.” The common translation expresses the idea accurately. The sense is, that his enemies sought his life. Who compass me about - Who surround me on every side, as enemies do who besiege a city.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
[With] their fat, they closed themselves up With their fat, they closed their heart and their eyes from looking at Your deeds, in fear of You.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִפְּנֵ֣י | mipenei | from before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| רְ֭שָׁעִים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| ז֣וּ | zu | who | H2098 → | 15 times |
| שַׁדּ֑וּנִי | shaduni | they have assailed me | H7703 → | |
| אֹיְבַ֥י | ʾoyevai | enemies my | H341 → | 282 times |
| בְּ֝נֶ֗פֶשׁ | benefesh | with soul | H5315 → | 754 times |
| יַקִּ֥יפוּ | yakifu | they surround | H5362 → | 19 times |
| עָלָֽי׃ | ʾalai | <on> me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
מִפְּנֵ֣יfrom before
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
רְ֭שָׁעִיםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →263 times
ז֣וּwho
zuH2098 →15 times
שַׁדּ֑וּנִיthey have assailed me
shaduniH7703 →
אֹיְבַ֥יenemies my
ʾoyevaiH341 →282 times
בְּ֝נֶ֗פֶשׁwith soul
benefeshH5315 →754 times
יַקִּ֥יפוּthey surround
yakifuH5362 →19 times
עָלָֽי׃<on> me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 35:4May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
it leads to
- Psalms 70:2–3
May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
- Psalms 35:26
May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
- Jeremiah 46:5
Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 38:12
Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
- Psalms 31:17–18
O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.
- Psalms 70:2–3
Through
Psalms 35:7For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
it leads to
- John 15:25
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
- Psalms 140:5
The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
- Psalms 9:15
The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
- John 15:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 17; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.