Logos Bible Study

Psalm 17:11–14

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17:11They attack me, now they surround me;23

they intend to throw me to the ground.24

17:12He25 is like a lion26 that wants to tear its prey to bits,27

like a young lion crouching28 in hidden places.

17:13Rise up, Lord!

Confront him!29 Knock him down!30

Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man!31

17:14Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers,32

from the murderers of this world!33

They enjoy prosperity;34

you overwhelm them with the riches they desire.35

They have many children,

and leave their wealth to their offspring.36

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Footnotes

  1. 23 Heb “our steps, now they surround me.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “surround me,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has “surround us,” harmonizing the pronoun to the preceding “our steps.” The first person plural pronoun does not fit the context, where the psalmist speaks as an individual. In the preceding verses the psalmist uses a first person singular verbal or pronominal form twenty times. For this reason it is preferable to emend “our steps” to אִשְּׁרוּנִי (’ishéruni, “they attack me”) from the verbal root אָשֻׁר (’ashur, “march, stride, track”).
  2. 24 Heb “their eyes they set to bend down in the ground.”
  3. 25 Here the psalmist switches to the singular pronoun; he views his enemies collectively, or singles out a representative of the group, perhaps its leader.
  4. 26 Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”
  5. 27 Heb “[that] longs to tear.”
  6. 28 Heb “sitting.”
  7. 29 Heb “Be in front of his face.”
  8. 30 Or “bring him to his knees.”
  9. 31 Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”
  10. 32 Heb “from men [by] your hand, Lord.” The translation assumes an emendation (both here and in the following line) of מִמְתִים (mimtim, “from men”) to מִמְמִתִים (mimmitim, “from those who kill”). For other uses of the plural form of the Hiphil participle of מוּת (mut, “die”), see 2 Kgs 17:26 (used with lions as subject), Job 33:22 (apparently referring to the agents of death), and Jer 26:15 (used of those seeking Jeremiah’s life).
  11. 33 Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”
  12. 34 Heb “their portion, in life.”
  13. 35 Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.” You overwhelm them with the riches they desire. The psalmist is not accusing God of being unjust; he is simply observing that the wicked often prosper and that God is the ultimate source of all blessings that human beings enjoy (see Matt 5:45). When the wicked are ungrateful for God’s blessings, they become even more culpable and deserving of judgment. So this description of the wicked actually supports the psalmist’s appeal for deliverance. God should rescue him because he is innocent (see vv. 3–5) and because the wicked, though blessed abundantly by God, still have the audacity to attack God’s people.
  14. 36 Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

They have now surrounded our steps;

they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

He is like a lion eager to tear,

as a young lion lurking in ambush.

Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!

Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

from men by your hand, O Lord,

from men of the world whose portion is in this life.

You fill their womb with treasure;

they are satisfied with children,

and they leave their abundance to their infants.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

They have tracked me down, they now surround me,

with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

They are like a lion hungry for prey,

like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;

with your sword rescue me from the wicked.

By your hand save me from such people, Lord,

from those of this world whose reward is in this life.

May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;

may their children gorge themselves on it,

and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They advance against me; now they surround me.

They are determined

to throw me to the ground.

They are like a lion eager to tear,

like a young lion lurking in ambush.

Rise up, Lord!

Confront him; bring him down.

With your sword, save me from the wicked.

With your hand, Lord, save me from men,

from men of the world

whose portion is in this life:

You fill their bellies with what you have in store;

their sons are satisfied,

and they leave their surplus to their children.

NLTNew Living Translation

They track me down and surround me,

watching for the chance to throw me to the ground.

They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart—

like young lions hiding in ambush.

Arise, O Lord!

Stand against them, and bring them to their knees!

Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!

By the power of your hand, O Lord,

destroy those who look to this world for their reward.

But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones.

May their children have plenty,

leaving an inheritance for their descendants.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now they surround us at our every step.

They intend

to pin me to the ground.

He is like a lion; he longs to tear apart,

and like a strong lion crouching in hiding places.

Rise up, O Yahweh, confront him.

Make him bow down.

Rescue with your sword my life from the wicked,

from men by your hand, O Yahweh, from men of this world.

Their share is in this life, and you fill their stomach with your treasure.

They are satisfied with children.

They bequeath their excess to their children.

KJV 1900King James Version

They have now compassed us in our steps:

They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey,

And as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down:

Deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

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.