1: תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שִׁמְעָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ צֶ֗דֶק הַקְשִׁ֥יבָה רִנָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה תְפִלָּתִ֑י בְּ֝לֹ֗א שִׂפְתֵ֥י מִרְמָֽה׃ 2: מִ֭לְּפָנֶיךָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י יֵצֵ֑א עֵ֝ינֶ֗יךָ תֶּחֱזֶ֥ינָה מֵישָׁרִֽים׃ 3: בָּ֘חַ֤נְתָּ לִבִּ֨י ׀ פָּ֘קַ֤דְתָּ לַּ֗יְלָה צְרַפְתַּ֥נִי בַל־ תִּמְצָ֑א זַ֝מֹּתִ֗י בַּל־ יַעֲבָר־ פִּֽי׃ 4: לִפְעֻלּ֣וֹת אָ֭דָם בִּדְבַ֣ר שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ אֲנִ֥י שָׁ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אָרְח֥וֹת פָּרִֽיץ׃ 5: תָּמֹ֣ךְ אֲ֭שֻׁרַי בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶ֑יךָ בַּל־ נָמ֥וֹטּוּ פְעָמָֽי׃ 6: אֲנִֽי־ קְרָאתִ֣יךָ כִֽי־ תַעֲנֵ֣נִי אֵ֑ל הַֽט־ אָזְנְךָ֥ לִ֝֗י שְׁמַ֣ע אִמְרָתִֽי׃ 7: הַפְלֵ֣ה חֲ֭סָדֶיךָ מוֹשִׁ֣יעַ חוֹסִ֑ים מִ֝מִּתְקוֹמְמִ֗ים בִּֽימִינֶֽךָ׃ 8: שָׁ֭מְרֵנִי כְּאִישׁ֣וֹן בַּת־ עָ֑יִן בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ תַּסְתִּירֵֽנִי׃ 9: מִפְּנֵ֣י רְ֭שָׁעִים ז֣וּ שַׁדּ֑וּנִי אֹיְבַ֥י בְּ֝נֶ֗פֶשׁ יַקִּ֥יפוּ עָלָֽי׃ 10: חֶלְבָּ֥מוֹ סָּגְר֑וּ פִּ֝֗ימוֹ דִּבְּר֥וּ בְגֵאֽוּת׃ 11: אַ֭שֻּׁרֵינוּ עַתָּ֣ה עֵינֵיהֶ֥ם יָ֝שִׁ֗יתוּ לִנְט֥וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 12: דִּמְיֹנ֗וֹ כְּ֭אַרְיֵה יִכְס֣וֹף לִטְר֑וֹף וְ֝כִכְפִ֗יר יֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּמִסְתָּרֽ͏ִים׃ 13: קוּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה קַדְּמָ֣ה פָ֭נָיו הַכְרִיעֵ֑הוּ פַּלְּטָ֥ה נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י מֵרָשָׁ֥ע חַרְבֶּֽךָ׃ 14: מִֽמְתִ֥ים יָדְךָ֨ ׀ יְהוָ֡ה מִֽמְתִ֬ים מֵחֶ֗לֶד חֶלְקָ֥ם בַּֽחַיִּים֮ תְּמַלֵּ֪א בִ֫טְנָ֥ם יִשְׂבְּע֥וּ בָנִ֑ים וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ יִ֝תְרָ֗ם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֽ͏ֶם׃ 15: אֲנִ֗י בְּ֭צֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶ֣ה פָנֶ֑יךָ אֶשְׂבְּעָ֥ה בְ֝הָקִ֗יץ תְּמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃
Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. - Psalm 17:1 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David is crying out to the Lord, pleading for his righteous cause to be heard.
- Imagery:
- David's cry for vindication symbolizes his faith in God's justice and his desire for righteousness to prevail.
Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right. - Psalm 17:2 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David invites God to examine his heart and judge him based on his righteousness.
- Imagery:
- God's eyes symbolize His omniscience and ability to see the truth. David's request for God to see what is right reflects his trust in God's discernment and wisdom.
Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. - Psalm 17:3 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David asserts his innocence, stating that he has not planned any evil or spoken transgressions.
- Imagery:
- God probing the heart and examining David at night symbolizes His thorough scrutiny. David's reference to God finding no evil in him signifies his reliance on God's righteousness as a protective shield.
Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. - Psalm 17:4 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David declares that despite attempts to sway him, he has remained faithful to God's commandments and avoided the ways of the wicked.
- Imagery:
- People trying to bribe David represents temptation and the allure of sinful paths. David's commitment to keeping himself from the ways of the violent signifies his resolve to walk with integrity according to God's instructions.
My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled. - Psalm 17:5 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David affirms his steadfastness in following God's paths and declares that he has not stumbled.
- Imagery:
- David's steps holding to God's paths symbolize his obedience and trust. The fact that his feet have not stumbled indicates God's loving care and protection, ensuring his safe journey.
I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. - Psalm 17:6 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David calls upon God, expressing certainty that He will answer and pleading for God to listen to his prayer.
- Imagery:
- David's call to God reflects his faith in God's ability to answer and bring about the desired outcome. His plea for God to turn His ear symbolizes a request for full attention and understanding.
Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. - Psalm 17:7 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David asks God to reveal the wonders of His great love, acknowledging that God saves those who seek refuge in Him.
- Imagery:
- The wonders of God's great love represent His acts of deliverance, protection, and provision. Taking refuge in God symbolizes seeking safety and finding solace in His presence.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. - Psalm 17:8-9 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David appeals to God, requesting to be guarded and sheltered from his enemies who are determined to harm him.
- Imagery:
- Being kept as the apple of God's eye signifies being highly regarded and protected. The shadow of God's wings represents His sheltering presence and divine protection from harm. David's reference to wicked enemies surrounding him portrays the intensity of the threat he faces.
They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance. - Psalm 17:10 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David describes the wicked adversaries, portraying their hardened hearts and proud speech.
- Imagery:
- The closed callous hearts of the adversaries symbolize their lack of compassion, empathy, and righteousness. Their arrogant speech reflects their defiance and disdain for God's ways.
They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground. - Psalm 17:11 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David acknowledges the hostile pursuit of his enemies and their intention to overpower and bring him down.
- Imagery:
- The adversaries tracking David and surrounding him represents their relentless pursuit and effort to overpower him. Their alert eyes symbolize their vigilance for an opportunity to strike. David's recognition of their intentions emphasizes his trust in God's justice and intervention.
They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a fierce lion crouching in cover. - Psalm 17:12 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David compares his adversaries to hungry lions, waiting in hiding to attack.
- Imagery:
- The adversaries' likeness to a hungry lion and a fierce lion crouching in cover portrays their aggressiveness, stealth, and readiness to harm. This emphasizes the dire situation David faces and his need for God's deliverance.
Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked. - Psalm 17:13 (NIV)
- Scene:
- David implores the Lord to rise up, confront his enemies, and rescue him from their wickedness.
- Imagery:
- David's call for God to rise up signifies a plea for divine intervention and action against the adversaries. The mention of God's sword represents His power and authority to defeat the wicked and bring deliverance.
The scenes in this Psalm depict David's plea for vindication, God's examination of the heart, the righteousness of God as a shield, David's determination to walk with integrity, God's loving care and deliverance, David's plea for God's intervention, God displaying His marvelous love, God's protection against adversaries, the adversaries' calloused hearts, David's trust in God's justice, God's deliverance from adversaries, and David's plea for God to arise. These images convey the eudaimonic meaning of seeking God's justice, taking refuge in His care, and finding hope and deliverance in His righteousness.