3 Thou hast proved my heart, Thou hast inspected by night, Thou hast tried me, Thou findest nothing; My thoughts pass not over my mouth.
For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me -- as gold I go forth.
that the proof of your faith -- much more precious than of gold that is perishing, and through fire being approved -- may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, in the revelation of Jesus Christ,
For Thou hast tried us, O God, Thou hast refined us as the refining of silver.
To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. -- A Psalm of David. I have said, `I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked `is' before me.'
who, having come, and having seen the grace of God, was glad, and was exhorting all with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord,
And who is bearing the day of his coming? And who is standing in his appearing? For he `is' as fire of a refiner, And as soap of a fuller.
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest.
I bless Jehovah who hath counselled me; Also `in' the nights my reins instruct me.
for we all make many stumbles; if any one in word doth not stumble, this one `is' a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body;
For our glorying is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we did conduct ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you;
Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and `one' said to slay thee, and `mine eye' hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he `is'.
And the Lord said through a vision in the night to Paul, `Be not afraid, but be speaking and thou mayest be not silent; because I am with thee, and no one shall set on thee to do thee evil; because I have much people in this city;'
And a vision through the night appeared to Paul -- a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling upon him, and saying, `Having passed through to Macedonia, help us;' --
For they have drawn near, As an oven `is' their heart, In their lying in wait all the night sleep doth their baker, Morning! he is burning as a flaming fire.
In those days, and at that time, An affirmation of Jehovah, Sought is the iniquity of Israel, and it is not, And the sin of Judah, and it is not found, For I am propitious to those whom I leave!
All this met us, and we did not forget Thee, Nor have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant. We turn not backward our heart, Nor turn aside doth our step from Thy path. But Thou hast smitten us in a place of dragons, And dost cover us over with death-shade. If we have forgotten the name of our God, And spread our hands to a strange God, Doth not God search out this? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Jehovah the righteous doth try. And the wicked and the lover of violence, Hath His soul hated,
At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
and Jehovah doth turn back to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into `my' hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 17
Commentary on Psalms 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 17
David being in great distress and danger by the malice of his enemies, does, in this psalm, by prayer address himself to God, his tried refuge, and seeks shelter in him.
Some make him, in this, a type of Christ, who was perfectly innocent, and yet was hated and persecuted, but, like David, committed himself and his cause to him that judgeth righteously.
A prayer of David.
Psa 17:1-7
This psalm is a prayer. As there is a time to weep and a time to rejoice, so there is a time for praise and a time for prayer. David was now persecuted, probably by Saul, who hunted him like a partridge on the mountains; without were fightings, within were fears, and both urged him as a suppliant to the throne of mercy. He addresses himself to God in these verses both by way of appeal (Hear the right, O Lord! let my righteous cause have a hearing before thy tribunal, and give judgment upon it) and by way of petition (Give ear unto my prayer v. 1, and again v. 6, Incline thy ear unto me and hear my speech); not that God needs to be thus pressed with our importunity, but he gives us leave thus to express our earnest desire of his gracious answers to our prayers. These things he pleads with God for audience,
Psa 17:8-15
We may observe, in these verses,