Psalm 17 1

Psalm 17:1 kjv

Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

Psalm 17:1 nkjv

A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O LORD, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.

Psalm 17:1 niv

A prayer of David. Hear me, LORD, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer? it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Psalm 17:1 esv

Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

Psalm 17:1 nlt

O LORD, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from honest lips.

Psalm 17 verses

Psalm 17 1 Meaning

Psalm 17:1 is a fervent appeal from David to the covenant God, Yahweh, asking Him to hear and respond to a prayer rooted in integrity and a just cause. David seeks divine intervention, presenting his case before God as a righteous plea, born out of a sincere heart and free from deception, in contrast to the falsehoods of his adversaries. The essence of the verse is David's urgent request for God's attentive ear to his genuine cry for justice and deliverance.

Psalm 17 1 Context

Psalm 17 is titled "A Prayer of David." It is a fervent personal lament and plea for divine protection and vindication against malicious enemies. David casts himself as an innocent party seeking justice against slanderous and violent foes who threaten his life and reputation. The broader context of the Psalm is David appealing to God as a righteous Judge to hear his case, knowing that God discerns the heart and will expose hypocrisy. His prayer begins with an urgent call for God's attention, establishing the sincerity and just nature of his petition. This contrasts sharply with the deceitful intentions of his accusers mentioned later in the Psalm. David's circumstances during his persecution by King Saul or adversaries like Absalom's supporters often fit this theme, where he continually brought his righteous cause before the Lord.

Psalm 17 1 Word analysis

• "Hear" (שְׁמַע - sh'ma): This is more than merely auditory perception; it implies attentive listening that leads to a response or action. In biblical terms, "to hear" God's voice often means to obey. Here, it is David requesting that God not just register his sound, but truly comprehend and act upon his plea.
• "O Lord" (יְהֹוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal, relational, and unchanging faithfulness. David addresses God as the one who has entered into a relationship with His people and is bound by covenant loyalty to hear them.
• "my righteous plea" (צֶדֶק - tzedeq): Lit. "plea of righteousness" or "righteousness." This refers not to David's sinless perfection but to the justness of his cause and the uprightness of his character in the specific conflict he faces. He asserts that his petition is consistent with what is right in God's eyes and that he is unjustly afflicted by his enemies. It's an appeal for vindication based on his adherence to God's ways against false accusations.
• "listen" (קַשִּׁיבָה - qashshīvā): An intensified verb of hearing, implying a deep attentiveness, literally "to incline the ear" or "give heed." It suggests an urgency on David's part, wanting God to truly lean in and concentrate on his words.
• "my cry" (רִנָּה - rinnah): A loud, ringing cry, often associated with joy or triumph (Ps 47:1), but here clearly in the context of distress or fervent supplication. It implies the depth of his anguish and the earnestness of his prayer.
• "give ear" (הַאֲזִינָה - ha’azīnāh): Similar to "listen" but often implying a sustained attention, as if receiving instruction or a serious matter. This accumulation of synonyms for "hearing" underscores the desperateness and intensity of David's prayer that God would pay close attention.
• "my prayer" (תְפִלָּה - tefillah): The most general term for prayer or supplication. Its placement after "plea" and "cry" broadens the scope of his petition, encompassing all his spiritual communion with God in this crisis.
• "it does not rise from deceitful lips" (מִשְׂפַת מִרְמָה - misfat mirmah): Lit. "from lips of treachery/deception." This is a crucial negative assertion. David assures God of his absolute sincerity and integrity. His words are not motivated by cunning, pretense, or malice, unlike those of his adversaries. This declaration serves as a plea for divine discernment between his truthfulness and their falsehood.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; listen to my cry; give ear to my prayer": This triplet of imperative verbs for hearing (shama, qashshīvā, ha’azīnāh) directed to YHWH emphasizes the extreme urgency and earnestness of David’s supplication. Each word, while meaning 'to hear,' carries a slightly different nuance—from simple hearing to intense listening, indicating a complete pouring out of heart. The repeated requests for God to "hear" stress David's dependency on divine attention as the prerequisite for intervention.
• "it does not rise from deceitful lips": This phrase directly establishes the foundational claim of David's prayer: its authenticity and sincerity. It highlights a core contrast—David’s truthfulness versus the potential for false accusations and the prevalent deceit among men. This self-affirmation of integrity is essential for a plea based on righteousness and appeals to God as the ultimate truth-teller and judge.

Psalm 17 1 Bonus section

The repetitive use of synonyms for 'hearing' in Psa 17:1 (Hear, listen, give ear) is a common literary device in Hebrew poetry called parallelism and intensification. It's not mere redundancy but a deepening of the request, urging God to fully attend to his desperate condition. This also echoes the idea of God’s active engagement with His creation and His responsiveness to His covenant people. In the broader Biblical narrative, a true and "righteous plea" implies conformity to God's established law and divine standards, rather than an appeal to personal perfection (which none possess, Rom 3:23). It points to David seeking justice in alignment with God’s will, implicitly asking God to judge his case relative to his accusers. The sincerity of lips being a barometer for the heart is a recurrent theme throughout Scripture, distinguishing genuine faith from mere outward show.

Psalm 17 1 Commentary

Psalm 17:1 serves as the invocation for a prayer of lament, setting the tone for David's petition to God. It immediately presents two critical elements: the earnestness of David's appeal for God's attention, conveyed through a series of insistent requests to "hear," "listen," and "give ear," and the moral integrity of the petitioner. By stating that his prayer "does not rise from deceitful lips," David distinguishes himself from those who would use cunning words or hypocrisy. This declaration is paramount because it posits his appeal on the basis of justice and sincerity before a holy and righteous God. It's a foundational claim for his vindication—an affirmation that he is presenting his case without pretense, trusting that the omniscient Lord will perceive the truth of his heart and situation. It reflects David's consistent practice of seeking God's intervention when unjustly persecuted, resting on God's character as the ultimate discerner of hearts and the vindicator of the righteous.

• Example: When facing unjust criticism, we are called to pray with a pure heart, asking God to see our true intentions.
• Example: If burdened by a misunderstanding, bringing a sincere "righteous plea" before God, knowing He examines the heart, can bring comfort.