Psalm 17 15

Psalm 17:15 kjv

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psalm 17:15 nkjv

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Psalm 17:15 niv

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Psalm 17:15 esv

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

Psalm 17:15 nlt

Because I am righteous, I will see you.
When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.

Psalm 17 verses

Psalm 17 15 Meaning

Psalm 17:15 expresses the psalmist's profound hope and ultimate aspiration: to intimately behold God's presence, not based on worldly prosperity, but through a life of righteousness, and to find complete and eternal satisfaction in God's very being or likeness upon an awakening, often interpreted as the resurrection. It stands in stark contrast to the fleeting gratifications of the wicked, affirming spiritual and eternal fellowship with the Most High as the supreme good.

Psalm 17 15 Context

Psalm 17 is a prayer of David, a "Prayer of a Blameless Man" as some translations title it, where he appeals to God for deliverance from oppressive, malicious enemies. Throughout the psalm, David emphasizes his own righteousness and integrity before God (vs. 1-5) as the basis for God hearing and responding to his plea. He contrasts his faith and reliance on God with the self-sufficient, earth-focused lives of his persecutors (vs. 9-14), who find their satisfaction in worldly gains. Verse 15 serves as the culmination and climax of this contrast, revealing David's ultimate hope that transcends his current suffering and the temporary prosperity of the wicked. His true desire is not for material wealth or earthly safety, but for eternal intimacy with God. This hope is framed in the language of a future "awakening," directly contrasting with the portion of the wicked "in this life."

Psalm 17 15 Word analysis

• As for me ('ani, אֲנִי): The emphatic pronoun "I" or "as for me" strongly contrasts the psalmist's destiny with that of the wicked, described in the preceding verses. While their portion is "in this life" (v. 14), his hope lies beyond the temporal.
• I will behold ('echezeh, אֶחֱזֶה from chazah): This verb means to "see," "gaze upon," or "perceive," often with a sense of revelation, vision, or intimate understanding. It implies a direct, personal encounter, not merely a fleeting glimpse.
• Thy face (paneka, פָּנֶיךָ): In Hebrew thought, the "face" signifies presence, essence, or personal manifestation. To "behold God's face" is to experience direct fellowship, communion, and knowledge of God. While the Old Testament warns that no man can see God's face and live (Exod 33:20), it also describes intimate encounters as "face to face" (Exod 33:11; Num 12:8), often understood as seeing a manifestation of God, or speaking directly to Him. Here, it speaks to a future, transformed capacity.
• in righteousness (betzedeq, בְּצֶדֶק): This phrase modifies how the beholding occurs or the state of the one who beholds. It means "in a state of righteousness" or "as a righteous person." This signifies that moral uprightness, a life lived in accordance with God's will, is the necessary condition for such a divine encounter. It reflects the truth that only the "pure in heart" will see God.
• I shall be satisfied ('esba'a, אֶשְׂבְּעָה from saba'): This word implies deep, profound fulfillment and complete satiation, beyond mere temporary contentment. It speaks of a soul-deep satisfaction that no earthly thing can provide, a true and lasting contentment found only in God.
• when I awake (behaqitz, בְּהָקִיץ from qitz): This term literally means "when awaking from sleep." While it could refer to simply waking each morning, in the context of Psalm 17, and particularly when contrasted with the "portion in this life" of the wicked, it is widely interpreted as an awakening in the resurrection or after death. This suggests an eschatological hope beyond this present life, a spiritual awakening to eternal life.
• with Thy likeness (tmunateka, תְּמוּנָתֶךָ from tmunah): This word denotes "form," "image," "likeness," or "similitude." It speaks of the perception of God's revealed character, His glory, or a visual manifestation. The psalmist expresses the hope not only of seeing God but of being fully satisfied with or in His very essence or revealed form. This implies both a recognition of God and a transformation into His image, bringing complete inner alignment and satisfaction.

Psalm 17 15 Bonus section

The concept of seeing God's "likeness" (tmunah) is unique and powerful. While Scripture indicates that no one can see God in His unadulterated essence and live (Exod 33:20), tmunah in Num 12:8 describes what Moses beheld – a "similitude" or "form" of God, implying a tangible, yet limited, manifestation of God's presence, rather than His entire divine being. In Psalm 17:15, this future "seeing" suggests a transformed state in which believers are enabled to behold God directly in a manner currently impossible. This future experience, post-resurrection, will involve both seeing God as He is (1 Jn 3:2) and becoming fully satisfied by being conformed to His character and image (2 Cor 3:18). This fulfillment represents the ultimate hope and blessedness for the children of God, confirming that true contentment stems from eternal intimacy with the Creator.

Psalm 17 15 Commentary

Psalm 17:15 offers a breathtaking vision of the ultimate destiny for the righteous, sharply contrasting with the material pursuits and fleeting satisfactions of the wicked described earlier in the Psalm. David declares that his greatest desire is not worldly comfort or triumph over his enemies in this life, but an intimate, personal encounter with God. This encounter is predicated on righteousness, indicating that genuine communion with the Divine requires a pure heart and life lived according to God's ways.

The profound satisfaction promised here transcends all earthly joys. It is not merely relief from distress or a superficial happiness, but a deep, lasting fulfillment that touches the very core of one's being. The phrase "when I awake" is pivotal; while it can denote physical waking, in light of the immediate context and broader biblical revelation, it is best understood as a reference to awakening from the sleep of death – the resurrection. This makes Psalm 17:15 one of the clearest Old Testament expressions of a hope in the afterlife and the bodily resurrection, where the faithful will finally see God "face to face" and be perfectly transformed "into His likeness." This ultimate state promises complete communion, knowledge, and inner peace, culminating in eternal worship and joy in God's presence. It means seeing God not merely as a concept, but encountering His manifested presence, leading to an indescribable satisfaction that encompasses both His perfect character and His revealed glory.

This verse teaches us to reorient our desires, setting our affections not on earthly gains but on heavenly realities, finding our ultimate contentment not in what we possess or achieve in this life, but in the person of God Himself.