Psalm 17 7

Psalm 17:7 kjv

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

Psalm 17:7 nkjv

Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them.

Psalm 17:7 niv

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 esv

Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.

Psalm 17:7 nlt

Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
By your mighty power you rescue
those who seek refuge from their enemies.

Psalm 17 verses

Psalm 17 7 Meaning

Psalm 17:7 is a fervent plea from the Psalmist to God, entreating Him to display His exceptional and wondrous steadfast love in delivering those who seek refuge in Him from their adversaries. It highlights God as the singular source of salvation and protection, emphasizing His mighty power—symbolized by His right hand—to defend the helpless. The verse expresses a profound reliance on God's active intervention and unique demonstration of His covenant faithfulness on behalf of His trusting ones.

Psalm 17 7 Context

Psalm 17 is a personal lament, a prayer of David (or a similarly afflicted righteous person) appealing to God for justice and deliverance from relentless, malicious enemies. The psalmist asserts his blamelessness before God, requesting divine examination and intervention. Throughout the Psalm, the focus shifts between the speaker's righteous conduct, the wickedness of his foes, and his absolute reliance on God's character and power. Verse 7 specifically serves as a desperate plea within this lament, calling upon God to visibly demonstrate His unique saving power and steadfast love in rescuing the psalmist and others who share his trust, against overwhelming odds and hostile aggression. Historically, David faced numerous threats from King Saul, Philistines, and various adversaries, making such a plea for divine protection highly relevant to his life.

Psalm 17 7 Word analysis

• Show (הַפְלֵה - hafleh): From the root פָּלָא (pala), meaning "to be distinct, wonderful, marvelous, extraordinary, too difficult." This is a Hiphil imperative, a command or fervent plea, asking God to "make marvelous" or "show wonders" with His lovingkindness. It implies a demonstration that is beyond ordinary, unique to God's power and character, astonishing and mighty.
• Your marvelous lovingkindness (חֲסָדֶיךָ כַּפְלֵא - ḥasadeykha kaffleh):
  • lovingkindness (חֲסָדֶיךָ - ḥasadeykha): Plural of חֶסֶד (hesed). This is a foundational covenant term in Hebrew, far richer than "love" or "mercy" alone. It signifies steadfast love, loyal love, covenant faithfulness, committed devotion, and acts of goodness stemming from that loyalty. The plural intensifies it, suggesting abundant or manifold acts of faithful love.
  • marvelous (kaffleh): Derived from the same root as "Show" (pala), signifying an amazing or extraordinary quality of His hesed. It's not just any hesed, but a wonderfully distinct display.
• O You who save (מוֹשִׁיעַ - moshi'a): A participle from the root יָשַׁע (yasha), "to save, deliver, rescue, liberate." This designates God as the active and continual rescuer, emphasizing His inherent character as the Savior. It's a title and a description of His constant activity.
• by Your right hand (בִּימִינֶ֑ךָ - bimiyneka): The "right hand" (yamin) in Hebrew culture symbolizes strength, power, authority, victory, and the primary means of action. When referring to God, it represents His absolute, decisive, and victorious power in delivering His people and defeating enemies. It signifies irresistible divine force.
• those who take refuge (חוֹסִ֖ים - ḥosim): From the root חָסָה (hasah), meaning "to take refuge, flee for protection, trust, put confidence in." It depicts an act of complete dependence and seeking shelter, like a bird under the wing of its parent. It speaks of those who, recognizing their helplessness, fully surrender to God's protection.
• from those who rise up against them (מִתְקוֹמְמִים - mitqōm'm'mîm): A Hithpael participle from the root קוּם (qum), "to rise, stand up." The Hithpael intensive form suggests actively and repeatedly, or defiantly, rising up or taking a stand against someone. These are persistent, hostile adversaries who threaten or attack.

Words-group analysis:

• "Show Your marvelous lovingkindness": This phrase combines God's wondrous action with His inherent covenant fidelity. It is a request for God to reveal Himself through a miraculous demonstration of His hesed, which is central to His character and covenant relationship with His people. It indicates a longing not just for deliverance, but for God to act in a way that magnifies His unique nature.
• "O You who save by Your right hand those who take refuge": This describes God's specific role and method. He is the active "Savior" whose "right hand"—His invincible power—is specifically directed toward protecting "those who take refuge." This forms a direct causal link: because they seek Him, He delivers them by His ultimate strength. This phrase highlights the reciprocal relationship of human trust and divine action.
• "from those who rise up against them": This specifies the threat. The enemies are not passive; they are actively and aggressively "rising up." The psalmist calls on God's "marvelous lovingkindness" and powerful "right hand" to counteract this specific, violent opposition, affirming God's protective sovereignty over all adversaries.

Psalm 17 7 Bonus section

The specific term hesed in Ps 17:7, "lovingkindness," encapsulates the relational aspect of God's character revealed in His covenant with Israel. It implies a love that is not conditional on human merit but arises from His fidelity and commitment to His promises. When the psalmist asks for God to "show marvelous lovingkindness," he is appealing to God to act in a manner consistent with His very identity as a faithful, compassionate covenant partner, but in a way that goes above and beyond, making His intervention strikingly clear and unmistakably divine. This hesed often extends to "the least of these" and the vulnerable, demonstrating God's preferential care for those who seek His refuge, as seen throughout the prophetic tradition and the ministry of Jesus.

Psalm 17 7 Commentary

Psalm 17:7 distills the core theological conviction of the Psalmist: God is the unique, powerful, and utterly faithful deliverer. The plea to "Show Your marvelous lovingkindness" (hafleh hasadeyka) is not merely a request for help but for a divine display—an extraordinary, supernatural intervention that underscores God's unique nature and His covenant faithfulness. This hesed is the bedrock of Israel's relationship with God, a love that is loyal and active.

The designation "O You who save by Your right hand" emphasizes God's omnipotent capacity to bring about salvation. His "right hand" is the biblical metaphor for His unchallengeable power, decisively executing His will, bringing victory over seemingly insurmountable odds. This contrasts sharply with human weakness or reliance on earthly power. True salvation comes only from the divine.

The verse is qualified by "those who take refuge in You." This defines the recipients of God's special saving act. It's a call to depend completely on God, to seek shelter under His sovereign care, acknowledging one's own vulnerability. God’s commitment to protect is linked to the genuine trust of His people, making faith and refuge essential prerequisites for experiencing His "marvelous lovingkindness" in deliverance "from those who rise up against them"—active, persistent enemies. The verse underscores that God's power and love are not abstract but applied concretely for the protection of His dependent, trusting children against all who oppose them.