TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 17:8–15. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We may observe, in these verses,
I.What David prays for.
Being compassed about with enemies that sought his life, he prays to God to preserve him safely through all their attempts against him, to the crown to which he was anointed. This prayer is both a prediction of the preservation of Christ through all the hardships and difficulties of his humiliation, to the glories and joys of his exalted state, and a pattern to Christians to commit the keeping of their souls to God, trusting him to preserve them to his heavenly kingdom. He prays,
1.That he himself might be protected (Psa 17:8): "Keep me safe, hide me close, where I may not be found, where I may not be come at. Deliver my soul, not only my mortal life from death, but my immortal spirit from sin." Those who put themselves under God's protection may in faith implore the benefit of it.
(1.)He prays that God would keep him,
[1.]With as much care as a man keeps the apple of his eye with, which nature has wonderfully fenced and teaches us to guard. If we keep God's law as the apple of our eye (Pro 7:2), we may expect that God will so keep us; for it is said concerning his people that whoso touches them touches the apple of his eye, Zac 2:8.
[2.]With as much tenderness as the hen gathers her young ones under her wings with; Christ uses the similitude, Mat 23:37. "Hide me under the shadow of thy wings, where I may be both safe and warm." Or, perhaps, it rather alludes to the wings of the cherubim shadowing the mercy-seat: "Let me be taken under the protection of that glorious grace which is peculiar to God's Israel." What David here prays for was performed to the Son of David, our Lord Jesus, of whom it is said (Isa 49:2) that God hid him in the shadow of his hand, hid him as a polished shaft in his quiver.
(2.)David further prays, "Lord, keep me from the wicked, from men of the world," [1.] "From being, and doing, like them, from walking in their counsel, and standing in their way, and eating of their dainties." [2.] "From being destroyed and run down by them. Let them not have their will against me; let them not triumph over me."
2.That all the designs of his enemies to bring his either into sin or into trouble might be defeated (Psa 17:13): "Arise, O Lord! appear for me, disappoint him, and cast him down in his own eyes by the disappointment." While Saul persecuted David, how often did he miss his prey, when he thought he had him sure! And how were Christ's enemies disappointed by his resurrection, who thought they had gained their point when they had put him to death!
II.What he pleads for the encouraging of his own faith in these petitions, and his hope of speeding. He pleads,
1.The malice and wickedness of his enemies: "They are such as are not fit to be countenanced, such as, if I be not delivered from them by the special care of God himself, will be my ruin. Lord, see what wicked men those are that oppress me, and waste me, and run me down." (1.) "They are very spiteful and malicious; they are my deadly enemies, that thirst after my blood, my heart's blood - enemies against the soul," so the word is. David's enemies did what they could to drive him to sin and drive him away from God; they bade him go serve other gods (Sa1 26:19), and therefore he had reason to pray against them. Note, Those are our worst enemies, and we ought so to account them, that are enemies to our souls. (2.) "They are very secure and sensual, insolent and haughty (Psa 17:10): They are enclosed in their own fat, wrap themselves, hug themselves, in their own honour, and power, and plenty, and then make light of God, and set his judgments at defiance, Psa 73:7; Job 15:27. They wallow in pleasure, and promise themselves that tomorrow shall be as this day. And therefore with their mouth they speak proudly, glorying in themselves, blaspheming God, trampling upon his people, and insulting them." See Rev 13:5, Rev 13:6. "Lord, are not such men as these fit to be mortified and humbled, and made to know themselves? Will it not be for thy glory to look upon these proud men and abase them?" (3.) "They are restless and unwearied in their attempts against me: They compass me about, Psa 17:9. They have now in a manner gained their point; they have surrounded us, they have compassed us in our steps, they track us wherever we go, follow us as close as the hound does the hare, and take all advantages against us, being both too many and too quick for us. And yet they pretend to look another way, and set their eyes bowing down to the earth, as if they were meditating, retired into themselves, and thinking of something else;" or (as some think), "They are watchful and intent upon it, to do us a mischief; they are down-looked, and never let slip any opportunity of compassing their design." (4.) "The ringleader of them (that was Saul) is in a special manner bloody and barbarous, politic and projecting (Psa 17:12), like a lion that lives by prey and is therefore greedy of it." It is as much the meat and drink of a wicked man to do mischief as it is of a good man to do good. He is like a young lion lurking in secret places, disguising his cruel designs. This is fitly applied to Saul, who sought David on the rocks of the wild goats (Sa1 24:2) and in the wilderness of Ziph (Psa 26:2), where lions used to lurk for their prey.
2.The power God had over them, to control and restrain them. He pleads, (1.) "Lord, they are thy sword; and will any father suffer his sword to be drawn against his own children?" As this is a reason why we should patiently bear the injuries of men, that they are but the instruments of the trouble (it comes originally from God, to whose will we are bound to submit), so it is an encouragement to us to hope both that their wrath shall praise him and that the remainder thereof he will restrain, that they are God's sword, which he can manage as he pleases, which cannot move without him, and which he will sheathe when he has done his work with it. (2.) "They are thy hand, by which thou dost chastise thy people and make them feel thy displeasure." He therefore expects deliverance from God's hand because from God's hand the trouble came. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit - The same hand wounds and heals. There is no flying from God's hand but by flying to it. It is very comfortable, when we are in fear of the power of man, to see it dependent upon and in subjection to the power of God; see Isa 10:6, Isa 10:7, Isa 10:15.
3.Their outward prosperity (Psa 17:14): "Lord, appear against them, for," (1.) "They are entirely devoted to the world, and care not for thee and thy favour. They are men of the world, actuated by the spirit of the world, walking according to the course of this world, in love with the wealth and pleasure of this world, eager in the pursuits of it (making them their business) and at ease in the enjoyments of it - making them their bliss. They have their portion in this life; they look upon the good things of this world as the best things, and sufficient to make them happy, and they choose them accordingly, place their felicity in them, and aim at them as their chief good; they rest satisfied with them, their souls take their ease in them, and they look no further, nor are in any care to provide for another life. These things are their consolation (Luk 6:24), their good things (Luk 16:25), their reward (Mat 6:5), the penny they agreed for, Mat 20:13. Now, Lord, shall men of this character be supported and countenanced against those who honour thee by preferring thy favour before all the wealth in this world, and taking thee for their portion?" Psa 16:5. (2.) They have abundance of the world. [1.] They have enlarged appetites, and a great deal wherewith to satisfy them: Their bellies thou fillest with thy hidden treasures. The things of this world are called treasures, because they are so accounted; otherwise, to a soul, and in comparison with eternal blessings, they are but trash. They are hidden in the several parts of the creation, and hidden in the sovereign disposals of Providence. They are God's hidden treasures, for the earth is his and the fulness thereof, though the men of the world think it is their own and forget God's property in it. Those that fare deliciously every day have their bellies filled with these hidden treasures; and they will but fill the belly (Co1 6:13); they will not fill the soul; they are not bread for that, nor can they satisfy, Isa 55:2. They are husks, and ashes, and wind; and yet most men, having no care for their souls, but all for their bellies, take up with them. [2.] They have numerous families, and a great deal to leave to them: They are full of children, and yet their pasture is not overstocked; they have enough for them all, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes, to their grand-children; and this is their heaven, it is their bliss, it is their all. "Lord," said David, "deliver me from them; let me not have my portion with them. Deliver me from their designs against me; for, they having so much wealth and power, I am not able to deal with them unless the Lord be on my side."
4.He pleads his own dependence upon God as his portion and happiness. "They have their portion in this life, but as for me (Psa 17:15) I am none of them, I have but little of the world. Nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo - I neither have, nor need, nor care for it. It is the vision and fruition of God that I place my happiness in; that is it I hope for, and comfort myself with the hopes of, and thereby distinguish myself from those who have their portion in this life." Beholding God's face with satisfaction may be considered, (1.) As our duty and comfort in this world. We must in righteousness (clothed with Christ's righteousness, having a good heart and a good life) by faith behold God's face and set him always before us, must entertain ourselves from day to day with the contemplation of the beauty of the Lord; and, when we awake every morning, we must be satisfied with his likeness set before us in his word, and with his likeness stamped upon us by his renewing grace. Our experience of God's favour to us, and our conformity to him, should yield us more satisfaction than those have whose belly is filled with the delights of sense. 2. As our recompence and happiness in the other world. With the prospect of that he concluded the foregoing psalm, and so this. That happiness is prepared and designed only for the righteous that are justified and sanctified. They shall be put in possession of it when they awake, when the soul awakes, at death, out of its slumber in the body, and when the body awakes, at the resurrection, out of its slumber in the grave. That blessedness will consist in three things: - [1.] The immediate vision of God and his glory: I shall behold thy face, not, as in this world, through a glass darkly. The knowledge of God will there be perfected and the enlarged intellect filled with it. [2.] The participation of his likeness. Our holiness will there be perfect. This results from the former (Jo1 3:2): When he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. [3.] A complete and full satisfaction resulting from all this: I shall be satisfied, abundantly satisfied with it. There is no satisfaction for a soul but in God, and in his face and likeness, his good-will towards us and his good work in us; and even that satisfaction will not be perfect till we come to heaven.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Through impure thoughts our adversary like a lion overcomes our mind.
"As a lion ready for prey, have they taken Me" [Psalm 17:12]. They have taken Me, like that adversary who "walks about, seeking whom he may devour." [1 Peter 5:8] "And as a lion's cub dwelling in secret places." And as his cub, the people to whom it was said, "You are of your father the devil:" [John 8:44] meditating on the snares, whereby they might circumvent and destroy the just One.
The demons surround our mind and try to entangle it like a wild beast, … and the richest baits are sinners who themselves have been allured by desires.
Continue studying Psalms 17:12 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Psalms 17:12 vividly portrays the relentless and predatory nature of David's adversaries, employing potent animalistic imagery to underscore their aggressive intent and cunning tactics. The verse depicts his enemies as ravenous lions, driven by an insatiable hunger for destruction, and as young lions stealthily lying in wait in hidden places. This imagery highlights the extreme peril David faced, emphasizing the urgent need for divine intervention and protection against such malicious, overt, and covert threats.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 17 is a fervent prayer of lament and petition, identified as a "Michtam" of David, signifying its deep personal and perhaps instructional significance. Throughout this psalm, David appeals directly to God for justice and deliverance from his wicked enemies, steadfastly asserting his innocence and righteous walk before God in verses Psalms 17:3-5. Verse 12 follows David's detailed description of his enemies' aggressive pursuit in verses Psalms 17:9-11, where they "compass me about" and "have now compassed us in our steps." This verse intensifies the perceived threat by likening them to predatory beasts, setting the stage for David's urgent plea for God to "arise" and "deliver my soul from the wicked" in verses Psalms 17:13-14, culminating in his confident expectation of seeing God's face in righteousness in Psalms 17:15.
Historical & Cultural Context
David's life was indeed marked by numerous formidable adversaries, ranging from King Saul's relentless and jealous pursuit to external threats from nations like the Philistines, and even internal rebellions, such as that led by Absalom. The imagery of lions was not merely a literary flourish; lions were a very real and terrifying menace in ancient Israel, known for preying on livestock and, occasionally, people. This made the comparison deeply resonant and immediately comprehensible to David and his contemporary audience, evoking a visceral sense of danger. Furthermore, in ancient Near Eastern cultures, the lion frequently symbolized power, royalty, and destructive forces. The "secret places" likely refer to the rugged, often cave-filled terrain common in the Judean wilderness, which was frequently utilized for ambushes, grounding the metaphor in the tangible realities of warfare and survival in David's era.
Key Themes
This verse significantly contributes to several profound themes within Psalm 17 and the broader Psalter. The primary theme is Divine Justice and Deliverance, as David's vivid portrayal of his enemies as predatory lions heightens the urgency of his plea for God to act justly on his behalf. This intense imagery underscores the overwhelming nature of the threat, making God's intervention not merely desirable but absolutely essential to counter such formidable evil. Another prominent theme is the Nature of Wickedness, which is depicted not as passive opposition but as an actively consuming, destructive force. The enemies are not simply hostile; they are "greedy of prey," driven by an insatiable desire to harm and destroy, operating with both overt aggression and hidden malice, echoing descriptions of the wicked found in other psalms, such as Psalm 10. Finally, despite the terrifying imagery, the psalm ultimately pivots on Trust in God's Sovereignty. The lion metaphor, while highlighting extreme danger, serves to magnify God's power as the only one capable of subduing such formidable adversaries, a profound confidence echoed throughout David's psalms of deliverance, notably in Psalm 18.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to a lion, often used to denote a powerful and dangerous entity. In this context, it emphasizes the enemies' strength, ferocity, and untamed, destructive nature, portraying them as a wild, unrestrained force of malice.
This word implies an intense, rapacious desire, derived from a root meaning "to pine after" or "to long." Here, it signifies more than mere hunger; it conveys a decisive, focused, and insatiable craving to seize and consume, highlighting the consuming, destructive appetite of David's adversaries for his ruin.
While its primary meaning is "to sit down" or "to dwell," in this specific context, it carries the nuance of "sitting in ambush" or "lying in wait." This emphasizes the premeditation, cunning, and hidden nature of the enemies' malice, suggesting they are not only openly aggressive but also strategically planning their destructive actions from concealed positions.
Verse Breakdown
"Like as a lion [that] is greedy of his prey"
This initial clause establishes the primary simile, directly comparing David's enemies to a lion. The emphasis here is on the lion's insatiable hunger and its singular, rapacious focus on its victim. This conveys the enemies' intense, consuming desire to destroy David, driven by a relentless and devouring malice rather than simple opposition. Their intent is not merely to defeat but to utterly consume and annihilate, much like a predator consumes its kill.
"and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places"
This second clause refines and intensifies the imagery. The "young lion" (Hebrew: kᵉphîyr) often denotes a stronger, more aggressive, and more cunning lion, capable of greater stealth and strategic hunting. "Lurking in secret places" adds the crucial dimension of stealth, premeditation, and ambush. It suggests that David's enemies are not just openly hostile but are also operating covertly, planning their attacks from hidden vantage points, making them even more dangerous, insidious, and difficult to evade.
Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs Simile, explicitly comparing David's enemies to a lion ("Like as a lion... and as it were a young lion"). This comparison is extended through the attributes of the lion: its Greed for prey and its Lurking in secret places. The use of Metaphorical Animal Imagery (the lion) is highly effective, immediately conveying ferocity, power, and danger, tapping into a primal fear. The progression from a general "lion greedy of prey" to a more specific "young lion lurking in secret places" demonstrates a form of Intensification, building on the initial image to portray an even more cunning, insidious, and imminent threat. The vivid imagery also creates a strong sense of Pathos, evoking a profound sense of dread and urgency, thereby underscoring David's desperate need for divine intervention.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 17:12 offers profound insights into the nature of evil and the believer's unwavering need for divine protection. The predatory lion imagery underscores that wickedness is not passive but actively seeks to destroy, operating with both overt aggression and hidden malice. Theologically, this verse highlights God's role as the ultimate Protector and Deliverer, the only one capable of rescuing His people from such formidable and relentless adversaries. It reminds us that spiritual battles are real, and the enemy often operates with cunning and a consuming desire to harm, mirroring the biblical understanding of spiritual warfare. This passage serves as a powerful testament to the reality of evil's destructive intent and the absolute necessity of God's sovereign intervention.
Reflection and Application
For believers today, Psalms 17:12 serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual and sometimes physical adversaries can be relentless, cunning, and intent on causing harm. Just as David faced enemies who sought to destroy him, Christians may encounter opposition that seems overwhelming and devious, whether it manifests as direct attacks, subtle temptations, or systemic injustices. This verse encourages us to cultivate spiritual discernment to recognize the true nature of the opposition we face. It calls us to vigilance, not in fear, but in sober awareness, knowing that our ultimate refuge is in God. Emulating David, we are compelled to turn to God as our ultimate protector and deliverer, trusting in His justice and strength to shield us from dangers, both seen and unseen. Our response to such "predatory" threats should always be fervent prayer, unwavering faith in God's sovereign power to intervene and save, and a commitment to walking in righteousness, knowing that our security rests in His unfailing hand.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does the lion imagery refer only to literal enemies, or does it have a broader spiritual meaning?
While David faced real, physical adversaries, the imagery extends beyond the literal. The "lion" metaphor in scripture often represents destructive forces, including spiritual opposition (1 Peter 5:8), societal injustice, or even God's judgment. Therefore, while rooted in David's historical context, the verse offers a timeless insight into the predatory nature of evil in all its forms, whether human, systemic, or spiritual. It reminds believers that opposition can be both overt and covert, requiring spiritual discernment and divine protection.
How does this verse relate to the New Testament concept of spiritual warfare?
Psalms 17:12 provides a vivid Old Testament precursor to the New Testament concept of spiritual warfare. The "greedy" and "lurking" lion perfectly illustrates the deceptive and destructive tactics of spiritual adversaries. Just as David's enemies sought to "devour" him, the devil, described as a "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" in 1 Peter 5:8, employs similar strategies of stealth, temptation, and outright aggression to undermine faith and destroy lives. The verse underscores the need for believers to be vigilant, aware of the enemy's methods, and to rely on God's power for protection, as Ephesians 6:11 instructs us to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 17:12, with its stark imagery of a predatory lion, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest resonance in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While David faced human adversaries, Jesus confronted the ultimate "roaring lion," Satan, who seeks to devour humanity (1 Peter 5:8). Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus was relentlessly pursued by enemies who were "greedy of their prey," seeking to trap Him in His words (Matthew 22:15) and ultimately to destroy Him (John 11:53). Yet, Jesus, the true Lamb of God who was led to the slaughter, did not succumb to the lurking enemy but triumphed over all the powers of darkness through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:15). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who has conquered, not as a predator against His people, but as the sovereign King who delivers His own from the grasp of every spiritual lion and lurking foe. In Him, believers find perfect refuge and ultimate victory over all the insidious schemes of the enemy, for He has disarmed principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).