Psalm 17:7 Komentář

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. I. He appeals to God concerning his integrity (Psa 17:1-4). II. He prays to God still to be upheld in his integrity and preserved from the malice of his enemies (Psa 17:5-8, Psa 17:13). III. He gives a character of his enemies, using that as a plea with God for his preservation (Psa 17:9-12, Psa 17:14). IV. He comforts himself with the hopes of his future happiness (Psa 17:15). 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.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 17 A Prayer of David. This prayer was put up by David either in his own person, on his own account, praying to God for the vindication of his cause, and for salvation and deliverance from his enemies; or in the person of the Messiah, whose type he was, and of the whole church, so Jerom of old interpreted it; and the title of it in the Arabic version is, "a prayer in the person of a perfect man, and of Christ himself, and of everyone that is redeemed by him;'' in which preservation and protection are prayed for, and hope of eternal life is expressed. It was written, according to Theodoret, when David suffered persecution from Saul.

Show thy marvellous loving kindness,.... Such is the lovingkindness of God to his people in Christ; which is sovereign, free, special, distinguishing, everlasting, and unchangeable; it is better than life, and passes knowledge; and which is set upon men and not angels, some and not all, and these many of them the worst and vilest of men, and all of them by nature children of wrath as others; and which has appeared in choosing them in Christ, putting them into his hand, and making a covenant with him for them; in sending him into the world to suffer and die for them; in regenerating, adopting, justifying, pardoning, and saving them with an everlasting salvation; all which is marvellous in their eyes, and will be the wonder of men and angels to all eternity: this sometimes is hidden from the objects of it, as it might be from the psalmist, and therefore he desires a manifestation of it to him; or else his sense is, that God would show to others in what a marvellous manner he loved him, by the help, deliverance, and salvation he would give him. Such a petition will agree with Christ; see Psa 40:10. Some render the words (b), "separate thy lovingkindness", or cause it to pass "from them that rise up on" or "against thy right hand"; but these were never the objects of it; and there is no separation of them from it, nor of that from them who are interested in it, Rom 8:38; much better may it be rendered, "separate" or "distinguish thy lovingkindness" (c); that is, let it appear that I have special interest in thy lovingkindness, distinct from others; distinguish me by thy lovingkindness, remember me with that which thou bearest to a peculiar people, Psa 106:4; O thou that savest by thy right hand; either by his power, or by the man of his right hand, his own son; them which put their trust in thee; not in men, not in an arm of flesh, not in themselves, in their own power, wisdom, riches, and righteousness; but in the Lord their God, who is the Saviour of all men, but especially of them that believe, Ti1 4:10; for these he saves both in a temporal and in a spiritual manner; from those that rise up against them; from all their spiritual enemies, sin and Satan; and from all outward ones, from the men of the world, oppressors and violent persecutors, who are afterwards described: the phrase, "by thy right hand", is by some, as Aben Ezra, connected with the word trust, and rendered, "them which trust in thy right hand" (d); either in the grace, mercy, and favour of God, dispensed by his right hand; or in his strength, and the mighty power of his arm; and by others it is joined to the last clause, and so it stands in the original text, and rendered, "from those that rise up against thy right hand" (e); and so the words describe such persons who in a bold and presumptuous manner set themselves against God, and strengthen themselves against the Almighty; who resist his counsel and will, oppose themselves to the Lord and his Anointed, the man of his right hand, made strong for himself; and to his saints, who are as dear to him as his right hand, and who are preserved by him in the hollow of his hand. (b) Kimchi & Ben Melech. (c) "separa", Junius & Tremellius; "segrega", Montanus; so some in Vatablus; see Ainsworth. (d) "eos qui fidunt in dextera tua", so some in Vatablus, Castalio, Ainsworth; "recipentes se ad dexteram suam", Junius & Tremellius. (e) "ob insurgentes in dexteram tuam", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; so Michaelis, Gejerus, Musculus.

It becomes Christians to pray for peace and quiet but not to abandon steadfast faith and truth even at the peril of death. For the Lord is our Leader, “who will save them that put their hope in him.”

"Make Your mercies marvellous" [Psalm 17:7]. Let not Your mercies be disesteemed, lest they be loved too little. "Who savest them that hope in You from such as resist Your right hand:" from such as resist the favour, whereby You favour Me.

"Make wonderful." Here the petition is set forth, and it is twofold. The first concerns his own deliverance. The second concerns the overthrow of enemies: "Arise, O Lord, forestall him." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he asks for deliverance. Second, he adds the necessity for deliverance, at "My enemies." Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he asks for mercy. Second, for salvation, at "You who save." Third, the manner of deliverance, at "Guard me as the pupil of the eye." He says, therefore, "Make wonderful." That someone should be delivered from a small enemy is not marvelous; but when someone is delivered from the greatest evil or enemy, this is marvelous; and this is what he asks: "Make wonderful," that is, deliver me wondrously. And this not according to human judgment, but according to your mercy. Sir. 36: "Renew signs and work new wonders; glorify your hand and your right arm; stir up fury and pour out wrath; lift up the adversary and afflict the enemy." And the reason for this is that it is yours and proper to you: "You who save those who hope in you." Sir. 2: "No one has hoped in the Lord and been confounded." "And you save from those who resist your right hand." The right hand of God, or his power, operates spiritually in good things: Prov. 3: "Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory." The demons or sinners are said to resist the right hand of God, because they impede spiritual goods. Or the right hand of God is said to be Christ: Ps. 117: "The right hand of God has wrought power." The Jews resist this by contradicting his teaching: Jn. 7: "How does this man know letters, having never learned?" And by disparaging his works: Jn. 9: "This man is not from God, who does not keep the Sabbath." Lk. 11: "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he casts out demons." But there is a question against the Psalm (Ps. 75): "You are terrible, and who will resist you?" No one, therefore, can contradict his will: Job 9: "God, whose anger no one can resist." And it must be said that no one can effectively resist him, but one can have the will or purpose of resisting.

This Psalm is termed a prayer because the language of petition is predominant. With a just cause, sincerely presented, the writer prays for a just decision and help and protection. Pleading former mercies as a ground of hope, he urges his prayer in view of the malice, pride, rapacity, and selfishness of his foes, whose character is contrasted with his pious devotion and delight in God's favor. (Psa 17:1-15) sentence--acquitting judgment. from thy presence--Thy tribunal. things that are equal--just and right, do Thou regard.

Show--set apart as special and eminent (Exo 8:18; Psa 4:3). thy right hand--for Thy power.