Psalms 17:12-15

Context

17:12 He¹ is like a lion² that wants to tear its prey to bits,³

like a young lion crouching⁴ in hidden places.

17:13 Rise up, Lord!

Confront him!⁵ Knock him down!⁶

Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man!⁷

17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers,⁸

from the murderers of this world!⁹

They enjoy prosperity;¹⁰

you overwhelm them with the riches they desire.¹¹

They have many children,

and leave their wealth to their offspring.¹²

17:15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face;¹³

when I awake you will reveal yourself to me.¹⁴

[17:12] ¹tn Here the psalmist switches to the singular pronoun; he views his enemies collectively, or singles out a representative of the group, perhaps its leader.

[17:12] ²tn Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”

[17:12] ³tn Heb “[that] longs to tear.”

[17:12] ⁴tn Heb “sitting.”

[17:13] ⁵tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”

[17:13] ⁶tn Or “bring him to his knees.”

[17:13] ⁷tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”

[17:14] ⁸tc Heb “from men [by] your hand, Lord.” The translation assumes an emendation (both here and in the following line) of מִמְתִים (mimtim, “from men”) to מִמְמִתִים (mimmitim, “from those who kill”). For other uses of the plural form of the Hiphil participle of מוּת (mut, “die”), see 2 Kgs 17:26 (used with lions as subject), Job 33:22 (apparently referring to the agents of death), and Jer 26:15 (used of those seeking Jeremiah’s life).

[17:14] ⁹tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”

[17:14] ¹⁰tn Heb “their portion, in life.”

[17:14] ¹¹tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”

[17:14] ¹²tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”

[17:15] ¹³tn Heb “I, in innocence, I will see your face.” To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 11:7; see also Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזַה (khazah), is used]). Here, however, the psalmist may be anticipating a mystical experience. See the following note on the word “me.”

[17:15] ¹⁴tn Heb “I will be satisfied, when I awake, [with] your form.” The noun תְּמוּנָה (tÿmunah) normally carries the nuance “likeness” or “form.” In Job 4:16 it refers to a ghostlike spiritual entity (see v. 15) that revealed itself to Eliphaz during the night. The psalmist may anticipate a mystical encounter with God in which he expects to see a manifestation of God’s presence (i.e., a theophany), perhaps in conjunction with an oracle of deliverance. During the quiet darkness of the night, God examines the psalmist’s inner motives and finds them to be pure (see v. 3). The psalmist is confident that when he awakens, perhaps sometime during the night or in the morning, he will be visited by God and assured of vindication.