1 A prayer of David. Hear what is right, LORD; attend to my ringing cry; give ear to my prayer from lips without deceit.
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 We speak fully and clearly when we use words taken from divine Scripture.… The righteous person alone cleanses his tongue, lips and the voice itself from using more common words, as one acquainted with that verse: "You will give an account of every careless word on the day of judgment." The ears of God do not hear words offered from lying lips, but they receive any word offered…
Cassiodorus · AD 585 Although some psalms contain prayers combined sporadically with other diverse material, this psalm is almost entirely a supplication in its composition. Therefore it is appropriately designated as such from the start, since its purpose is entirely focused on zeal for prayer.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Above, the Psalmist described divine justice and showed that he observed it; here he sets forth a prayer in which he asks to be heard on account of his justice. The title is "A prayer of David." And it is the first Psalm that is titled from prayer, because it is entirely a prayer; and therefore it begins with prayer, because among tribulations the singular refuge is prayer.
Hear My Righteous Plea 2 From before you let my judgment come out; let your eyes behold what is upright.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Let My judgment from Your countenance go forth." From the enlightening of the knowledge of You, let Me judge truth. Or at least, let My judgment go forth, not in deceitful lips, from Your countenance, that is, that I may not in judging utter anything else than I understand in You. "Let My eyes see equity:" the eyes, of course, of the heart.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "From your countenance." A judge does not pronounce a sentence unless the petition has been heard and the case examined. And therefore here he sets forth the petition and asks three things. First, the sentence. Second, the examination of the case, at "You have tested." Third, the quality of the sentence: "perfect." Concerning the first, he does two things.
3 You have tested my heart; you have visited by night; you have refined me — you will find nothing. I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 Who can with confidence say, "I am pure from sins"? Christ alone is truly and properly able to say these words.… When gold is tested by fire, it remains pure and shining. According to Isaiah, out of all people since the beginning of the age, Christ alone "did not sin, nor was there any deceit found in his mouth."
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "You have proved and visited Mine heart in the night-season" [Psalm 17:3]. For this Mine heart has been proved by the visitation of tribulation.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 That his cause has been examined before God, he shows when he says, "You have tested," etc. And first he sets forth the order of the examination.
4 As for the deeds of man, by the word of your lips I myself have kept from the paths of the violent.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "That My mouth may not speak the works of men" [Psalm 17:4]. That nothing may proceed out of My mouth, but what relates to Your glory and praise; not to the works of men, which they do beside Your will. "Because of the words of Your lips." Because of the words of Your peace, or of Your prophets.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 When sins are avoided, the path is hard, and the ascent is always difficult. But when we slip toward vices, the road is easy and downhill. But the Lord Christ appeared before us in this world and demonstrated the laws of meekness and self-control. So he rightly says that through the commands of the Lord he walked the hard ways of people with undefiled feet.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he explains by what fire he was examined, when he says, "On account of the words of your lips, I kept to hard ways." Hard ways are adversities; and I endured this on account of the words of your lips, that is, in order to keep your words, or to proclaim your words. Jer.
5 My steps have held to your tracks; my feet have not slipped.
Evagrius Ponticus · AD 399 Even if now [the way] is full of pain and without joy, later it will bear the fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained in it.
John Cassian · AD 435 Never by our sole diligence or zeal or by our most tireless efforts can we reach perfection. Human zeal is not enough to win the sublime rewards of blessedness. The Lord must be there to help us and to guide our hearts toward what is good.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Next he determines what he asks: "Perfect my steps in your paths," namely of justice. Job 4: "Where is your strength, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?" And this, so that my footsteps, that is, my affections, may not be moved from your commandments.
6 I myself have called on you, for you will answer me, God. Stretch out your ear to me; hear my saying.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "I have cried out, for You have heard Me, O God" [Psalm 17:6]. With a free and strong effort have I directed My prayers unto You: for that I might have this power, You have heard Me when praying more weakly. "Incline Your ear to Me, and hear My words." Let not Your hearing forsake My humiliation.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 Human weakness is not strong enough to reach the Father on its own. For when he hears, he graciously shows his indulgence, and he bestows his mercy in advance so that he is able to accept the prayers of those who implore him.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "I." Above, the Psalmist asked to be established in good; here he asks to be delivered from evil. And concerning this he does three things. First, he asks to be heard in his petition. Second, he sets it forth, at "Make your mercies wonderful." Third, he manifests the hearing of his petition, at "But I." Concerning the first, he does two things.
7 Make your acts of loyal love marvelous, savior of those who take refuge from those who rise up, by your right hand.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 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."
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "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.
8 Keep me as the pupil, the daughter of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 The written words say that God has wings.… But we will not on that account say that God's spiritual and indestructible essence is winged.… What, then, are we to understand by the wings? The help, security, shelter, defense and unconquerable aid that God gives us.
Leo the Great · AD 461 This should be the careful consideration of wise people, that since the days of this life are short and the time uncertain, death should never be unexpected for those who are to die. Those who know that they are mortal should not come to an unprepared end.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Next he sets forth the manner of deliverance, which is diligently and safely; therefore he says, "Guard me as the pupil of the eye." The pupil of the eye is guarded with diligence, because nothing that could harm it is permitted to approach; so also God does in guarding his servant: Deut. 32: "He led him about and taught him and guarded him as the pupil of his eye." Zech.
9 from the presence of the wicked who have devastated me, my enemies who encircle me against my life.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Keep Me, O Lord, as the apple of Thine eye": which seems very little and minute: yet by it is the sight of the eye directed, whereby the light is distinguished from the darkness; as by Christ's humanity, the divinity of the Judgment distinguishing between the righteous and sinners. "In the covering of Thy wings protect Me." In the defence of Thy love and mercy protect Me.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "My enemies." Here he sets forth the necessity for deliverance. And concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth the affliction he suffers. Second, the likeness of the affliction, at "They received me." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he sets forth the affliction. Second, the manner of the affliction, at "Their fatness," etc.
10 Their fat they have closed up; with their mouth they have spoken in pride.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Mine enemies have compassed about My soul;" "they have shut up their own fat" [Psalm 17:10]. They have been covered with their own gross joy, after that their desire has been satiated with wickedness. "Their mouth has spoken pride." And therefore their mouth spoke pride, in saying, "Hail, King of the Jews," [Matthew 27:29] and other like words.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Next he sets forth the manner; hence he says, "Their fatness." Fatness in Scripture is sometimes taken in a good sense, sometimes in a bad sense. In a good sense, insofar as it signifies devotion of mind: Ps. 62: "Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness." In a bad sense: first, insofar as it signifies wickedness of heart; second, of mouth; third, of deed.
11 Our steps — now they have surrounded us; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Casting Me forth they have now compassed Me about" [Psalm 17:11]. Casting Me forth outside the city, they have now compassed Me about on the Cross.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, regarding deed. First, he shows how one proceeds to deed. Second, the cause of this, at "They have set their eyes." In the action he sets forth two things. First, the contempt. Second, the eagerness to do harm; and yet when someone despises, he is not eager to harm. And therefore he says, "casting me out," that is, despising me. Is.
12 His likeness is like a lion eager to tear, and like a young lion sitting in hiding places.
Evagrius Ponticus · AD 399 Through impure thoughts our adversary like a lion overcomes our mind.
Hesychius of Jerusalem · AD 450 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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The likeness is purposefully set forth with respect to violence: "Like a lion ready for prey, they received me" -- either from God, or the soldiers from Pilate. With respect to deceit: "like a young lion dwelling in hiding places." The lion attacks in the open field, but its cub, lurking in secret, devours or attacks the seized prey. Mt.
13 Rise, LORD! Confront his face; bring him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 That sword will be the "word of God living and more active than any double edged sword," here in the place of a straight sword, which is entrusted to my spirit for driving out the enemies.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Arise, O Lord, prevent them, and cast them down" [Psalm 17:13]. Arise, O Lord, Thou whom they suppose to be asleep, and regardless of men's iniquities; be they blinded before by their own malice, that vengeance may prevent their deed; and so cast them down.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "Arise." Here he sets forth the other petition, that is, the overthrow of the enemies. And he sets forth three things. First, the petition. Second, the explanation, at "Rescue my soul." Third, the reason for the petition, at "From your hidden ones." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he addresses the concealment of help.
14 from men by your hand, LORD, from men of this world whose portion is in this life. You fill their belly with your treasure; the sons are satisfied, and they leave their surplus to their little ones.
Diodorus of Tarsus · AD 390 Since I do not know how to ask for manifest punishment of them, whereas you are aware, having as you do hidden treasuries of wisdom, inflict on them the punishments you best know.
Hesychius of Jerusalem · AD 450 Here the psalmist is not criticizing the children's food, as some would think (for those things that enter the mouth do not make a person unclean), but he regards those to whom God has given many offspring unwise when they leave behind them not excellence but their evils as an inheritance.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He says, "Your sword, from the enemies of your hand" -- supply "rescue": Ps. 68: "Attend to my soul and deliver it." Or "rescue your sword from the enemies," that is, take away the blade and the power that they have from you: Wis. 6: "Power has been given to you by God." And the will that they have of themselves: Zech.
15 But I — in righteousness I will behold your face; I will be satisfied, when I awake, with your form.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Holy and divine words, brothers, are recited to us continually, indeed daily, for our benefit, so that our souls may be nourished: and in the future age may be filled with eternal feasts; as the prophet says: I shall be satisfied when Your glory is revealed.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 If long and healthful life: there is sound eternity and eternal soundness, because the just shall live forever, and: The salvation of the just is from the Lord. If fullness: they shall be satisfied, when the glory of God shall appear. If inebriation: they shall be inebriated with the plenty of the house of God.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "But I." Here he shows the hope of being heard. And he sets forth two things: namely, the justice that he has and the vision of God. And these follow from each other, because through justice one arrives at the vision of God: Ps. 14: "Who will dwell in your tabernacle?" etc.