The Meaning of Psalms 10:17 Explained

Psalms 10:17

KJV: LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

YLT: The desire of the humble Thou hast heard, O Jehovah. Thou preparest their heart; Thou causest Thine ear to attend,

Darby: Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek, thou hast established their heart: thou causest thine ear to hear,

ASV: Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the meek: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

LORD,  thou hast heard  the desire  of the humble:  thou wilt prepare  their heart,  thou wilt cause thine ear  to hear: 

What does Psalms 10:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 10:1-18 - God Will Not Forget The Lowly
The malice of our foes, and especially of Satan, is powerfully described, Psalms 10:1-11. Now it is the venom beneath the serpent's tongue, Psalms 10:7; now the bandit in ambush, Psalms 10:8; now the lion in his den, and again the hunter snaring his unsuspecting prey, Psalms 10:9. And all the while God is so quiet that it seems as if He has abdicated His throne.
Then the oppressed begin to pray, committing themselves to Him, Psalms 10:12-15. May we not rise above the spirit of the Old Covenant and ask that the venomous evil which is in the heart of our foes may be exterminated, so that it leave no vestiges? And such prayer must be answered. Compare Psalms 9:19 with Psalms 10:16-17. True prayer begins with God and returns to Him. When He prepares the heart, Psalms 9:17, He prepares the answer, which exceeds all, 1 Corinthians 2:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 10

1  David complains of the wicked
12  He prays for remedy
16  He professes his confidence

What do the individual words in Psalms 10:17 mean?

The desire of the humble You have heard Yahweh You will prepare their heart You will cause to hear Your ear
תַּאֲוַ֬ת עֲנָוִ֣ים שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ יְהוָ֑ה תָּכִ֥ין לִ֝בָּ֗ם תַּקְשִׁ֥יב אָזְנֶֽךָ

תַּאֲוַ֬ת  The  desire 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תַּאֲוָה  
Sense: desire.
עֲנָוִ֣ים  of  the  humble 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָנָו 
Sense: poor, humble, afflicted, meek.
שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ  You  have  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
תָּכִ֥ין  You  will  prepare 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
לִ֝בָּ֗ם  their  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
תַּקְשִׁ֥יב  You  will  cause  to  hear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.
אָזְנֶֽךָ  Your  ear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.