The Meaning of Psalms 17:1 Explained

Psalms 17:1

KJV: {A Prayer of David.} Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

YLT: A Prayer of David. Hear, O Jehovah, righteousness, attend my cry, Give ear to my prayer, without lips of deceit.

Darby: {A Prayer of David.} Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, which is not out of feigned lips.

ASV: Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Prayer  of David.  }} Hear  the right,  O LORD,  attend  unto my cry,  give ear  unto my prayer,  [that goeth] not  out of feigned  lips. 

What does Psalms 17:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 17:1-15 - God's True Servants Safely Kept
This also dates from the Sauline persecutions. In the earlier verses David protests his innocence, pleads for deliverance from his foes, and ends with glad anticipation of the vision of God. The psalm may have been composed for use at eventide; two at least of its verses point in that direction, Psalms 17:3; Psalms 15:1-5.
What a comfort it is to appeal from the accusations of men to the judgment-bar of God! Yet our sufferings at their hands are God's smelting-furnace. The Hebrew word translated tried is "melted," Psalms 17:3. But we cannot be kept without constant use of God's Word, Psalms 17:4. And then how safe we are! The apple of the eye-that is, the pupil-is defended by eye lash, lid, brow, bony socket, and uplifted arm. Thy wings, see Deuteronomy 32:11.
Note the contrast between Psalms 17:14 and Psalms 16:5; Psalms 16:11. The worldly are filled with this world-I with thee. They look for the things of this life-I for the unseen and eternal. They are satisfied with children-I with thy likeness. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 17

1  David, in confidence of his integrity, craves defense of God against his enemies
10  He shows their pride, craft, and eagerness
13  He prays against them in confidence of his hope

What do the individual words in Psalms 17:1 mean?

A Prayer of David Hear Yahweh a just cause Attend to my cry Give ear to my prayer from [which is] not lips deceitful
תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שִׁמְעָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ צֶ֗דֶק הַקְשִׁ֥יבָה רִנָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה תְפִלָּתִ֑י בְּ֝לֹ֗א שִׂפְתֵ֥י מִרְמָֽה

תְּפִלָּ֗ה  A  Prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
שִׁמְעָ֤ה  Hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יְהוָ֨ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צֶ֗דֶק  a  just  cause 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
הַקְשִׁ֥יבָה  Attend 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.
רִנָּתִ֗י  to  my  cry 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רִנָּה  
Sense: ringing cry.
הַאֲזִ֥ינָה  Give  ear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אָזַן  
Sense: to hear, listen.
תְפִלָּתִ֑י  to  my  prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
בְּ֝לֹ֗א  from  [which  is]  not 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שִׂפְתֵ֥י  lips 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
מִרְמָֽה  deceitful 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִרְמָה  
Sense: deceit, treachery.