The Meaning of Psalms 7:17 Explained

Psalms 7:17

KJV: I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

YLT: I thank Jehovah, According to His righteousness, And praise the name of Jehovah Most High!

Darby: I will praise Jehovah according to his righteousness, and will sing forth the name of Jehovah the Most High.

ASV: I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of Jehovah Most High.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I will praise  the LORD  according to his righteousness:  and will sing praise  to the name  of the LORD  most high. 

What does Psalms 7:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

David closed his psalm with a vow to thank and praise God for His righteousness.
"The attribute of God"s righteousness is what he does or will do on behalf of his own." [1]
Even though God had not yet vindicated him, David"s reflection on the character and activities of the Lord encouraged this psalmist to believe that He would do so at the proper time. He described God as the "Most High," a title used three times in this psalm in the NIV ( Psalm 7:8; Psalm 7:10; Psalm 7:17) that pictures Him as sovereign, exalted on His heavenly throne (cf. Genesis 14:18-24).
Reflection on God"s character and ways of working can encourage God"s people to trust in Him and praise Him when we experience injustice and hostility from the wicked.

Context Summary

Psalms 7:1-17 - Refuge In God From Evil Men
This psalm should be compared with 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Samuel 25:1-44; 1 Samuel 26:1-25. Cush, or "dark-complexioned," may refer to a Benjamite who was David's calumniator with Saul. If David needed deliverance from his foes, how much more do we from Satan! 1 Peter 5:8-9.
So far from being guilty of the offense charged against him, David on two occasions had spared Saul's life, 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Samuel 26:1-25. Mine honor, Psalms 7:5, is probably another word for "soul," Genesis 49:6. It seems as if, Psalms 7:6-9, God has abdicated His throne, and the suppliant is pleading with him to resume it, with no fear as to the verdict. Evil recoils, like the boomerang, on those who set it in motion. Ralph the Rover perished on the Inchcape Rock, whose warning bell he had destroyed. The hunter falls into the pit prepared in the forest track for his prey, Judges 1:7. What a noble prayer in Psalms 7:9! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 7

1  David prays against the malice of his enemies, professing his innocence
10  By faith he sees his defense, and the destruction of his enemies

What do the individual words in Psalms 7:17 mean?

I will praise Yahweh according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה כְּצִדְק֑וֹ וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה שֵֽׁם־ יְהוָ֥ה עֶלְיֽוֹן

אוֹדֶ֣ה  I  will  praise 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כְּצִדְק֑וֹ  according  to  His  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה  and  will  sing  praise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: זָמַר  
Sense: to sing, sing praise, make music.
שֵֽׁם־  to  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֥ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֶלְיֽוֹן  Most  High 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֶלְיׄון 
Sense: high, upper.