Псалом 17

This psalm is given in 2 Samuel 22 with great changes. The inscription of the psalm coincides with the indication of the historical book at the time of its origin - at the end of Saul’s persecution and after David’s numerous victories over neighboring pagan peoples, which strengthened the peace in his state from attacks by external enemies. David's calling himself a servant of Jehovah corresponds to the place in the psalm where he testifies to his complete innocence before God and always following His commandments (v. Ps. 17:21-25). I will love the Lord, who saved me from dangers that threatened death (1–6). In response to my call for help, the Lord appeared in terrible majesty, when all nature helped Him to crush my enemies (7-16). He called me free because I never departed from His commandments and was blameless before Him (17-25). The Lord treats everyone as he deserves (26–28). The Lord protected me throughout my life, and was an indestructible weapon for me, defeating both my internal enemies and external ones, whom I turned to the rear and whose cities I destroyed (29–46). As the Lord lives, exalted be my Helper and Savior, whom I will glorify not only throughout my life, but also in posterity (47–51). Ps.17:3. The Lord is my rock and my refuge, my Deliverer, my God is my rock; in Him I trust; my shield, the horn of my salvation and my refuge. “The Lord is ... the horn of my salvation.” The comparison is taken from animals in which their horns serve as a means of protection and through them the strength of the animal is manifested. Like horns for an animal, so God was an instrument that protected David from his enemies. Ps.17:5. The torments of death seized me, and the streams of iniquity frightened me; “The pangs of death have seized me” - dangers that threatened death surrounded me on all sides. - “Streams of Lawlessness”, from Hebrew. "Valiale streams". This name means a bad person, i.e. I was surrounded by people, whole streams of wicked and evil people. Ps.17:7. In my distress I called on the Lord and cried out to my God. And He heard my voice from His [holy] palace, and my cry came to His ears. “In cramped conditions” - in difficult circumstances. From 8 tbsp. David describes very graphically the help God provided him, when all nature obeyed His command and went to the defense of the persecuted righteous man. Perhaps the manifestations of Divine power indicated here are only images with which David wanted to designate His dominion over the whole world and people, or perhaps he meant here the fact of God’s actual help to him, manifested in the actions of forces and natural phenomena. In the fight against which enemies and when such assistance was provided to David, there are no indications in the historical books. Ps.17:8. The earth shook and shook, the foundations of the mountains trembled and moved, for [God] was angry; Image of a severe thunderstorm. - “The foundations of the mountains” - from the thunderclap the earth shook in its deep depths, to which, according to the views of the ancients, the roots and foundations of the mountains reached. Ps.17:9. smoke arose from His wrath, and from His mouth a consuming fire; hot coals fell from Him. “Smoke from His wrath”, “consuming fire” and “hot coals” are images of clouds and lightning. Ps.17:10. He bowed the heavens and descended, and darkness was under His feet. The usual image of the appearance of God to Old Testament man is in clouds and clouds, therefore “the inclination of the heavens... and darkness under the feet of God” is the appearance of a cloud. Ps.17:11. And he mounted the Cherubim and flew and was carried on the wings of the wind. Cherubim are heavenly disembodied spirits, the closest and fastest executors of His will, which is why they were usually depicted with 6 wings. Here the expression “seated on the cherubim” is explained by the following - “rushed on the wings of the wind,” i.e. the cloud was approaching with extraordinary speed. Ps.17:12. And he made darkness His cover, the darkness of waters and clouds of air surrounding Him. This cloud was the dwelling place of God, just as a tent is the dwelling place of man, see v. 10. Ps.17:14. The Lord thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave His voice, hail and coals of fire. The blows and rolls of thunder are the menacing voice of God. Ps.17:16. And springs of water appeared, and the foundations of the universe were revealed at Thy terrible voice, O Lord, at the breath of the spirit of Thy wrath. “The foundations of the universe were revealed” - the bottom of the seas was exposed. With this expression, a hyperbole, David wanted to indicate the strength of the rain streams, the abundance of water: there was so much of it that it was as if water poured out of all the seas and flooded the earth. Ps.17:17. He stretched out his hand from on high and took me, and brought me out of many waters; "He brought me out of many waters." – Water here, as often in the Bible, means numerous disasters: God freed me from them. Ps.17:20. He brought me out to a large place and delivered me, for He delights in me. “He brought me to a spacious place” - freed me from cramped conditions, disasters, gave me freedom. Ps.17:21. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, He rewarded me according to the purity of my hands, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness” - according to my inner purity, purity of thoughts and motives, “according to the purity of my hands” - according to the purity of my actions. Ps.17:22. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not been wicked before my God; “Kept the ways of the Lord” - did not deviate from the command assigned by God to man. Ps.17:26. To the merciful you act mercifully, to a sincere man you act sincerely, Ps.17:27. with the pure it is pure, but with the evil one according to his wickedness, The Lord treats everyone according to what he deserves: He rewards the pure and righteous, but He punishes the evil one. Ps.17:33. God girds me with strength and arranges for me the right path; “Girdle” - prepare for classes, for business. The Lord girded David with strength - gave him the means to defeat his enemies. “Arrange... the right path” - indicate a reliable path, error-free means to achieve the goal. Ps.17:34. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and sets me on my high places; “He places me on my heights” - the height and power that I have reached now is a matter of Divine help. Ps.17:37. You widen my step under me, and my feet do not falter. “You widen my step” - you spread your legs, let me stand firmly. Ps.17:44. You delivered me from the rebellion of the people, you made me the head of the foreigners; a people whom I did not know serves me; “He delivered... from the rebellion of the people” - an indication of the internal strife that took place in the kingdom of Israel during the reign of David. Ps.17:50. Therefore I will praise You, O Lord, among the foreigners and I will sing to Your name, “To glorify You, Lord, among all foreigners,” or rather, before all foreigners. Each victory of David ended with a solemn thanksgiving to God, in which David, in front of all people, both from his own people and from the pagan captives, did not hide the name of Jehovah, but openly praised Him as the only true God. In these words Ap. Paul sees an indication of preaching the teachings of Christ among the pagans (see Rom. 15:9). Ps.17:51. majestically saving the king and showing mercy to Your anointed David and his descendants forever. “Descendency... forever” is the one that was revealed to David through the prophet Nathan (see 2 Sam. 7:12–16). You might be interested in: