Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 17:11
They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
11. It has come to this that they beset the Psalmist and his adherents at every step. See 1Sa 23:26.
They have set &c.] R.V., They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth. They watch intently for an opportunity of overthrowing us. Cp. Psa 37:32; Psa 37:14; Psa 10:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They have now compassed us – Myself, and those who are associated with me. It would seem from this that the psalmist was not alone. It is to be observed, however, that there is a difference of reading in the Hebrew text. The Masoretic reading is: us; the Hebrew text is me, though in the other expression the plural is used – our steps. There is no impropriety in supposing that the psalmist refers to his followers, associates, or friends, meaning that the wrong was done not to him alone, but to others connected with him. The meaning of compassed is, that they surrounded him on every side. Wherever he went, they were there.
In our steps – Wherever we go.
They have set their eyes – As those do who are intent on any thing; as the lion does that is seeking its prey Psa 17:12. They looked keenly and directly at the object. They did not allow their eyes to wander. They were not indifferent to the object of their pursuit.
Bowing down to the earth – That is, as the translators evidently understood this, having their eyes bowed down to the ground, or looking steadily to the ground. The image, according to Dr. Horsley, is borrowed from a hunter taking aim at an animal upon the ground. A more literal translation, however, would be, They have fixed their eyes to lay me prostrate upon the ground. The Hebrew word – natah – means properly to stretch out, to extend; then, to incline, to bow, to depress; and hence, the idea of prostrating; thus, to make the shoulder bend downward, Gen 49:15; to bring down the mind to an object, Psa 119:112; to bow the heavens, Psa 18:9. Hence, the idea of prostrating an enemy; and the sense here clearly is, that they had fixed their eyes intently on the psalmist, with a purpose to prostrate him to the ground, or completely to overwhelm him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. They have now compassed us in our steps] Instead of ashshurenu, “our steps,” Dr. Kennicott and others recommend ashreynu, “O lucky we, at last we have compassed him.” He cannot now escape; he is sure to fall into our hands.
They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth] All the commentators and critics have missed the very expressive and elegant metaphor contained in this clause. Kennicott says, They drove the hart into toils, and then shot him. Bishop Horsley says, on the clause, They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth: “This is the attitude of huntsmen, taking aim at an animal upon the ground.” No, it is the attitude of the huntsmen looking for the slot, or track of the hart’s, hind’s, or antelope’s foot on the ground. See at the conclusion of the Psalm. See Clarke on Ps 17:15.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In our steps, i. e. in all our ways. We go from place to place, to rocks, and caves, and woods; but wheresoever we go they are at hand, and ready to surround us; of which see an example, 1Sa 23:26.
They have set their eyes, to wit, upon or against us, i.e. they have discovered us, and keep their eyes fixed upon us, that we may not escape, or as designing to shoot at us.
Bowing down to the earth, i. e. couching and casting themselves down upon the earth, that they may not be discovered, and so may watch the fittest opportunity to surprise us; which sense is favoured by the next verse, and by comparing Psa 10:10. Otherwise, to cast us down to the earth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. They pursue us as beaststracking their prey.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They have now compassed us in our steps,…. The sense is, they could not stir a step but they were at their heels, surrounding them on every side. This was true of David, when he was pursued by Saul, and followed by him to Keilah and the wilderness of Maon,
1Sa 23:8; according to the “Cetib”, or textual writing, it should be rendered, “they have compassed me”; but, according to the “Keri”, or marginal reading, and the points, it is as we have translated it, and which is followed by the Targum, and both are right, and design David as a principal person, and those that were with him, who were encompassed by Saul and his men. This also was verified in Christ, when Judas followed him into the garden with a band of men to betray him, and when he was enclosed by wicked men as he went to the cross, and hung upon it, Joh 18:2; and may likewise be accommodated to the case of all the saints, who are troubled on every side, are beset with the corruptions of their hearts, the temptations of Satan, and the reproaches and persecutions of the men of the world, 2Co 4:8;
they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; which posture either denotes fraudulence and hypocrisy, showing, by looking only upon the ground, as if they were harmless and inoffensive, and had no ill designs, and took no notice of anything; which, as it was true of David’s enemies, so of the Jews and of Judas with respect to Christ, and of false teachers with respect to the church, Lu 20:20 Mt 7:15; or else inhumanity and contempt, not caring to turn their eyes to look upon them in distress, but kept their eyes fixed upon the earth, so Christ was treated by the Jews, Isa 53:3; or rather their being intent upon mischief, their diligence and watchfulness to observe all motions, and take every opportunity “to strike”, or “cast me down to the earth”, as the Arabic and Syriac versions render it; or the sense is, as Kimchi gives it, their eyes are upon our ways, to spread nets for us in the earth to take us.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. They have now compassed me round about in our steps. The Psalmist confirms what he has said before concerning the furious passion for doing mischief with which his enemies were inflamed. He says they were so cruelly bent on accomplishing his destruction, that in whatever way he directed or altered his course, they ceased not to follow close upon him. When he says our steps, he doubtless comprehends his own companions, although he immediately after returns to speak of himself alone; unless, perhaps, another reading is preferred, for some copies have סבבונו, sebabunu, They have compassed us, in the plural number. This, however, is not a matter of great importance. David simply complains, that unless God stretch forth his hand from heaven to deliver him, there now remains for him no way of escape, seeing his enemies, whenever he stirs his foot to avoid their fury, immediately pursue him, and watch all his steps. By the adverb now, he intimates not only that he is at present in very great danger, but also that at every moment his enemies, in whatever way he turns himself, pursue and press hard upon him. In the last clause, They have fixed their eyes to cast down to the ground, some consider David as comparing his enemies to hunters, who, with eyes fixed on the ground, are silently looking with eager desire for their prey. They, therefore, think that by the eyes fixed on the ground is denoted the gesture or attitude of David’s adversaries, and certainly crafty and malicious men have their countenance often fixed on the ground. According to others, whose opinion is nearer the spirit of the passage, this form of expression signifies the continual and unwearied ardor by which the ungodly are impelled to turn all things upside down. To fix their eyes, therefore, is nothing else than to apply all their ingenuity, and put forth all their efforts. What follows, to cast down to the ground, is the same thing as to overthrow. The ungodly, as if they must necessarily fall, should the world continue to stand, would wish all mankind thrown down or destroyed, and, therefore, they exert themselves to the utmost to bring down and ruin all men. This is explained more fully by the figurative illustration introduced in the following verse, where they are said to be like lions and lions’ whelps (367) But we ought always to keep this truth in remembrance, that the more proudly wicked men exercise their cruelty against us, the hand of God is so much the nearer to us to oppose itself to their savage fury; for to him alone belongs the praise of subduing and restraining these wild beasts who delight in shedding blood. David speaks of dens, or secret lurking places, because his enemies were deeply skilled in artful stratagem, and had various methods of doing mischief, while they had also at hand the power and means of executing them, so that it was difficult to resist them.
(367) In the French version it is lionceaux, young lions. French and Skinner read “like a lion,” and “like a young lion;’ and observe, “The word translated ‘young lion’ signifies a lion in the rigour of youth, and fully capable of pursuing his prey.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) They have now . . .Evidently the meaning is, Wherever we go they surround us like curs, i.e., they dog our footsteps. But the text is confused.
They have set.Literally, they fix their eyes to cast on the earth, which may mean, they fix their eyes on me, ready to strike me to the ground. Ewald, they direct their eyes through the land to strike. But Mr. Burgess suggests a translation at once simple and convincing. He brings the first word back from the next verse, and points it our blood, instead of the awkward his likeness. He thus gets, They have set their eyes to shed our blood on the earth. For the Hebrew verb in similar sense, comp. Isa. 66:12.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. They have now compassed us in our steps They have completely surrounded us, so as to cut off all retreat. “The ‘now’ points to this that the greatest danger had arrived, and, consequently, also the time for God to help.” Hengstenberg. Some think this points to Maon: 1Sa 23:25-26.
They have set their eyes The allusion is to a beast of prey, who fixes his eyes on his victim preparatory to springing upon him.
Bowing down to the earth Either for their own concealment, as a lion watching his prey, or, taking the verb transitively, in the sense of depressing, prostrating, read: “They have fixed their eyes [upon us] to prostrate [us] to the earth. See Psa 10:10. This agrees with the next verse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 17:11. They have now compassed us in our steps Mudge renders this and the preceding verse differently: Psa 17:10. They draw close their cords; with their mouth they speak exultingly: “We have succeeded now.” Psa 17:11. They come about me, they set their eyes stooping down upon the earth. The image here is taken from hunters, and the circumstances follow very properly. They compassed him about, they enclosed him in their net; “We have succeeded at last,” they said; they came round him; they stooped down and looked earnestly at him; their eyes fixed, like a lion which is just leaping at his prey. See Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 17:11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
Ver. 11. They have now compassed us in our steps ] i.e. Me and my company; so that we cannot stir any whither but we are in danger of them. “In all thy ways acknowledge God, and he shall direct thy paths,” Pro 3:6 . “Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him,” &c., Psa 32:5 . Keep within God’s precincts, and thou shalt be under his protection. He took order that a bird should be safe upon her own nest.
They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
steps = ways, or goings, as in Psa 17:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
compassed: 1Sa 23:26, 1Sa 24:2, 1Sa 24:3, 1Sa 26:2, 1Sa 26:3
set: Psa 10:8-10, Pro 6:13, Pro 6:14
Reciprocal: Psa 109:3 – compassed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 17:11-12. They have compassed us in our steps In all our ways. We go from place to place: we flee for safety to rocks, caves, and woods; but whithersoever we go they are at hand, and ready to surround us. See an instance of this 1Sa 23:26. They have set their eyes Namely, upon or against us. They have discovered us, and keep their eyes fixed upon us, that we may not escape, or as intending to shoot at us with their arrows. Bowing down to the earth Couching and casting themselves down upon the earth, that they may not be discovered, and so may watch the fittest opportunity to surprise us. Which sense is favoured by the next verse, and by comparing Psa 10:10. The Hebrew, however, , lintoth baaretz, may be rendered, to cast us down to the earth, that is, They have fixed their eyes upon us, in order that they may watch their opportunity to lay us prostrate on the ground, and destroy us. Like a lion, greedy of his prey Which is hungry, and therefore cruel. The similitude of a lion, either roaming abroad in quest of his prey, or couching in secret, ready to spring upon it, the moment it comes within his reach, is often employed by David, to describe the power and malice of his enemies. Christians cannot forget that they likewise have an adversary of the same nature and character; one ever seeking whom, and contriving how, he may devour. Horne.