Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 17:9
From the wicked that oppress me, [from] my deadly enemies, [who] compass me about.
9. that oppress me ] R.V., that spoil me. Cp. Psa 12:5. (R.V.).
my deadly enemies ] Nothing but his life will satisfy them. Cp. 1Sa 24:11. This is the sense, whether the exact meaning is enemies in soul, i.e. with murderous intent (Psa 27:12; Psa 41:2), or enemies against (my) soul.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
From the wicked that oppress me – Margin, That waste me. The margin expresses the sense of the Hebrew. The idea is that of being wasted, desolated, destroyed, as a city or country is by the ravages of war. The psalmist compares himself in his troubles with such a city or country. The effect of the persecutions which he had endured had been like cities and lands thus laid waste by fire and sword.
From my deadly enemies – Margin, My enemies against the soul. The literal idea is, enemies against my life. The common translation expresses the idea accurately. The sense is, that his enemies sought his life.
Who compass me about – Who surround me on every side, as enemies do who besiege a city.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. From my deadly enemies, who compass me about.] This is a metaphor taken from huntsmen, who spread themselves around a large track of forest, driving in the deer from every part of the circumference, till they are forced into the nets or traps which they have set for them in some particular narrow passage. The metaphor is carried on in the following verses.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
From the wicked; or, because of the wicked. From my deadly enemies; Heb. from those who are mine enemies in, or for, or against my (which pronoun is easily supplied out of the foregoing word, where it is expressed) soul or life, i.e. whom nothing but my blood and life will satisfy.
Who compass me about; which shows both their extreme malice and his great danger.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. compass me(compare Ps118:10-12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
From the wicked that oppress me,…. Or “waste” or “destroy” g; as wild beasts do a field or vineyard when they get into it; and such havoc do persecutors and false teachers make of the church and people of God, when they are suffered to get in among them, Ps 80:13; wherefore from such wicked and unreasonable men protection is desired, 2Th 3:2;
[from] my deadly enemies; enemies against his soul or life, who sought to take it away, nothing would satisfy them but this;
[who] compass me about; on all sides, in order to obtain their desire; such were the enemies of Christ, and so they are described,
Ps 22:12.
g “quid vastant”, Vatablus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “qui vastaverunt”, Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9. From the face of the ungodly. The Psalmist, by again accusing his enemies, intends to set forth his own innocence, as an argument for his obtaining the favor of God. At the same time, he complains of their cruelty, that God may be the more inclined to aid him. First, he says that they burn with an enraged desire to waste and to destroy him; secondly, he adds, that they besiege him in his soul, by which he means, that they would never rest satisfied until they had accomplished his death. The greater, therefore, the terror with which we are stricken by the cruelty of our enemies, the more ought we to be quickened to ardor in prayer. God, indeed, does not need to receive information and incitement from us; but the use and the end of prayer is, that the faithful, by freely declaring to God the calamities and sorrows which oppress them, and in disburdening them, as it were, into his bosom, may be assured beyond all doubt that he has a regard to their necessities.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) Deadly.Literally, with the soul, or life, or better, as in the Syriac, against the life, and so deadly. Others take it adverbially with the verb, eagerly compass.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
It is impossible to read these verses but with an eye to Christ. For though his people, as his people, do partake in the afflictions which the enemies of their salvation excite, yet eminently so in the life of Christ. The whole gospel is full of it: so that I stay not to mention particulars.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 17:9 From the wicked that oppress me, [from] my deadly enemies, [who] compass me about.
Ver. 9. From the wicked that oppress me ] Heb. that waste me, i. e. that cast me out into banishmeat, despoiled of all. This hard usage of his enemies drove David into God’s blessed bosom; as children misused abroad run home to their parents.
From my deadly enemies
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the wicked = the lawless ones.
my deadly enemies = the foes of my soul Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
oppress me: Heb. waste, 1Ch 17:9
deadly enemies: Heb. enemies against the soul, Psa 7:5, Psa 35:4, Psa 35:7, Psa 35:12, 1Sa 24:11
Reciprocal: 1Sa 23:26 – away Psa 13:2 – enemy Psa 31:15 – deliver Psa 64:1 – preserve Psa 71:4 – out of the Psa 124:6 – who hath not Psa 140:4 – Keep me Psa 143:3 – the enemy Joh 17:11 – keep
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
17:9 From the wicked that oppress me, [from] my deadly enemies, [who] compass {h} me about.
(h) For their cruelty cannot be satisfied but with my death.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Whatever the situation in David’s life was to which he referred in this psalm, it is clear from these verses that David’s enemies were surrounding him (figuratively if not literally, cf. Psa 22:12-18). They determined to kill him. They appear to have been confident of their success, too. Their eyes were on David even as the Lord’s were (Psa 17:8 a), but there was hatred in their gaze. Rather than protecting him lovingly as a mother bird (Psa 17:8 b), they were out to tear him apart and devour him as a lion does its prey, by sneaking around and attacking. The lion is a symbol of brute strength and a ferocious appetite (cf. Jdg 14:14), and so provides a fitting picture of the wicked (cf. Psa 7:2; Psa 10:9; Psa 22:13).