Let my sentence come out of your presence. Let your eyes look on equity.
Parallel Translations
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Let my sentence come out of your presence. Let your eyes look on equity.
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Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
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Let my judgment come forth from Thy presence; let Thine eyes behold equity.
Cross-references (8)
Passages linked to Psalms 17:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 37:6 he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus, who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
- Ezekiel 18:25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
- Ezekiel 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
- Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
- Psalms 37:33 Yahweh will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
- Ezekiel 33:17 “ ‘Yet the children of your people say, “The way of the Lord is not fair;” but as for them, their way is not fair.
- Ezekiel 33:20 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not fair.” House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways.’ ”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 2. From the presence of thy countenance. Literally it…
2. From the presence of thy countenance. Literally it is, from before thy face, or, before thy face. By these words David intimates that if God does not rise up as the vindicator of his cause, he will be overwhelmed with calumnies though innocent, and will be looked upon as a guilty and condemned person. The cognisance which God will take of his cause is tacitly set in opposition to the dark inventions of falsehood which were spread against him. “Car la cognoissance que Dieu prendra de sa cause est tacitement mise in l’opposite des tenebres des mensonges qu’on semoit contre luy.” — Fr.
“Et qu’il ne refuse point de respondre derant le siege judicial d’iceluy.” — Fr. “Nor do I refuse to answer before his judgment-seat.”
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“Qui n’ont pas moyen de se defendre.” — Fr.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The vengeance that thou shalt show against mine enemies.
The vengeance that thou shalt show against mine enemies.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 17:2 Let my sentence come forth from thy…
Psa 17:2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
Ver. 2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence] Let it be both pronounced and executed forthwith.
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Let thine eyes behold, &c.] i.e. Make it appear that thou both seest and likest mine integrity; and that thou winkest not at men’s wickednesses.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain My sentence, Heb. my right or judgment, i.e. judgment…
My sentence, Heb. my right or judgment, i.e. judgment in my cause, or on my behalf.
From thy presence, i.e. from thee, and from thy tribunal, to which I bring my cause. Do not suspend or delay it, but speedily examine my cause and give sentence in it.
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Things that are equal, or right. For though I desire and need thy grace and favour in many other respects, yet I beg only thy justice in this cause between me and them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Let my sentence come forth from thy presence,.... Not…
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence,.... Not of condemnation, such as came forth from God and passed on Adam and all his posterity, Rom 5:12; though such an one was executed on Christ, as he was the surety and representative of his people; but of justification, which came forth from God and passed on Christ, when he rose from the dead, and upon his people in him, Ti1 3:16. Here it chiefly designs the vindication of the innocence of the psalmist before men; and his request is, that as he was fully persuaded that he was clear of the things he was charged with in the sight of God, that he would openly and publicly make him appear so before men; that he would bring forth his righteousness as the light, and his judgment as the noonday, Psa 37:6; and of which he made no doubt but he would; so Christ, though he was traduced by men, knew he should be justified by his Father, and by his children, Isa 50:8;
let thine eyes behold the things that are equal; which is not to be understood barely of the eyes of his omniscience; for these behold things both equal and unequal, good and evil, things which agree and disagree with the law of God, the rule of righteousness and equity; but of his approbation of them, and that he would some way or other testify that approbation; for the petition intends the favouring of his just and equal cause, and making it to appear to be so.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Sentence - Judgment on my behalf. Come - From…
Sentence - Judgment on my behalf. Come - From thy tribunal.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 2. My sentence come forth from thy presence]…
Verse 2. My sentence come forth from thy presence] Thou knowest my heart, and my ways; judge me as thou shalt find; let me not fall under the judgment of man.
Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.] Thou knowest whether I render to all their due, and whether others act justly by me. Thou canst not be deceived: do justice between me and my adversaries.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 17:2. Let my sentence — Hebrew, משׁפשׂי, mishpati,…
Psa 17:2. Let my sentence — Hebrew, משׁפשׂי, mishpati, my judgment, that is, judgment in my cause, or on my behalf: come forth from thy presence — From thee, and from thy tribunal, to which I bring my cause. Do not suspend or delay it, but speedily examine my cause, and give sentence in it. Behold the things that are equal — Or right: for though I need and desire thy mercy and favour in many other respects, yet I beg only the interposition of thy justice in this cause between me and them.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Let my sentence - Hebrew, “my judgment.” The allusion…
Let my sentence - Hebrew, “my judgment.” The allusion is to a judgment or sentence as coming from God in regard to the matter referred to in the psalm, to wit, the injuries which he had received from his enemies. He felt that they had done him injustice and wrong; he felt assured that a sentence or judgment from God in the case would be in his favor. So Job often felt that if he could bring his case directly before God, God would decide in his favor. Compare Job 23:1-6.
Come forth from thy presence - From before thee. That is, he asks God to pronounce a sentence in his case.
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Let thine eyes behold - He asked God to examine the case with his own eyes, or attentively to consider it, and to see where justice was.
The things that are equal - The things that are just and right. He felt assured that his own cause was right, and he prays here that justice in the case may be done. He felt that, if that were done, he would be delivered from his enemies. As between ourselves and our fellow-men, it is right to pray to God that he would see that exact justice should be done, for we may be able to feel certain that justice is on our side, and that we are injured by them; but as between ourselves and God, we can never offer that prayer, for if justice were done to us we could not but be condemned. Before him our plea must be for mercy, not justice.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 2. Let my sentence come forth—Rather, my judgment [acquittal]…
2. Let my sentence come forth—Rather, my judgment [acquittal] shall come forth from thee. Thine eyes shall behold equity. The verb is declarative, as an expression of faith.
Things that are equal—Taken adverbially, the word denotes rightly, uprightly; thine eyes behold righteously. Pro_8:6
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 2. The petition. Let my judgement come forth from…
2. The petition. Let my judgement come forth from thy presence. Cp. Psa_37:6; Isa_42:1; Isa_42:3-4; Hab_1:4. Pronounce sentence for me; publish it; give effect to it, and vindicate the justice of my cause.
Let thine eyes &c.] Better, Thine eyes behold equity, or, with equity. The prayer is based on the known character of Jehovah. His discernment is complete and impartial. Cp. Psa_11:4; Psa_9:8.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (2) Let my sentence—i.e., let my cause be tried…
(2) Let my sentence—i.e., let my cause be tried before Thy tribunal, where it is sure of success, since I am innocent and Thou art just. The second clause is better in the present, “Thine eyes behold,” &c.
The things that are equal.—Heb., meysharîm, which may be either abstract, rectitude, or concrete, the just (Son_1:4, Note), or adverbial, justly.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Let my sentence come forth from thy presence. David…
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence. David does not doubt, any more than Job, (Job_13:18) what the sentence will be. As right is on his side (ver. 1), it must be in his favour. Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal; literally, Let thine eyes behold equities.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 2. David appeals unto God to judge the…
Ver. 2. David appeals unto God to judge the righteousness of his heart towards SaulLet my sentence come forth from thy presence. From Saul and his courtiers there comes a hard sentence; they call me traitor, they call me rebel; but, Lord, leave me not unto their sentence, "Let my sentence come from thy presence; "that I know will be another sentence than what cometh from them, for thou hast proved me, and tried me, and findest nothing in me. Jeremiah Burroughs.
Ver. 2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence.
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1. When it will come.
2. Who dare meet it now.
3. How to be among them.
Psalms 17:3*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.