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Psalm 17 · a question people ask

"Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down" (17:13). How can a prayer ask God to act against someone?

In the text

The verse speaks to the LORD and asks the LORD to act: "Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword" (17:13), "from men by your hand, LORD" (17:14). The sword and the hand it names are the LORD's. The psalmist doesn't say he will strike anyone; what he asks for himself is "Deliver my soul" (17:13). Psalm 3's notes trace the cry "Arise, LORD" back to Moses (Numbers 10:35), and these notes don't repeat them. Psalm 17 is not the only psalm that asks God to act against enemies, and Christians read these prayers in more than one way. The chapter on Psalm 109 sets out the main readings, each resting on its verses, and chooses none. These notes don't choose either.

The verses

“Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, LORD, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.”
Psalm 17:13-14 · World English Bible
“When the ark went forward, Moses said, “Rise up, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!””
Numbers 10:35 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 17

Psalm 17: The apple of your eye

"Your sons have plenty" (17:14) and "I shall be satisfied … with seeing your form" (17:15) are the same Hebrew verb, sava. And the psalmist who says "I have kept myself" (17:4) asks, with the same verb, "Keep me as the apple of your eye" (17:8).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions