Psalms 17:3

Psalms 17:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
• New International Version (NIV)Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Context of Psalms 17:3

1Lord, please listen to me. I am asking you to do something that is right. I am speaking what is true, so please do what I ask you to do. 2Say clearly that I am not guilty. You can see for yourself that I am right. You look deep into my mind. You check my thoughts at night. When you test me, you find nothing that is wrong. I have decided that I will never tell any lies. 4I have watched people do bad things. But I have obeyed your commands. I have not joined with cruel people to do what they do. 5No, I carefully follow your ways. I do not turn away from them.

Psalms 17:3 word by word

בָּ֘חַ֤נְתָּ לִבִּ֨י׀ פָּ֘קַ֤דְתָּ לַּ֗יְלָה צְרַפְתַּ֥נִי בַל־תִּמְצָ֑א זַ֝מֹּתִ֗י בַּל־יַעֲבָר־פִּֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou hast provedבָּחַןbâchan · to testH974
• mine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• thou hast visitedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
• in the nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• thou hast triedצָרַףtsâraph · to refineH6884
• shalt findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• nothing; I am purposedזָמַםzâmam · to planH2161
• my mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• shall not transgressעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674

Cross-references for Psalms 17:3

• Psalms 11:5The Lord watches both good people and wicked people. Good people please him, but he hates wicked people and cruel people.
• Psalms 26:2Test me, Lord, and see how I have lived. Look into my mind and see my thoughts.
• Psalms 66:10You have tested us, God. You wanted to make us pure, as they make silver pure in a hot fire.
• Psalms 139:1Lord, you look deep inside me, and you know all about me.
• Job 23:10But he knows the way that I live. When he has finished testing me, he will see that I am pure. I will be as pure as gold.
• Zechariah 13:9I will bring these people through fire. As men clean silver in the fire, so I will clean them. As men test gold in the fire, so I will test them. They will speak my name and I will answer them. I will say, “They are my people.” They will say, “The Lord is our God.” ’
• Malachi 3:2‘But when he comes, he will be like a hot fire that makes metal pure. He will be like strong soap that makes clothes completely clean. Nobody will be able to stand in front of him when he appears. On that day, nobody will remain the same.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4I am sure in my own mind that I have not done anything wrong. But that does not make me right. Only the Lord himself can judge me.
• 1 Peter 1:7The purpose of these troubles is to show whether you really trust God. When you believe in Jesus, that is more valuable even than gold. People put gold into a hot fire to see if it is really good. And even gold will come to an end one day. But if you continue to trust God in your troubles, he will be very happy. On the day when Jesus Christ returns and appears to everyone, God will praise you. He will say that you have done well. That will be great!
• Psalms 16:7I will praise the Lord, who is my guide through life. In the dark nights, you help me to learn what is right.
• Job 24:14Murderers rob people when it is still dark. They kill poor, weak people during the night.
• Hosea 7:6But the leaders are planning to murder the king. Their anger is like the fire of an oven. It burns slowly inside them all through the night. But in the morning the fire is too strong to hold.
• Micah 2:1Micah continues: People who prepare to do bad things should be afraid. God will do bad things to them! While they lie in bed, they think about bad things to do. Then, when the morning comes, they do those bad things. They have the authority to do whatever they want to do.
• Acts 16:9During that night, Paul had a vision. In the vision, he saw a man from the region called Macedonia. The man stood there and he said to Paul, ‘Please, please come across the sea to Macedonia and help us.’
• Acts 18:9But one night, the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision. He said, ‘Do not be afraid of those people who are against you. Continue to speak my message to the people here. Do not stop speaking to them.

Commentaries on Psalms 17:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Thou hast proved mine heart - Thou well knowest whether there be any evil way in me. Thou hast given me to see many and sore trials; and yet, through thy mercy, I have preserved my integrity both to thee and to my king. Thou hast seen me in my most secret retirements, and knowest whether I have plotted mischief against him who now wishes to take away my life. Thou hast tried me - צרפתני tseraphtani ; Thou hast put me to the test, as they do metals in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Thou hast proved mine heart - In this verse he refers to his own character and life in the matter under consideration, or the consciousness of his own innocence in respect to his fellow-men who are persecuting and opposing him. He appeals to the Great Searcher of hearts in proof that, in this respect, he was innocent; and he refers to different forms of trial on the part of God to show that after the most thorough search he would find, and did find, that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Although he is not perfect, the psalmist dedicates himself to the Lord. He does not want to sin through lies, flattery, or gossip (see Psalms 10:7; 15:2–3; 17:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. proved ... visited ... tried--His character was most rigidly tested, at all times, and by all methods, affliction and others (Psa 7:10). purposed that, &c.--or, my mouth does not exceed my purpose; I am sincere.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 17:3

• Decision
• Integrity
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• Greedy
• Path
• Purposed
• Affliction
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Belly
• Eschatology of the Old Testament
• Papyrus
• Prove
• Psalms, Book of

Commentaries on Psalms 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings