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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say.

Context of Psalms 17:3

1Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! 2From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! 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. 4With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 5My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

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 tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
• Psalms 26:2Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
• Psalms 66:10For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
• Psalms 139:1O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
• Job 23:10But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
• Zechariah 13:9And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'"
• Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
• 1 Peter 1:7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• Psalms 16:7I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
• Job 24:14The murderer rises before it is light, that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief.
• Hosea 7:6For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
• Micah 2:1Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.
• Acts 16:9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
• Acts 18:9And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,
• Psalms 7:4if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause,

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