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.
• 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.
• 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 me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. 2Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right. 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. 4Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. 5My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled.

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 examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.
• Psalms 26:2Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
• Psalms 66:10For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
• Psalms 139:1You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
• Job 23:10But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
• Zechariah 13:9This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”
• Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
• 1 Corinthians 4:4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
• 1 Peter 1:7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
• Psalms 16:7I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
• Job 24:14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief.
• Hosea 7:6Their hearts are like an oven; they approach him with intrigue. Their passion smolders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
• Micah 2:1Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.
• Acts 16:9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
• Acts 18:9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
• Psalms 7:4if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—

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