New Living Translation
Psalms 17:12
12They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart— like young lions hiding in ambush.
Psalms 17:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
- New International Version (NIV)They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush.
- New King James Version (NKJV)As a lion is eager to tear his prey, And like a young lion lurking in secret places.
Context of Psalms 17:12
10They are without pity. Listen to their boasting! 11They track me down and surround me, watching for the chance to throw me to the ground. They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart— like young lions hiding in ambush. 13Arise, O Lord! Stand against them, and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with your sword! 14By the power of your hand, O Lord, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones. May their children have plenty, leaving an inheritance for their descendants.
Read all of Psalms 17Psalms 17:12 word by word
דִּמְיֹנ֗וֹ כְּ֭אַרְיֵה יִכְס֣וֹף לִטְר֑וֹף וְ֝כִכְפִ֗יר יֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 17:12
- Psalms 7:2If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
- Psalms 22:13Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey.
- 2 Timothy 4:17But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death.
- 1 Peter 5:8Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Commentaries on Psalms 17:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey - This is the picture of Saul. While his huntsmen were beating every bush, prying into every cave and crevice, and examining every foot of ground to find out a track, Saul is ready, whenever the game is started, to spring upon, seize, and destroy it. The metaphors are well connected, well sustained, and strongly expressive of the whole process of this persecution. In the ninth verse the huntsmen beat the forest to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Like as a lion - Margin, “The likeness of him” (that is, “of every one of them”) is “as a lion that desireth to ravin.” The meaning is plain. They were like a lion intent on securing his prey. They watched the object narrowly; they were ready to spring upon it. That is greedy of his prey - “He is craving to tear.” Prof. Alexander. - The Hebrew word rendered “is greedy,” means “to pine, to long after, to desire greatly.” The Hebrew word rendered “of his…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-15Verses 8-15 Being compassed with enemies, David prays to God to keep him in safety. This prayer is a prediction that Christ would be preserved, through all the hardships and difficulties of his humiliation, to the glories and joys of his exalted state, and is a pattern to Christians to commit the keeping of their souls to God, trusting him to preserve them to his heavenly kingdom. Those are our worst enemies, that are enemies to our souls. They are God's…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-15The psalmist asks for God's protection and justice, affirms his own integrity, and prays for the Lord to defeat his strong enemies.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. The figure made more special by that of a lion lurking.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 17:12
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries