Psalms 35:17

Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

BSB

How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

KJV

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

ASV

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions.

BBE

Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.

Original Hebrew

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The early church

"Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My Darling from the lions" [Psalm 35:17]. For to us the time is slow; and in our person is this said, "When will You look on?" that is, when shall we see vengeance upon those who insult us? When shall the Judge, overcome by weariness, hear the widow? [Luke 18:3] But our Judge, not from weariness, but from love, delays our salvation; from reason, not from need; not that He could not even now succour us, but that the number of us all may be filled up even to the end. And yet out of our desire, what do we say? "Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My Darling from the lions:" that is, My Church from raging powers.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 17–28

Though the people of God are, and study to be, quiet, yet it has been common for their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. David prays, My soul is in danger, Lord, rescue it; it belongs to thee the Father of spirits, therefore claim thine own; it is thine, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if I were a stranger. He who exalted the once suffering Redeemer, will appear for all his people: the roaring lion shall not destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ, their Surety. They trust their souls in his hands, they are one with him by faith, are precious in his sight, and shall be rescued from destruction, that they may give thanks in heaven.

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Spurgeon · Verse 17

"Lord, how long wilt thou look on?" Why be a mere spectator? Why so neglectful of thy servant? Art thou indifferent? Carest thou not that we perish? We may thus reason with the Lord. He permits us this familiarity. There is a time for our salvation, but to our impatience it often seems to be very slow in coming; yet wisdom has ordained the hour, and nothing shall delay it. "Rescue my soul from their destructions." From their many devices; their multiplied assaults, be pleased to set me free. "My darling," my lovely, only, precious soul, do thou rescue "from the lions." His enemies were fierce, cunning, and strong as young lions; God only could deliver him from their jaws, to God he therefore addresses himself.

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Cross-references

12

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.