Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
English Standard Version (ESV)
David isn't just asking God to hear his personal righteousness, but rather to attend to the justice of his cause. He's confident that his situation, under attack by enemies, is inherently right in God's eyes. This isn't about boasting in his own perfection, but about appealing to God's own character as the righteous judge.
Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
English Standard Version (ESV)
David is in deep distress, facing severe persecution and slander from his enemies. In this opening of the psalm, he appeals directly to God, presenting his case and asserting the sincerity of his plea. He's not just asking for a legal judgment, but for God to hear his earnest cry, which comes from a place of genuine heart and not deceitful intentions.
David isn't saying he's perfect. He's praying for God to recognize the injustice he's facing. What's the difference, and why does it matter for our prayers?
The Heart of the Matter: Cause vs. Character
When David cries out, "Hear the right, O LORD," he's appealing to God's sense of justice. This isn't a boast about his own sinlessness, but a plea that God would see the truth of his situation.
David insists his prayer comes from "lips free of deceit." What does this radical honesty look like in our prayer lives today?
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Beyond Words: The Heart Behind the Prayer
David's emphasis on "lips free of deceit" goes straight to the heart of true worship. It’s not just about what we say, but the sincerity with which we say it.
When we pray with sincerity, we acknowledge God as the all-knowing One who sees our hearts, and we invite His truth into every part of our lives.
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
A Hebrew term referring to Yahweh, the covenant name of God, highlighting His self-existence and His personal, relational commitment to His people.
tzedeq · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the state of being righteous, innocent, or justified before God or human judges, often involving the active intervention of God to uphold truth and justice.
tephillah · Hebrew Noun
A formal request or petition addressed to God, reflecting dependence, humility, and the desire for communion with the Creator.
mirmah · Hebrew Noun
Literally "deceit" or "treachery," it signifies falsehood, insincerity, or speaking that is not aligned with truth and integrity before God.
This psalm arose during David's desperate flight from King Saul. The intensity of his prayer, calling for God to 'hear the right' and appealing to his own integrity, reflects the life-or-death stakes of his situation. It highlights how even in the darkest personal trials, the psalmist's confidence is in God's justice and his own sincere heart.
c. 1030-1010 BC— this verse
David as a Fugitive
David is a young man fleeing from the jealousy and murderous intent of King Saul, constantly on the run and facing numerous dangers.
c. 1025 BC
Saul Seeks David's Life
King Saul, threatened by David's growing popularity and military success, actively pursues David, intending to kill him. This period is marked by intense persecution and David's reliance on God for protection.
c. 1010 BC
David Anointed King
After Saul's death, David is finally anointed king of Judah, marking the beginning of his rise to unite all the tribes of Israel.
This passage shows David appealing to Saul, not based on his own merit, but on the fact that he has acted justly and rightly in sparing Saul's life, mirroring David's plea for his 'righteous cause' here.
Job 1:21Job's statement, 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD,' echoes the sincerity of prayer that comes from a place of surrendered trust, even amidst suffering, similar to David's unfeigned prayer.
Matthew 6:5-6Jesus warns against praying like the hypocrites who love to be seen. David's emphasis on 'lips free of deceit' aligns with Jesus' teaching on praying privately and sincerely from the heart, not for show.
Luke 18:9-14The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector highlights the contrast between self-righteous boasting and humble, sincere repentance. David's plea for his 'righteous cause' and sincere prayer resonates with the tax collector's heartfelt cry for mercy.
clarkePsalms 17:1: "A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips."
Hear the right - Attend to the justice of my cause, יהוה צדק Yehovah tsedek, righteous Jehovah. "O righteous Jehovah, attend unto my cry." Goeth not out of feigned lips - My supplication is sincere: and the desire of my heart accompanies the words of my lips.
barnesPsalms 17:1: "A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips."
Hear the right - Margin, as in Hebrew, "justice." The prayer is, that God would regard that which was "right" in the case, or that he would vindicate the psalmist from that which was wrong. It is the expression of his confident assurance even in the presence of God that his cause was right, and that he was asking only that which it would be consistent for a…
David isn't just asking God to hear his personal righteousness, but rather to attend to the justice of his cause. He's confident that his situation, under attack by enemies, is inherently right in God's eyes. This isn't about boasting in his own perfection, but about appealing to God's own character as the righteous judge.
David is in deep distress, facing severe persecution and slander from his enemies. In this opening of the psalm, he appeals directly to God, presenting his case and asserting the sincerity of his plea. He's not just asking for a legal judgment, but for God to hear his earnest cry, which comes from a place of genuine heart and not deceitful intentions.
David is in deep distress, facing severe persecution and slander from his enemies. In this opening of the psalm, he appeals directly to God, presenting his case and asserting the sincerity of his plea. He's not just asking for a legal judgment, but for God to hear his earnest cry, which comes from a place of genuine heart and not deceitful intentions.
"Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!" — David isn't just asking God to hear his personal righteousness, but rather to attend to the justice of his cause. He's confident that his situation, under attack by enemies, is inherently right i…
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Last reviewed October 2026