Psalms 17:6

I call on You, O God, for You will answer me. Incline Your ear to me; hear my words.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses God directly, speaking at a moment of distress immediately after affirming his own steadfastness on divine paths. He shifts from describing his obedience to making a direct request for divine attention.

The words — The verb קְרָאתִי (qerati) means "I call out," paired with the future tense תַעֲנֵנִי (ta'aneni), "you will answer me." The imperative הַט אָזְנְךָ (hat aznecha) literally commands God to "incline your ear."

The thread — The pattern of petition and divine response appears in Psalms 86:7 and Psalms 66:19, while Psalms 116:2 records the reverse sequence of divine hearing preceding human appeal.

Why it lands — The text requires a reader to recognize that prayer depends on God's established attentiveness rather than human merit. It asks the reader to present requests from a posture of prior obedience rather than demanding immediate results.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אֲנִֽי־'a.ni-I קְרָאתִ֣יךָke.ra.Ti./chaI call out to/ you כִֽי־khi-for תַעֲנֵ֣נִיta.'a.Ne./niyou will answer/ me אֵ֑ל'ElO God הַֽט־hat-incline אָזְנְךָ֥'a.ze.ne./Khaear/ yourלִ֝֗יL/ito/ meשְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'hear אִמְרָתִֽי׃'im.ra.T/iutterance/ my

King James Version

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Cross-references

Psalms 116:2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
Psalms 86:7 In the day of my distress I call on You, because You answer me.
Psalms 66:19 But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.
Psalms 88:2 May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.
Psalms 55:16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
Isaiah 37:17 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to all the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.
Daniel 9:17 So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary.
Isaiah 37:20 And now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
Psalms 13:3 Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,