Psalm 17:2
“Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Psalm 17:2 continues the legal language. 'Sentence' means judgment or verdict, and the psalmist asks that it come forth from God's presence—implying that only judgment that originates from God himself can be truly fair. The phrase 'let thine eyes behold the things that are equal' is crucial: the psalmist is saying that God's vision is perfect enough to see what is truly equal, just, and right, beyond what human perception might miss.
What Does Psalm 17:2 Mean?
Psalm 17:2 continues the legal language. 'Sentence' means judgment or verdict, and the psalmist asks that it come forth from God's presence—implying that only judgment that originates from God himself can be truly fair. The phrase 'let thine eyes behold the things that are equal' is crucial: the psalmist is saying that God's vision is perfect enough to see what is truly equal, just, and right, beyond what human perception might miss.
This verse rests on confidence in God's perfect knowledge. While human judges are limited by what they can see and what they choose to believe, God sees all things clearly and judges impartially. The emphasis on 'things that are equal' suggests the psalmist is asking for proportional justice—that the verdict match the reality of the situation, not the slander or distortion his enemies may have introduced. The appeal is to divine omniscience: God knows the hidden motives and the full truth that human courts cannot reach.
In the Original Language
The word for 'equal' (yasar) carries the sense of what is upright, straight, and just—that which properly corresponds to reality.
Cross References
Application
Trust God's judgment even when human judgment seems unfair. Remember that God sees the full truth and judges with perfect knowledge and impartiality.