The Meaning of Psalms 17:15 Explained

Psalms 17:15

KJV: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

YLT: I -- in righteousness, I see Thy face; I am satisfied, in awaking, with Thy form!

Darby: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

ASV: As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with beholding thy form.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As for me, I will behold  thy face  in righteousness:  I shall be satisfied,  when I awake,  with thy likeness. 

What does Psalms 17:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In contrast to the wicked, David found his greatest delight in God, not in the temporal things of this world (cf. Philippians 3:19-20). Some readers have assumed this verse refers to David"s hope of seeing God after he died. However, the preceding verses seem to point to a contrast: the preoccupation of the wicked with earthly things versus the preoccupation of David with God during their lifetimes. The awaking in view, then, would not be a reference to resurrection but to waking up from sleep day by day. Of course, David would one day really see God, but this verse does not seem to be describing that event. It speaks rather of David"s enjoyment of God"s presence before death (cf. Matthew 5:8; Titus 1:15). David"s concern was more God"s face and God"s likeness than his future resurrection.
In times of opposition from godless people whose whole lives revolve around material matters, God"s faithful followers can enjoy God"s fellowship now. They can also look forward to divine deliverance and to seeing the Lord one day. David"s hope lay in a continuing relationship with God, and so does ours. He did not have the amount of revelation of what lay beyond the grave that we do. He found comfort in his relationship with God in this life as being superior to what the wicked enjoyed. We do too, but we also know that in addition, when we die, we will go into the Lord"s presence and from then on be with Him ( 2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Context Summary

Psalms 17:1-15 - God's True Servants Safely Kept
This also dates from the Sauline persecutions. In the earlier verses David protests his innocence, pleads for deliverance from his foes, and ends with glad anticipation of the vision of God. The psalm may have been composed for use at eventide; two at least of its verses point in that direction, Psalms 17:3; Psalms 15:1-5.
What a comfort it is to appeal from the accusations of men to the judgment-bar of God! Yet our sufferings at their hands are God's smelting-furnace. The Hebrew word translated tried is "melted," Psalms 17:3. But we cannot be kept without constant use of God's Word, Psalms 17:4. And then how safe we are! The apple of the eye-that is, the pupil-is defended by eye lash, lid, brow, bony socket, and uplifted arm. Thy wings, see Deuteronomy 32:11.
Note the contrast between Psalms 17:14 and Psalms 16:5; Psalms 16:11. The worldly are filled with this world-I with thee. They look for the things of this life-I for the unseen and eternal. They are satisfied with children-I with thy likeness. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 17

1  David, in confidence of his integrity, craves defense of God against his enemies
10  He shows their pride, craft, and eagerness
13  He prays against them in confidence of his hope

What do the individual words in Psalms 17:15 mean?

I in righteousness will see Your face I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness
אֲנִ֗י בְּ֭צֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶ֣ה פָנֶ֑יךָ אֶשְׂבְּעָ֥ה בְ֝הָקִ֗יץ תְּמוּנָתֶֽךָ

בְּ֭צֶדֶק  in  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
אֶחֱזֶ֣ה  will  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: חָזָה  
Sense: to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide.
פָנֶ֑יךָ  Your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֶשְׂבְּעָ֥ה  I  shall  be  satisfied 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: שָׂבַע  
Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
בְ֝הָקִ֗יץ  when  I  awake 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: קוּץ 
Sense: to awake, wake up.
תְּמוּנָתֶֽךָ  in  Your  likeness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: תְּמוּנָה  
Sense: form, image, likeness, representation, semblance.