This psalm is entitled "A Prayer of David." By whom the title was prefixed to it, is not known; but there can be no doubt of its appropriateness. It is, throughout, a prayer - fervent, earnest, believing. It was evidently uttered in the view of danger - danger arising from the number and the designs of his enemies; but on what particular occasion it was composed cannot now be determined. There were many occasions, however, in the life of David for the utterance of such a prayer, and there can be no doubt that in the dangers which so frequently beset him, he often poured out such warm and earnest appeals to God for help. "Who" the enemies referred to were cannot now be ascertained. All that is known of them is that they were "deadly" or bitter foes, that they were prosperous in the world, and that they were proud Psalm 17:9-10; that they were fierce and greedy, like a lion hunting its prey Psalm 17:12; that they were men whose families were in affluence and men who lived for this world alone, Psalm 17:14.
The points which constitute the prayer in the psalm are the following:
1. The prayer itself, as an earnest appeal or supplication to God to do what was equal and right, Psalm 17:1-2.
2. A reference of the author of the psalm to himself, and to his own life and character, as not deserving the treatment which he was receiving from others, Psalm 17:3-4.
3. An earnest petition on this ground for the divine interposition, Psalm 17:5-9.
4. A description of the character of his enemies, and a prayer on the ground of that character, that God would interpose for him, Psalm 17:10-14.
5. The expression of a confident hope of deliverance from all enemies; a looking forward to a world where he would be rescued from all troubles, and where, in the presence of God, and entering on a new life, he would awake in the likeness of God and be satisfied, Psalm 17:15. The psalm terminates, as the anticipations of all good people do amid the troubles of this life, in the hope of that world where there will be no trouble, and where they will be permitted to dwell forever with God.

David implores the succor of God against his enemies; and professes his integrity and determination to live to God's glory, Psalm 17:1. He prays for support, and expresses strong confidence in God, Psalm 17:5-9; describes the malice and cruelty of his enemies, and prays against them, Psalm 17:10-14; receives a strong persuasion of support and final victory, Psalm 17:15.
The title is, A prayer of David; in which there is nothing that requires explanation. David was most probably the author of this Psalm; and it appears to have been written about the time in which Saul had carried his persecution against him to the highest pitch. See 1-Samuel 27:1-12 : The Arabic calls it "A prayer of a perfect man, of Christ himself, or of any one redeemed by him." Dr. Delaney, in his life of David, supposes that this poem was written just after parting with Jonathan, when David went into exile.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 17
A Prayer of David. This prayer was put up by David either in his own person, on his own account, praying to God for the vindication of his cause, and for salvation and deliverance from his enemies; or in the person of the Messiah, whose type he was, and of the whole church, so Jerom of old interpreted it; and the title of it in the Arabic version is,
"a prayer in the person of a perfect man, and of Christ himself, and of everyone that is redeemed by him;''
in which preservation and protection are prayed for, and hope of eternal life is expressed. It was written, according to Theodoret, when David suffered persecution from Saul.

(Psalm 17:1-7) David's integrity.
(Psalm 17:8-15) The character of his enemies. His hope of happiness.

Flight of an innocent and Persecuted Man for Refuge in the Lord, Who Knoweth Them That Are His
Psalm 17:1-15 is placed after Psalm 16:1-11, because just like the latter (cf. Psalm 11:7) it closes with the hope of a blessed and satisfying vision of God. In other respects also the two Psalm have many prominent features in common: as, for instance, the petition שׁמרני, Psalm 16:1; Psalm 17:8; the retrospect on nightly fellowship with God, Psalm 16:7; Psalm 17:3; the form of address in prayer אל, Psalm 16:1; Psalm 17:6; the verb תּמך, Psalm 16:5; Psalm 17:5, etc. (vid., Symbolae p. 49), notwithstanding a great dissimilarity in their tone. For Psalm 16:1-11 is the first of those which we call Psalm written in the indignant style, in the series of the Davidic Psalm. The language of the Psalm of David, which is in other instances so flowing and clear, becomes more harsh and, in accordance with the subject and mood, as it were, full of unresolved dissonances (Psalm 17:1; Psalm 140:1; Psalm 58:1; Psalm 36:2, cf. Psalm 10:2-11) when describing the dissolute conduct of his enemies, and of the ungodly in general. The language is then more rough and unmanageable, and wanting in the clearness and transparency we find elsewhere. The tone of the language also becomes more dull and, as it were, a dull murmur. It rolls on like the rumble of distant thunder, by piling up the suffixes mo, āmo, ēmo, as in Psalm 17:10; Psalm 35:16; Psalm 64:6, Psalm 64:9, where David speaks of his enemies and describes them in a tone suggested by the indignation, which is working with his breast; or in Psalm 59:12-14; Psalm 56:8; Psalm 21:10-13; Psalm 140:10; Psalm 58:7, where, as in prophetic language, he announces to them of the judgment of God. The more vehement and less orderly flow of the language which we find here, is the result of the inward tumult of his feelings.
There are so many parallels in the thought and expression of thought of this Psalm in other Davidic Psalm (among those we have already commented on we may instance more especially Psalm 7:1 and Psalm 11:1, and also Psalm 4:1 and Psalm 10:1), that even Hitzig admits the לדוד. The author of the Psalm is persecuted, and others with him; foes, among whom one, their leader, stands prominently forward, plot against his life, and have encompassed him about in the most threatening manner, eager for his death. All this corresponds, line for line, with the situation of David in the wilderness of Maon (about three hours and three quarters S.S.E. of Hebron), as narrated in 1-Samuel 23:25., when Saul and his men were so close upon the heels of David and his men, that he only escaped capture by a most fortunate incident.
The only name inscribed on this Psalm is תּפּלּה (a prayer), the most comprehensive name for the Psalm, and the oldest (Psalm 72:20); for שׁיר and מזמור were only given to them when they were sung in the liturgy and with musical accompaniment. As the title of a Psalm it is found five times (Psalm 17:1, Psalm 86:1, Psalm 90:1, Psalm 92:1, Psalm 142:1) in the Psalter, and besides that once, in Habakkuk. Habakkuk's תפלה is a hymn composed for music. But in the Psalter we do not find any indication of the Psalm thus inscribed being arranged for music. The strophe schema is 4. 7; 4. 4. 6. 7.