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Psalm 17:11

They have now surrounded us in our steps. They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.

9from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me.
10They close up their callous hearts. With their mouth they speak proudly.
11They have now surrounded us in our steps. They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.
12He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
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← Psalm 17:10Psalm 17:12 →
Notice

Enemies surround people even as they move, and their fixed gaze makes the danger feel deliberate: they intend to bring them down.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What does “in our steps” suggest to you about the reach of this threat?

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What would you want to ask God for someone facing the threat described here?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

7 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Proverbs 6:13–14who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,Both verses mention eyes and bodily movement, though the psalm names a threat that the Proverbs excerpt does not explain.
Psalm 37:14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path.Both passages describe enemies intent on casting people down, with Psalm 37 naming the weapons raised against the poor and needy.
1 Samuel 23:26Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David hurried to get away for fear of Saul, for Saul and his …Saul’s men surround David and his men to capture them, matching the psalm’s description of people encircled by enemies.
Psalm 10:8–10He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.Both passages describe hostile eyes fixed on intended victims, with Psalm 10 naming ambush and murder.
Psalm 88:17They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.Both passages describe being surrounded, though Psalm 88 uses engulfing water to express the experience.
1 Samuel 26:2–3Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.Saul’s armed search for David shares the threat of hostile pursuit described in the psalm.
1 Samuel 24:2–3Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.Saul seeks David and his men with a large force, sharing the psalm’s concern with enemies pursuing a group.
Where this verse fits

Injustice and anger. fear for the future.

What the Bible says about anger →What the Bible says about fear →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Pray for someone whose safety is threatened

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Encouragement

You do not have to soften a threat when you pray. Here, danger is named before God while the enemies still surround those seeking his help.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 17:11. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 17 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).