1. Psalm 17:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What sort of prayer is this psalm?

Psalm 17:1 (ESV)

1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

The psalm can be slotted under the general category of lament psalms, and more specifically as a psalm of innocence (see also Psalm 7:1–17; Psalm 26:1–12; Psalm 35:1–28).1 The psalmist pleads with the Lord for justice, that deliverance from his enemies would come swiftly.