Psalm 17:5
“Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.”
KJV
Read in Psalm 17Meaning
The prayer that steps hold fast and feet not slip asks for moral steadiness in God’s paths, not a promise that faithful people will never fail, stumble, or suffer setbacks.
A truthful plea for vindication
Verses 1–5 ask God to hear a just cause, test the heart, judge from his presence, and keep the speaker’s steps steady; the claims are prayerful appeals for examination, not declarations of absolute sinlessness.
Read carefully
The prayer that steps hold fast and feet not slip asks for moral steadiness in God’s paths, not a promise that faithful people will never fail, stumble, or suffer setbacks. Keep the verse inside its literary unit.
Reflection
Use this verse to bring truthful lament and dependence before God without turning the psalm’s courtroom or combat imagery into self-righteousness, retaliation, or harm.