Psalms 17
1 Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend to my cry. Give ear to my prayer, that goes not out of feigned lips.
A prayer of David. Listen, O Lord, to my innocence; attend to my piercing cry. Give heed to my prayer out of lips unfeigned.
2 Let my justice come forth from thy presence. Let thine eyes look upon equity.
Let my vindication come from you, your eyes see the truth.
3 Thou have proved my heart. Thou have visited me in the night. Thou have tried me, and find nothing. I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
When you test my heart when you visit at night, and assay me like silver – you can find no evil. I am determined that my mouth should not lie.
4 As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept from the ways of a violent man.
I gave earnest heed to the words of your lips.
5 My steps have held fast to thy paths. My feet have not slipped.
My steps have held fast to the paths of your precepts and in your tracks have my feet never stumbled.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou will answer me, O God. Incline thine ear to me, and hear my speech.
So I call you, O God, with assurance of answer; bend down your ear to me, hear what I say.
7 Show thy marvelous loving kindness, O thou who saves by thy right hand those who take refuge from those who rise up.
Show your marvellous love, you who save from enemies those who take refuge at your right hand.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me in the shelter of your wings.
9 from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who encompass me around.
From wicked people who do me violence, from deadly foes who crowd around me.
10 They are enclosed in their own fat. With their mouth they speak proudly.
They have closed their hearts to pity, the words of their mouths are haughty.
11 They have now encompassed us in our steps. They set their eyes to cast down to the earth.
Now they dog us at every step, keenly watching, to hurl us to the ground,
12 He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
like a lion, longing to tear, like a young lion, lurking in secret.
13 Arise, O Jehovah, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword,
Arise, Lord, face them and fell them. By your sword set me free from the wicked,
14 from men by thy hand, O Jehovah, from men of the world whose portion is in this life, and whose belly thou fill with thy treasure. They are satisfied with sons, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
by your hand, O Lord, from those – whose portion of life is but of this world. But let your treasured ones have food in plenty may their children be full and their children satisfied.
15 As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy form.
In my innocence I will see your face, awake I am filled with a vision of you.
