Psalms 17
1 A prayer of David. Lord, please hear my cry for justice! Please pay attention to my call for help! Listen to the prayer of an honest man!
Yahweh, listen to me while I plead with you to act justly toward me. Hear me while I call out to you to help me. Pay attention to what I say while I pray because I am speaking [MTY] honestly/truthfully.
2 Vindicate me before you—for you see what is right.
You are the one who is able to declare that I (am innocent/have not done anything that was wrong) because you see/know that I am telling the truth.
3 You have observed my thoughts, you have visited me at night, you have examined me—and you have found nothing wrong. I promised myself I wouldn't say anything I shouldn't.
You know what I think, [even] at night; you have examined what I say and do, and you know that I have determined to never tell any lies.
4 With regard to the actions of others: I have done what you told me and I have avoided what violent people do.
I have not done like others do; I have always done what is right [IDM], and I have not acted cruelly toward others.
5 I have not strayed from your path; my feet have not slipped from it.
I have always done what you told me to do [IDM], I have (never failed to do/always done) [LIT] those things.
6 God, I call out to you because I know you will answer; please listen carefully to what I have to say.
O God, I pray to you because you answer me; please listen [MTY] to what I am saying.
7 Show me how wonderful your trustworthy love really is, Savior of those who come to you for protection against their enemies!
Show me that you faithfully love me. By your great power [MTY] rescue those who (run to/trust in) you to protect them from their enemies.
8 Keep me safe as someone you love; hide me underneath your wings.
Protect me as people carefully protect their own eyes; protect me like [birds] protect [their babies] under their wings [MET].
9 Protect me from the attacks of the wicked who want to destroy me, from my enemies who surround me, intent on killing me.
Do not allow wicked people to attack me; my enemies surround me, wanting to kill me.
10 They have no compassion, and all they have to say is pure arrogance.
They never pity [IDM] anyone, and they are always boasting.
11 They hunt me down and surround me, looking for the chance to knock me down in the dust.
They have hunted/searched for me and found me. They surround me, watching for an opportunity to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like lions, longing to tear their prey apart; like fierce lions crouching in ambush.
They are like lions [SIM] that are ready to tear apart the animals that they capture; they are like young lions that are hiding, waiting to pounce [on their prey].
13 Lord, stand up and confront them! Force them to back down! By your sword rescue me from the wicked!
Yahweh, come and (oppose/fight against) my enemies and defeat them! Use your sword to save me from those wicked people!
14 Lord, by your power, save me from people whose only thought is for this world. May they be filled with what you have in store for them, their children too, with left-overs for their grandchildren!
Yahweh, by your power [MTY] rescue me from those people who are interested [only] in things here in this world. But you provide plenty of food for those whom you love dearly; their children also have many things that their grandchildren will inherit.
15 As for me, I shall see your face in all its goodness. When I awake, I will be so pleased to see you face to face.
Yahweh, because I act righteously, I will [some day] see you [SYN]. When I awake, I will see you face-to-face, and then I will be happy.
