< Psalms 17 >
1 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.
“A psalm of David.” Hear the righteous cause, O LORD! Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer from lips without deceit!
2 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.
May my sentence come forth from thy presence; May thine eyes behold uprightness!
3 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.
Provest thou my heart, visitest thou me in the night, Triest thou me like gold, thou shalt find nothing!
4 I have not done like others do; I have always done what is right [IDM], and I have not acted cruelly toward others.
My thoughts do not vary from my lips. As to the deeds of men, Through the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
5 I have always done what you told me to do [IDM], I have (never failed to do/always done) [LIT] those things.
Support my steps in thy paths, That my feet may not slip!
6 O God, I pray to you because you answer me; please listen [MTY] to what I am saying.
I call upon thee, O God! for thou wilt hear me; Incline thine ear to me, and listen to my prayer!
7 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.
Show forth thy loving-kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand Them that seek refuge in thee from their adversaries!
8 Protect me as people carefully protect their own eyes; protect me like [birds] protect [their babies] under their wings [MET].
Guard me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings
9 Do not allow wicked people to attack me; my enemies surround me, wanting to kill me.
From the wicked who assault me, From my deadly enemies who compass me about!
10 They never pity [IDM] anyone, and they are always boasting.
They shut up their hard heart; With their mouth they speak haughtily.
11 They have hunted/searched for me and found me. They surround me, watching for an opportunity to throw me to the ground.
They encompass us in all our steps; They fix their eyes upon us, that they may cast us on the ground.
12 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].
They are like a lion, eager for his prey; Like a young lion, lurking in secret places.
13 Yahweh, come and (oppose/fight against) my enemies and defeat them! Use your sword to save me from those wicked people!
Arise, O LORD! disappoint them, cast them down! Deliver me from the wicked by thy sword,
14 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.
From men, by thy hand, O LORD! from men of the world, Whose portion is in life; whom thou loadest with thy treasure; Whose children have enough, and leave their superfluity to their children.
15 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.
But I through righteousness shall see thy face; I shall be satisfied with the revival of thy countenance.