Psalms 17
1 A prayer of David. Listen to my plea for justice, Yahweh; pay attention to my call for help! Give ear to my prayer from lips without deceit.
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 Let my vindication come from your presence; let your eyes 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 If you test my heart, if you come to me in the night, you will purify me and will not find any evil plans; my mouth will not transgress.
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 As for the deeds of mankind, it is at the word of your lips that I have kept myself from the ways of the lawless.
I have not done like others do; I have always done what is right [IDM], and I have not acted cruelly toward others.
5 My steps have held firmly to your tracks; my feet have not slipped.
I have always done what you told me to do [IDM], I have (never failed to do/always done) [LIT] those things.
6 I call to you, for you answer me, God; turn your ear to me and listen when I speak.
O God, I pray to you because you answer me; please listen [MTY] to what I am saying.
7 Show your covenant faithfulness in a wonderful way, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from 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 Protect me like the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of your wings
Protect me as people carefully protect their own eyes; protect me like [birds] protect [their babies] under their wings [MET].
9 from the presence of the wicked ones who assault me, my enemies who surround me.
Do not allow wicked people to attack me; my enemies surround me, wanting to kill me.
10 They have no mercy on anyone; their mouths speak with pride.
They never pity [IDM] anyone, and they are always boasting.
11 They have surrounded my steps. They set their eyes to strike me to the ground.
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 a lion eager for a victim, like a young lion crouching in hidden places.
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 Arise, Yahweh! Attack them! Throw them down on their faces! Rescue my life from the wicked by your sword!
Yahweh, come and (oppose/fight against) my enemies and defeat them! Use your sword to save me from those wicked people!
14 Rescue me from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of this world whose prosperity is in this life alone! You will fill the bellies of your treasured ones with riches; they will have many children and will leave their wealth to their children.
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 will see your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied, when I awake, with a sight of you.
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.
