Psalms 17
1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend to my cry, give ear to my prayer, [that goeth] not out of feigned lips.
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!
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thy eyes behold the things that are equal.
Vindicate me before you—for you see what is right.
3 Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast visited [me] in the night; thou hast tried me, [and] shalt find nothing; I have purposed [that] my mouth shall not transgress.
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.
4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept [me from] the paths of the destroyer.
With regard to the actions of others: I have done what you told me and I have avoided what violent people do.
5 Uphold my goings in thy paths, [that] my footsteps slip not.
I have not strayed from your path; my feet have not slipped from it.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thy ear to me, [and hear] my speech.
God, I call out to you because I know you will answer; please listen carefully to what I have to say.
7 Show thy wonderful loving-kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them who put their trust [in thee] from those that rise up [against them].
Show me how wonderful your trustworthy love really is, Savior of those who come to you for protection against their enemies!
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shade of thy wings.
Keep me safe as someone you love; hide me underneath your wings.
9 From the wicked that oppress me, [from] my deadly enemies, [who] encompass me,
Protect me from the attacks of the wicked who want to destroy me, from my enemies who surround me, intent on killing me.
10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
They have no compassion, and all they have to say is pure arrogance.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
They hunt me down and surround me, looking for the chance to knock me down in the dust.
12 Like as a lion [that] is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
They are like lions, longing to tear their prey apart; like fierce lions crouching in ambush.
13 Arise, O LORD disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, [who is] thy sword:
Lord, stand up and confront them! Force them to back down! By your sword rescue me from the wicked!
14 From men [who are] thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, [who have] their portion in [this] life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid [treasure]: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their [substance] to their babes.
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!
15 As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
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.
