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Prayer for protection against oppressors.

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry;
Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
[a]Let thine eyes look upon equity.
Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast visited me in the night;
Thou hast tried me, and [b]findest nothing;
I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips
I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to thy paths,
My feet have not slipped.
I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God:
Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Show thy marvellous lovingkindness,
O thou that savest [c]by thy right hand them that take refuge in thee
From those that rise up against them.
Keep me as the apple of the eye;
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
From the wicked that oppress me,
My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
10 [d]They are inclosed in their own fat:
With their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps;
They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.
12 He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey,
And as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O Jehovah,
[e]Confront him, cast him down:
Deliver my soul from [f]the wicked by thy sword;
14 From [g]men by thy hand, O Jehovah,
From men [h]of the world, whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure:
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
15 As for me, [i]I shall behold thy face in righteousness;
[j]I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with beholding thy form.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 17:2 Or, Thine eyes behold with equity
  2. Psalm 17:3 Or, findest no evil purpose in me; My mouth etc.
  3. Psalm 17:7 Or, them that take refuge . . . rise up against thy right hand
  4. Psalm 17:10 Or, They have shut up their heart
  5. Psalm 17:13 Or, Forestall
  6. Psalm 17:13 Or, the wicked, who is thy sword
  7. Psalm 17:14 Or, men who are thy hand
  8. Psalm 17:14 Or, whose portion in life is of the world
  9. Psalm 17:15 Or, let me
  10. Psalm 17:15 Or, let me