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Psalm 17[a]

Prayer in Time of Persecution

A prayer of David.

Hear, O Lord, my call for justice;
    give heed to my cry.
Listen to the prayer of my lips,
    for they are free of deceit.
Let my vindication issue forth from you;
    let your eyes discern what is right.
You have probed my heart[b]
    and examined me throughout the night.
You have tested me
    and found no malice in me,
    for I have not sinned with my mouth.
Despite what other people do,
    I have been guided by the word of your lips[c]
    and refrained from their acts of violence.
My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not wavered.
I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me.
    Incline your ear to me and listen to my plea.
Show how wonderful is your kindness,[d]
    you who save those who seek protection
    by taking refuge at your right hand.
Guard me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings[e]
from the wicked who treat me with violence,
    from deadly enemies who surround me.
10 There is no compassion in their hearts,[f]
    and arrogance issues from their mouths.
11 They track me down and begin to close in,
    watching for the chance to strike me down,
12 like a lion primed to attack it prey,
    like a young lion lurking in hiding.
13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, and cast them down;[g]
    deliver me from the wicked by your sword.
14 With your hand, O Lord, snatch me from such people,
    from the worldly whose reward is in this life.[h]
You satisfy the hunger of those you cherish;
    their children have all they desire
    and leave their wealth to their little ones.
15 But in my righteousness I will see your face;[i]
    when I awaken, I will be blessed by beholding you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 17:1 Here again we have a picture of smug and pitiless people whose hearts are closed to the word of God as well as to the cry of the poor. The psalmist who endures their unjust accusations begs God to show forth his innocence and to punish his evil accusers. He is willing to leave earthly goods to them (v. 14) as long as he can rejoice in God’s presence. Perhaps we can see in this desire for awakening, enlightened by God’s face (v. 15), the burgeoning hope of the resurrection.
    In praying this psalm, we should recall that in the Church (his Mystical Body) and in each Christian (as in a part of that Body), Jesus relives the mystery of his undeserved Passion and glorious Resurrection (see Acts 9:4f).
  2. Psalm 17:3 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
  3. Psalm 17:4 Word of your lips: God’s revelation by which he made known the “paths” his faithful are to follow. And refrained . . . violence: an alternative translation is: “and kept the words of your law.”
  4. Psalm 17:7 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
  5. Psalm 17:8 Apple of your eye . . . shadow of your wings: conventional Hebrew metaphors for protection (see Deut 32:10; Prov 7:2; Isa 49:2).
  6. Psalm 17:10 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8. Arrogance . . . mouths: see notes on Pss 5:11; 10:7.
  7. Psalm 17:13 Cast them down: see notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
  8. Psalm 17:14 From the worldly . . . life: or: “from mortals whose part in life is transitory.” You satisfy . . . little ones: or: “With your treasures you fill their bellies; / their sons are enriched / and bequeath their abundance to their little ones.”
  9. Psalm 17:15 See your face: see note on Ps 11:7. When I awaken: from the night of death; however, inasmuch as death is often compared to sleep (see Ps 76:6; Dan 12:1f), it may refer to a new awakening after death.

Psalm 17

Ein Gebet Davids.

Höre, o Herr, die gerechte Sache!
Vernimm meine Klage,
achte auf mein Gebet, das nicht von falschen Lippen kommt!

Von dir gehe das Urteil über mich
aus;
deine Augen werden auf die Redlichkeit schauen!

Du hast mein Herz geprüft,
mich in der Nacht durchforscht;
du hast mich geläutert, und du hast nichts gefunden,
worin ich mich vergangen hätte mit meinen Gedanken oder mit meinem Mund.

Beim Treiben der Menschen habe ich mich nach dem Wort deiner Lippen
gehütet vor den Wegen des Gewalttätigen.

Senke meine Tritte ein in deine Fußstapfen,
damit mein Gang nicht wankend sei!

Ich rufe zu dir, denn du, o Gott, wirst mich erhören;
neige dein Ohr zu mir, höre meine
Rede!

Erweise deine wunderbare Gnade, du Retter derer,
die vor den Widersachern Zuflucht suchen bei deiner Rechten!

Behüte mich wie den Augapfel im Auge,
beschirme mich unter dem Schatten deiner Flügel

vor den Gottlosen, die mir Gewalt antun wollen,
vor meinen Todfeinden, die mich umringen!

10 Ihr fettes [Herz] verschließen sie;
mit ihrem Mund reden sie übermütig.

11 Auf Schritt und Tritt umringen sie uns jetzt;
sie haben es darauf abgesehen, uns zu Boden zu strecken.

12 Sie gleichen dem Löwen, der zerreißen will,
dem Junglöwen, der lauert im Versteck.

13 Steh auf, o Herr, komm ihm zuvor, demütige ihn!
Errette meine Seele von dem Gottlosen durch dein Schwert,

14 von den Leuten durch deine Hand, o Herr,
von den Leuten dieser Welt, deren Teil in diesem Leben ist,
und deren Bauch du füllst mit deinem Gut;
sie haben Söhne genug
und lassen, was sie übrig haben, ihren Kindern.

15 Ich aber werde dein Angesicht schauen in Gerechtigkeit,
an deinem Anblick mich sättigen, wenn ich erwache[a].

Footnotes

  1. (17,15) od. aufstehe; hierin kann man eine Anspielung auf die Auferstehungshoffnung sehen (vgl. Dan 12,2).

17 Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust 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, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which 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.

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me,(A) Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.(B)
Hear(C) my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.(D)
Let my vindication(E) come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.(F)

Though you probe my heart,(G)
    though you examine me at night and test me,(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;(I)
    my mouth has not transgressed.(J)
Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
My steps have held to your paths;(K)
    my feet have not stumbled.(L)

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;(M)
    turn your ear to me(N) and hear my prayer.(O)
Show me the wonders of your great love,(P)
    you who save by your right hand(Q)
    those who take refuge(R) in you from their foes.
Keep me(S) as the apple of your eye;(T)
    hide me(U) in the shadow of your wings(V)
from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.(W)

10 They close up their callous hearts,(X)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.(Y)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,(Z)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion(AA) hungry for prey,(AB)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up,(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;(AD)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world(AE) whose reward is in this life.(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers(AG) for their little ones.

15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake,(AH) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.(AI)

Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.

You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
(A)You have [a]tried me and have found [b]nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not (B)transgress.
Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
(C)Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.

(D)I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who [c]save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
Keep me as the [d]apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They have closed up their (E)fat hearts;
With their mouths they (F)speak proudly.
11 They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth,
12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey,
And like a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.

15 As for me, (G)I will see Your face in righteousness;
(H)I shall be satisfied when I (I)awake in Your likeness.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 17:3 examined
  2. Psalm 17:3 Nothing evil
  3. Psalm 17:7 deliver
  4. Psalm 17:8 pupil