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Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry!
    Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
From thee let my vindication come!
    Let thy eyes see the right!

If thou triest my heart, if thou visitest me by night,
    if thou testest me, thou wilt find no wickedness in me;
    my mouth does not transgress.
With regard to the works of men, by the word of thy lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to thy paths,
    my feet have not slipped.

I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God;
    incline thy ear to me, hear my words.
Wondrously show thy steadfast love,
    O savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at thy right hand.

Keep me as the apple of the eye;
    hide me in the shadow of thy wings,
from the wicked who despoil me,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.

10 They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me;
    they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear,
    as a young lion lurking in ambush.

13 Arise, O Lord! confront them, overthrow them!
    Deliver my life from the wicked by thy sword,
14 from men by thy hand, O Lord,
    from men whose portion in life is of the world.
May their belly be filled with what thou hast stored up for them;
    may their children have more than enough;
    may they leave something over to their babes.

15 As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness;
    when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form.

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