Psalm 17
Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 17
A Prayer of David.
1 Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry,
give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
3 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.
4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips
I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God:
incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 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.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye,
hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 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
American Standard Version
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.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
[a]Let thine eyes look upon equity.
3 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.
4 As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips
I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to thy paths,
My feet have not slipped.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God:
Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 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.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye;
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 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
- Psalm 17:2 Or, Thine eyes behold with equity
- Psalm 17:3 Or, findest no evil purpose in me; My mouth etc.
- Psalm 17:7 Or, them that take refuge . . . rise up against thy right hand
- Psalm 17:10 Or, They have shut up their heart
- Psalm 17:13 Or, Forestall
- Psalm 17:13 Or, the wicked, who is thy sword
- Psalm 17:14 Or, men who are thy hand
- Psalm 17:14 Or, whose portion in life is of the world
- Psalm 17:15 Or, let me
- Psalm 17:15 Or, let me
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
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