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A Prayer by David.

17 Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea.
    Give ear to my prayer that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips.
Let my sentence come out of your presence.
    Let your eyes look on equity.
You have proved my heart.
    You have visited me in the night.
    You have tried me, and found nothing.
    I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.
As for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to your paths.
    My feet have not slipped.
I have called on you, for you will answer me, God.
    Turn your ear to me.
    Hear my speech.
Show your marvelous loving kindness,
    you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.
Keep me as the apple of your eye.
    Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who oppress me,
    my deadly enemies, who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts.
    With their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now surrounded 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,
    as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, Yahweh, confront him.
    Cast him down.
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14     from men by your hand, Yahweh,
    from men of the world, whose portion is in this life.
You fill the belly of your cherished ones.
    Your sons have plenty,
    and they store up wealth for their children.
15 As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness.
    I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your 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