Psalms 17

1 A prayer of David. Listen, O Lord, to my innocence; attend to my piercing cry. Give heed to my prayer out of lips unfeigned.

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

2 Let my vindication come from you, your eyes see the truth.

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

3 When you test my heart when you visit at night, and assay me like silver – you can find no evil. I am determined that my mouth should not lie.

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

4 I gave earnest heed to the words of your lips.

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

5 My steps have held fast to the paths of your precepts and in your tracks have my feet never stumbled.

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

6 So I call you, O God, with assurance of answer; bend down your ear to me, hear what I say.

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

7 Show your marvellous love, you who save from enemies those who take refuge at your right hand.

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 in the shelter of your wings.

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9 From wicked people who do me violence, from deadly foes who crowd around me.

From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

10 They have closed their hearts to pity, the words of their mouths are haughty.

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

11 Now they dog us at every step, keenly watching, to hurl us to the ground,

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

12 like a lion, longing to tear, like a young lion, lurking in secret.

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

13 Arise, Lord, face them and fell them. By your sword set me free from the wicked,

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

14 by your hand, O Lord, from those – whose portion of life is but of this world. But let your treasured ones have food in plenty may their children be full and their children satisfied.

From men which are thy hand, O YHWH, 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 In my innocence I will see your face, awake I am filled with a vision of you.

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