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.

“A psalm of David.” Hear the righteous cause, O LORD! Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer from lips without deceit!

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

May my sentence come forth from thy presence; May thine eyes behold uprightness!

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.

Provest thou my heart, visitest thou me in the night, Triest thou me like gold, thou shalt find nothing!

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

My thoughts do not vary from my lips. As to the deeds of men, Through 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.

Support my steps in thy paths, That my feet may not slip!

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

I call upon thee, O God! for thou wilt hear me; Incline thine ear to me, and listen to my prayer!

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

Show forth thy loving-kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand Them that seek refuge in thee from their adversaries!

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me in the shelter of your wings.

Guard 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 who assault 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 shut up their hard heart; With their mouth they speak haughtily.

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

They encompass us in all our steps; They fix their eyes upon us, that they may cast us on the ground.

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

They are like a lion, eager for his prey; Like 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 LORD! disappoint them, cast them down! Deliver me from the wicked by 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, by thy hand, O LORD! from men of the world, Whose portion is in life; whom thou loadest with thy treasure; Whose children have enough, and leave their superfluity to their children.

15 In my innocence I will see your face, awake I am filled with a vision of you.

But I through righteousness shall see thy face; I shall be satisfied with the revival of thy countenance.