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.

Yahweh, listen to me while I plead with you to act justly toward me. Hear me while I call out to you to help me. Pay attention to what I say while I pray because I am speaking [MTY] honestly/truthfully.

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

You are the one who is able to declare that I (am innocent/have not done anything that was wrong) because you see/know that I am telling the truth.

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.

You know what I think, [even] at night; you have examined what I say and do, and you know that I have determined to never tell any lies.

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

I have not done like others do; I have always done what is right [IDM], and I have not acted cruelly toward others.

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

I have always done what you told me to do [IDM], I have (never failed to do/always done) [LIT] those things.

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

O God, I pray to you because you answer me; please listen [MTY] to what I am saying.

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

Show me that you faithfully love me. By your great power [MTY] rescue those who (run to/trust in) you to protect them from their enemies.

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

Protect me as people carefully protect their own eyes; protect me like [birds] protect [their babies] under their wings [MET].

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

Do not allow wicked people to attack me; my enemies surround me, wanting to kill me.

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

They never pity [IDM] anyone, and they are always boasting.

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

They have hunted/searched for me and found me. They surround me, watching for an opportunity to throw me to the ground.

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

They are like lions [SIM] that are ready to tear apart the animals that they capture; they are like young lions that are hiding, waiting to pounce [on their prey].

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

Yahweh, come and (oppose/fight against) my enemies and defeat them! Use your sword to save me from those wicked people!

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.

Yahweh, by your power [MTY] rescue me from those people who are interested [only] in things here in this world. But you provide plenty of food for those whom you love dearly; their children also have many things that their grandchildren will inherit.

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

Yahweh, because I act righteously, I will [some day] see you [SYN]. When I awake, I will see you face-to-face, and then I will be happy.