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.

The prayer of Dauid. Heare the right, O Lord, consider my crye: hearken vnto my prayer of lips vnfained.

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

Let my sentence come forth from thy presence, and let thine eyes beholde equitie.

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 hast prooued and visited mine heart in the night: thou hast tryed me, and foundest nothing: for I was purposed that my mouth should not offend.

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

Concerning the workes of men, by the wordes of thy lips I kept mee from the paths of the cruell man.

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

Stay my steps in thy paths, that my feete doe not slide.

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

I haue called vpon thee: surely thou wilt heare me, O God: incline thine eare to me, and hearken vnto my wordes.

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

Shewe thy marueilous mercies, thou that art the Sauiour of them that trust in thee, from such as resist thy right hand.

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

Keepe me as the apple of the eye: hide me vnder the shadowe of thy wings,

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

From the wicked that oppresse mee, from mine enemies, which compasse me round about for my soule.

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

They are inclosed in their owne fat, and they haue spoken proudely with their mouth.

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

They haue compassed vs now in our steps: they haue set their eyes to bring downe to the ground:

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

Like as a lyon that is greedy of pray, and as it were a lyons whelp lurking in secret places.

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

Vp Lord, disappoint him: cast him downe: deliuer my soule from the wicked with thy sworde,

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 thine hand, O Lord, from men of the world, who haue their portion in this life, whose bellies thou fillest with thine hid treasure: their children haue ynough, and leaue the rest of their substance for their children.

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

But I will beholde thy face in righteousnes, and when I awake, I shalbe satisfied with thine image.