Psalms 17

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

1LORD, listen to me. My cause is right. Hear me when I cry out. Listen to my prayer. My lips are not telling lies.

2Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

2Let the word about my case come from you. Your eyes see what is fair.

3Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

3You have looked inside my heart. You came to me in the night. You tested me and found nothing bad. I have made up my mind not to sin with my words.

4Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

4People do many wrong things. But your words kept me off the paths of cruel people.

5Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

5Hold my steps on your paths. Then my feet will not slip.

6I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

6I call to you, God, because you will answer me. Turn your ear to me. Hear what I say.

7Shew 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.

7Show me your wonderful, faithful love. You save people with your strong right hand. You save the ones who trust you when others attack them.

8Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

8Keep me safe like the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Note"The apple of the eye" is an old way of saying the middle of the eye. It is the part you protect most. So this means: keep me very safe.

9From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

9Keep me safe from bad people who hurt me. My enemies want me dead. They are all around me.

10They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

10Their hearts are closed up and hard. Their mouths say proud, boastful things.

NoteThe old English says they are "closed in their own fat." It means their hearts have grown hard, so they do not care about anyone else.

11They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

11They have followed my steps. Now they close in around us. They watch, ready to throw us to the ground.

12Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

12They are like a lion hungry for its next meal. They are like a young lion hiding, waiting to jump.

13Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

13Get up, LORD! Go and meet them. Bring them down. Save my life from bad people with your sword.

14From men which are thy hand, O LORD, 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.

14Save me from such men by your hand, LORD. They belong to this world. All they get is in this life. You fill their stomachs with food you stored up. They have many children. They leave the rest of their riches to them.

NoteThis verse is hard to put into English. Bibles word it in different ways. Some read the second half as God giving good things to these men. Others read it as God giving good things to his own people.

15As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

15But I will see your face, because I am right with you. When I wake up, seeing you will be enough.