Keraia
Wisdom and Poetry

Psalm 17

Hear My Righteous Plea

1A prayer of David.

Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;

listen to my cry.

Give ear to my prayer—

it comes from lips free of deceit.

1A Prayer of David. Hear, O YHWH, a just cause; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer without lips of deceit.

2May my vindication come from Your presence;

may Your eyes see what is right.

2From before Your face, let my judgment come forth; may Your eyes see uprightness.

3You have tried my heart;

You have visited me in the night.

You have tested me and found no evil;

I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.

3You have tested my heart; You have inspected in the night. You have refined me without Your finding, for I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

4As for the deeds of men—

by the word of Your lips

I have avoided the ways of the violent.

4As for the works of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept myself from the ways of a violent one.

5My steps have held to Your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

5To uphold my steps on Your paths, my footsteps are not shaken.

6I call on You, O God,

for You will answer me.

Incline Your ear to me;

hear my words.

6I call on You, for You will answer me, O God! Incline Your ear to me; hear my word.

7Show the wonders of Your loving devotion,

You who save by Your right hand

those who seek refuge from their foes.

7Set apart Your loving devotion, You who save those taking refuge from the assailants—with Your right hand.

8Keep me as the apple of Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings

8May you guard me as the pupil, the daughter of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings,

9from the wicked who assail me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

9from wicked ones who would ruin me, my enemies in soul go around against me.

10They have closed their callous hearts;

their mouths speak with arrogance.

10Their fat they have closed up; their mouths they speak with pride.

11They have tracked us down, and now surround us;

their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,

11In our steps now they have surrounded us; they have set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

12like a lion greedy for prey,

like a young lion lurking in ambush.

12His likeness is as a lion longing to tear, and like a young lion lurking in hidden places.

13Arise, O LORD, confront them!

Bring them to their knees;

deliver me from the wicked by Your sword,

13Arise, O YHWH! Go before his face; cast him down, and rescue my soul from the wicked by your sword,

14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand—

from men of the world

whose portion is in this life.

May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons,

so they leave their abundance to their children.

14from men by Your hand, O YHWH, from men of the world—their portion is in this life. And Your treasured ones, You fill their belly; they are satisfied with sons, and they leave their remainder to their children.

15As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness;

when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.

15I, in righteousness, will see Your face; in my waking, I will be satisfied with Your form.