Psalm 17

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Hear My Righteous Plea

¹תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שִׁמְעָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה׀ צֶ֗דֶק הַקְשִׁ֥יבָה רִנָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה תְפִלָּתִ֑י בְּ֝לֹ֗א שִׂפְתֵ֥י מִרְמָֽה׃

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.

²מִ֭לְּפָנֶיךָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י יֵצֵ֑א עֵ֝ינֶ֗יךָ תֶּחֱזֶ֥ינָה מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

²May my vindication come from Your presence;

may Your eyes see what is right.

³בָּ֘חַ֤נְתָּ לִבִּ֨י׀ פָּ֘קַ֤דְתָּ לַּ֗יְלָה צְרַפְתַּ֥נִי בַל־תִּמְצָ֑א זַ֝מֹּתִ֗י בַּל־יַעֲבָר־פִּֽי׃

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.

⁴לִפְעֻלּ֣וֹת אָ֭דָם בִּדְבַ֣ר שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ אֲנִ֥י שָׁ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אָרְח֥וֹת פָּרִֽיץ׃

⁴As for the deeds of men—

by the word of Your lips

I have avoided the ways of the violent.

⁵תָּמֹ֣ךְ אֲ֭שֻׁרַי בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶ֑יךָ בַּל־נָמ֥וֹטּוּ פְעָמָֽי׃

⁵My steps have held to Your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

⁶אֲנִֽי־קְרָאתִ֣יךָ כִֽי־תַעֲנֵ֣נִי אֵ֑ל הַֽט־אָזְנְךָ֥ לִ֝֗י שְׁמַ֣ע אִמְרָתִֽי׃

⁶I call on You, O God,

for You will answer me.

Incline Your ear to me;

hear my words.

⁷הַפְלֵ֣ה חֲ֭סָדֶיךָ מוֹשִׁ֣יעַ חוֹסִ֑ים מִ֝מִּתְקוֹמְמִ֗ים בִּֽימִינֶֽךָ׃

⁷Show the wonders of Your loving devotion,

You who save by Your right hand

those who seek refuge from their foes.

⁸שָׁ֭מְרֵנִי כְּאִישׁ֣וֹן בַּת־עָ֑יִן בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ תַּסְתִּירֵֽנִי׃

⁸Keep me as the apple of^a Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings

⁹מִפְּנֵ֣י רְ֭שָׁעִים ז֣וּ שַׁדּ֑וּנִי אֹיְבַ֥י בְּ֝נֶ֗פֶשׁ יַקִּ֥יפוּ עָלָֽי׃

⁹from the wicked who assail me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

¹⁰חֶלְבָּ֥מוֹ סָּגְר֑וּ פִּ֝֗ימוֹ דִּבְּר֥וּ בְגֵאֽוּת׃

¹⁰They have closed their callous hearts;

their mouths speak with arrogance.

¹¹אַ֭שֻּׁרֵינוּ עַתָּ֣ה סְבָבוּנִי עֵינֵיהֶ֥ם יָ֝שִׁ֗יתוּ לִנְט֥וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

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

their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,

¹²דִּמְיֹנ֗וֹ כְּ֭אַרְיֵה יִכְס֣וֹף לִטְר֑וֹף וְ֝כִכְפִ֗יר יֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

¹²like a lion greedy for prey,

like a young lion lurking in ambush.

¹³קוּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה קַדְּמָ֣ה פָ֭נָיו הַכְרִיעֵ֑הוּ פַּלְּטָ֥ה נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י מֵרָשָׁ֥ע חַרְבֶּֽךָ׃

¹³Arise, O LORD, confront them!

Bring them to their knees;

deliver me from the wicked by Your sword,

¹⁴מִֽמְתִ֥ים יָדְךָ֨׀ יְהוָ֡ה מִֽמְתִ֬ים מֵחֶ֗לֶד חֶלְקָ֥ם בַּֽחַיִּים֮ וּצְפִינְךָ תְּמַלֵּ֪א בִ֫טְנָ֥ם יִשְׂבְּע֥וּ בָנִ֑ים וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ יִ֝תְרָ֗ם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶֽם׃

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^a and satisfy their sons,

so they leave their abundance to their children.

¹⁵אֲנִ֗י בְּ֭צֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶ֣ה פָנֶ֑יךָ אֶשְׂבְּעָ֥ה בְ֝הָקִ֗יץ תְּמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

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

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