Psalms 17

Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors

¹A prayer of David.

Hear, Lord , my plea for justice;

pay heed to my cry;

Listen to my prayer

from lips without guile.

²From you let my vindication come;

your eyes see what is right.

³You have tested my heart,

searched it in the night.

You have tried me by fire,

but find no malice in me.

My mouth has not transgressed

⁴as others often do.

As your lips have instructed me,

I have kept from the way of the lawless.

⁵My steps have kept to your paths;

my feet have not faltered.

⁶I call upon you; answer me, O God.

Turn your ear to me; hear my speech.

⁷Show your wonderful mercy,

you who deliver with your right arm

those who seek refuge from their foes.

⁸Keep me as the apple of your eye;[#: images of God’s special care, cf. Dt 32:10; Prv 7:2; Is 49:2.]

hide me in the shadow of your wings

⁹from the wicked who despoil me.[#Ps 10:9; 22:14, 22; 35:17; 58:7; Jb 4:10–11.]

My ravenous enemies press upon me;

¹⁰they close their hearts,[#17:10–12, 14] An extended metaphor: the enemies are lions.]

they fill their mouths with proud roaring.

¹¹Their steps even now encircle me;

they watch closely, keeping low to the ground,

¹²Like lions eager for prey,

like a young lion lurking in ambush.

¹³Rise, O Lord , confront and cast them down;

rescue my soul from the wicked.

¹⁴Slay them with your sword;

with your hand, Lord , slay them;

snatch them from the world in their prime.

Their bellies are being filled with your friends;

their children are satisfied too,

for they share what is left with their young.

¹⁵I am just—let me see your face;

when I awake, let me be filled with your presence.