Psalms 17
17
PSALM 17
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
A Prayer of David.
1Lord, hear the right, attend my cry,
unto my pray'r give heed,
That doth not in hypocrisy
from feigned lips proceed.
2And from before thy presence forth
my sentence do thou send:
Toward these things that equal are
do thou thine eyes intend.
3Thou prov'dst mine heart, thou visit'dst me
by night, thou didst me try,
Yet nothing found'st; for that my mouth
shall not sin, purpos'd I.
4As for men's works, I, by the word
that from thy lips doth flow,
Did me preserve out of the paths
wherein destroyers go.
5Hold up my goings,
Lord, me guide
in those thy paths divine,
So that my footsteps may not slide
out of those ways of thine.
6I called have on thee, O God,
because thou wilt me hear:
That thou may'st hearken to my speech,
to me incline thine ear.
7Thy wondrous loving-kindness show,
thou that, by thy right hand,
Sav'st them that trust in thee from those
that up against them stand.
8As th' apple of the eye me keep;
in thy wings shade me close
9From lewd oppressors, compassing
me round, as deadly foes.
10In their own fat they are inclos'd;
their mouth speaks loftily.
11Our steps they compass'd; and to ground
down bowing set their eye.
12He like unto a lion is
that's greedy of his prey,
Or lion young, which lurking doth
in secret places stay.
13Arise, and disappoint my foe,
and cast him down,
O Lord: My soul save from the wicked man,
the man which is thy sword.
14From men, which are thy hand, O Lord,
from worldly men me save,
Which only in this present life
their part and portion have.
Whose belly with thy treasure hid
thou fill'st: they children have
In plenty; of their goods the rest
they to their children leave.
15But as for me, I thine own face
in righteousness will see;
And with thy likeness, when I wake,
I satisfy'd shall be.
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 17
17
1-2Listen while I build my case, God,
the most honest prayer you’ll ever hear.
Show the world I’m innocent—
in your heart you know I am.
3Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
surprise me in the middle of the night—
You’ll find I’m just what I say I am.
My words don’t run loose.
4-5I’m not trying to get my way
in the world’s way.
I’m trying to get your way,
your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
I’m not giving up.
6-7I call to you, God, because I’m sure of an answer.
So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp!
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
take in your frightened children who
Are running from the neighborhood bullies
straight to you.
8-9Keep your eye on me;
hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
from mortal enemies closing in.
10-14Their hearts are hard as nails,
their mouths blast hot air.
They are after me, nipping my heels,
determined to bring me down,
Lions ready to rip me apart,
young lions poised to pounce.
Up, God: beard them! break them!
By your sword, free me from their clutches;
Barehanded, God, break these mortals,
these flat-earth people who can’t think beyond today.
I’d like to see their bellies
swollen with famine food,
The weeds they’ve sown
harvested and baked into famine bread,
With second helpings for their children
and crusts for their babies to chew on.
15And me? I plan on looking
you full in the face. When I get up,
I’ll see your full stature
and live heaven on earth.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.