Psalm 17

¹ Lord, hear the right, attend my cry,

unto my pray’r give heed,

That doth not in hypocrisy

from feigned lips proceed.

² And from before thy presence forth

my sentence do thou send:

Toward these things that equal are

do thou thine eyes intend.

³ Thou 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.

⁴ As for men’s works, I, by the word

that from thy lips doth flow,

Did me preserve out of the paths

wherein destroyers go.

⁵ Hold up my goings, Lord, me guide

in those thy paths divine,

So that my footsteps may not slide

out of those ways of thine.

⁶ I called have on thee, O God,

because thou wilt me hear:

That thou may’st hearken to my speech,

to me incline thine ear.

⁷ Thy wondrous loving-kindness show,

thou that, by thy right hand,

Sav’st them that trust in thee from those

that up against them stand.

⁸ As th’ apple of the eye me keep;

in thy wings shade me close

⁹ From lewd oppressors, compassing

me round, as deadly foes.

¹⁰ In their own fat they are inclos’d;

their mouth speaks loftily.

¹¹ Our steps they compass’d; and to ground

down bowing set their eye.

¹² He like unto a lion is

that’s greedy of his prey,

Or lion young, which lurking doth

in secret places stay.

¹³ Arise, and disappoint my foe,

and cast him down, O Lord:

My soul save from the wicked man,

the man which is thy sword.

¹⁴ From 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.

¹⁵ But as for me, I thine own face

in righteousness will see;

And with thy likeness, when I wake,

I satisfy’d shall be.