Psalms 17

1 Give me right words, O Lord; speak, and thy servant shall hear thee; attend unto my cry, and give ear unto my prayer. I come not unto thee out of feigned lips.

2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

3 Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me; thou shalt find nothing evil in me, for I am purposed my mouth shall not transgress concerning the works of men.

4 By the words of thy lips I have kept out of the path of the destroyer.

5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God, my speech; and incline thine ear unto me.

7 Show thy marvellous loving-kindness, O thou that savest them which put their trust in thee, by thy right hand from those that rise up.

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings from the wicked that oppress me.

9 My deadly enemies compass me about.

10 They are enclosed in their own fat; with their mouth they speak proudly.

11 They hare now compassed us in our steps; they have set their eyes, bowing down to the earth;

12 Like a lion is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down.

14 Deliver my soul from the wicked by the sword; from men by thy strong hand. Yea, O Lord, from men of the world; for their portion is in their life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy good things; they are full of children, and they die and leave the rest of their inheritance to their babes.

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness.