Self-interpreting Bible

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Psalms 17

1David appealeth to God for his innocence, and prayeth to be saved from his enemies: 10he sheweth their pride and eagerness to ruin him: 13he prayeth against worldly men, expressing his own confidence in God.


0 A aPrayer of David.

1 HEAR bthe 1right, O LORD, cattend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, 2that goeth not out of feigned lips.

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

3 Thou fhast *proved mine heart; thou hast gvisited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; hI am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

4 Concerning the works of men, iby the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

5 jHold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps 3slip not.

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

7 Shew thy lmarvellous lovingkindness, O thou 4that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

8 mKeep me as the *apple of the eye, hide me under nthe shadow of thy wings,

9 From the wicked 5that oppress me, from 6my deadly enemies, who *compass me about.

  • 5: Heb. that waste me.
  • 6: Heb. my enemies against the soul.
  • *: compass-surround.

10 They oare *inclosed in their own fat: pwith their mouth they speak proudly.

11 They qhave now *compassed us in our steps: they have rset their eyes bowing down to the earth;

12 7Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion 8lurking in secret places.

  • 7: Heb. the likeness of him (that is, of every one of them) is as a lion that desireth to raven.
  • 8: Heb. sitting.

13 sArise, O LORD, 9disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, twhich is 10thy sword:

14 11From men which are thy uhand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have vtheir portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: 12they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

15 As for me, wI will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be xsatisfied, ywhen I awake, with thy zlikeness.