XVII PRAYER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST OPPRESSORS
A Prayer of David.
［1］ HEAR the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry;
Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
［2］ Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
Let〖Or, Thine eyes behold with equity.〗 thine eyes look upon equity.
［3］ Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast visited me in the night;
Thou hast tried me, and findest〖Or, findest no evil purpose in me; My mouth &c.〗 nothing;
I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
［4］ As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips
I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
［5］ My steps have held fast to thy paths,
My feet have not slipped.
［6］ I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God:
Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
［7］ Show thy marvellous lovingkindness,
O thou that savest by〖Or, them that take refuge ... rise up against thy right hand.〗 thy right hand them that take refuge in thee
From those that rise up against them.
［8］ Keep me as the apple of the eye;
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
From the wicked that oppress me,
My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
［9］ From the wicked that oppress me,
My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
［10］ They〖Or, They have shut up their heart.〗 are inclosed in their own fat:
With their mouth they speak proudly.
［11］ They have now compassed us in our steps;
They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.
［12］ He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey,
And as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
［13］ Arise, O Jehovah,
Confront〖Or, Forestall.〗 him, cast him down:
Deliver my soul from the〖Or, the wicked, who is thy sword.〗 wicked by thy sword;
［14］ From men〖Or, men who are thy hand.〗 by thy hand, O Jehovah,
From men of〖Or, whose portion in life is of the world.〗 the world, whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure:
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
［15］ As for me, I〖Or, let me.〗 shall behold thy face in righteousness;
I〖Or, let me.〗 shall be satisfied, when I awake, with beholding thy form.