Psalms 17
17
Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors
1A prayer of David.
I
Hear, Lord, my plea for justice;
pay heed to my cry;
Listen to my prayer
from lips without guile.
2From you let my vindication come;
your eyes see what is right.
3You have tested my heart,
searched it in the night.#Ps 26:2; 139:23.
You have tried me by fire,
but find no malice in me.
My mouth has not transgressed
4as others often do.
As your lips have instructed me,
I have kept from the way of the lawless.
5My steps have kept to your paths;
my feet have not faltered.#Ps 18:36; Jb 23:11–12.
II
6I call upon you; answer me, O God.
Turn your ear to me; hear my speech.
7Show your wonderful mercy,
you who deliver with your right arm
those who seek refuge from their foes.
8#Apple of your eye…shadow of your wings: images of God’s special care, cf. Dt 32:10; Prv 7:2; Is 49:2.Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9from the wicked who despoil me.#Ps 10:9; 22:14, 22; 35:17; 58:7; Jb 4:10–11.
III
My ravenous enemies press upon me;#Ps 36:8; 57:2; 61:5; 63:8; 91:4; Dt 32:10; Ru 2:12; Zec 2:12; Mt 23:37.
10#17:10–12, 14] An extended metaphor: the enemies are lions.they close their hearts,
they fill their mouths with proud roaring.
11Their steps even now encircle me;
they watch closely, keeping low to the ground,
12Like lions eager for prey,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Rise, O Lord, confront and cast them down;
rescue my soul from the wicked.
14Slay them with your sword;
with your hand, Lord, slay them;
snatch them from the world in their prime.
Their bellies are being filled with your friends;
their children are satisfied too,
for they share what is left with their young.
15I am just—let me see your face;
when I awake, let me be filled with your presence.#Ps 4:7; 31:17; 67:2; 80:4; Nm 6:25; Dn 9:17.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Psalm 17
17
In the Shadow of Your Wings
A #[Ps. 86, title; 142, title]Prayer of David.
1Hear a just cause, O Lord; #Ps. 142:6; [Ps. 61:1; Jer. 7:16]attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2From your presence #[Ps. 26:1]let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
3You have #See Job 23:10 tried my heart, you have #Job 31:14 visited me by #Ps. 16:7; [Job 33:15] night,
you have #Judg. 7:4; Zech. 13:9; 1 Pet. 1:7; [Ps. 139:1; Mal. 3:2, 3]tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5My steps have #Job 23:11; [Ps. 44:18]held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6I #Ps. 86:6, 7; 116:1, 2 call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
# See Ps. 31:2 incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 #
Ps. 31:21 Wondrously show#17:7 Or Distinguish me by your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from #Ps. 44:5; 59:1; 139:21their adversaries at your right hand.
8Keep me as #Deut. 32:10; Zech. 2:8 the apple of your eye;
hide me in #Ps. 36:7; 57:1; 63:7; 91:4; [Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34]; See Ruth 2:12the shadow of your wings,
9from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who #[1 Sam. 23:26]surround me.
10 # [Ps. 119:70] They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they #Ps. 31:18; 1 Sam. 2:3speak arrogantly.
11They have now surrounded our #[Ps. 89:51] steps;
they set their eyes to #Ps. 62:4cast us to the ground.
12He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion #[Ps. 10:8, 9]lurking in ambush.
13Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14from men by your hand, O Lord,
from #[Ps. 10:18; Luke 16:8; 20:34] men of the world whose #Matt. 6:2, 5, 16; Luke 16:25 portion is in this life.#17:14 Or from men whose portion in life is of the world
You fill their womb with treasure;#17:14 Or As for your treasured ones, you fill their womb
they are satisfied with #[Job 21:11]children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
15As for me, I shall #Job 33:26; 1 John 3:2; [Ps. 11:7] behold your face in righteousness;
when I #Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2 awake, I shall be #[Ps. 16:11]satisfied with your likeness.
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