Psalm 17
Common Metre (8,6,8,6)
Suggested Tune: St Peter
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 shew,
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.
