PSALM 15
Conserva me, Domine.
Christ’s future victory and triumph over the world and death.
1 The inscription[1] of a title to David himself.
Preserve me, O Lord, for I have put trust in thee.
2 I have said to the Lord, thou art my God, for thou hast no need of my goods.
3 To the saints, who are in his land, he hath made wonderful all my desires in them.
4 Their infirmities were multiplied: afterwards they made haste.
I will not gather together their meetings for blood offerings: nor will I be mindful of their names by my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: it is thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me.
6 The lines are fallen unto me in goodly places: for my inheritance is goodly to me.
7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding: moreover my reins also have corrected me even till night.
8 I set the Lord always in my sight: for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved.
9 Therefore my heart hath been glad, and my tongue hath rejoiced: moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope.
10 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt then give thy holy one to see corruption.
11 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life, thou shalt fill me with joy with thy countenance: at thy right hand are delights even to the end.
PSALM 16
Exaudi, Domine, justitiam.
A just man’s prayer in tribulation against the malice of his enemy.
1 The prayer of David.
HEAR, O Lord, my justice: attend to my supplication. Give ear unto my prayer, which proceedeth not from deceitful lips.
2 Let my judgment come forth from thy countenance: let thy eyes behold the things that are equitable.
3 Thou hast proved my heart, and visited it by night, thou hast tried me by fire: and iniquity hath not been found in me.
4 That my mouth may not speak the works of men: for the sake of the words of thy lips, I have kept hard ways.
5 Perfect thou my goings in thy paths: that my footsteps be not moved.
6 I have cried to thee, for thou, O God, hast heard me: O incline thy ear unto me, and hear my words.
7 Shew forth thy wonderful mercies; thou who savest them that trust in thee.
8 From them that resist thy right hand keep me, as the apple of thy eye. Protect me under the shadow of thy wings. 9 From the face of the wicked who have afflicted me. My enemies have surrounded my soul:
10 They have shut up their fat: their mouth hath spoken proudly.
11 They have cast me forth and now they have surrounded me: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth.
12 They have taken me, as a lion prepared for the prey; and as a young lion dwelling in secret places.
13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him and supplant him; deliver my soul from the wicked one: thy sword 14 from the enemies of thy hand.
O Lord, divide them from the few of the earth in their life: their belly is filled from thy hidden stores.
They are full of children: and they have left to their little ones the rest of their substance.[2]
15 But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.
PSALM 17
Diligam te, Domine.
David’s thanks to God for his delivery from all his enemies.
1 Unto the end, for David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. [2 Kings 22]
2 I WILL love thee, O Lord, my strength:
3 The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer.
My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust.
My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support.
4 Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.
- ↑ The inscription of a title. That is, of a pillar or monument, staylographia: which is as much as to say, that this psalm is most worthy to be engraved on an everlasting monument.
- ↑ Divide them from the few, &c. That is, cut them off from the earth, and the few trifling things thereof; which they are so proud of, or divide them from the few; that is, from thy elect, who are but few; that they may no longer have it in their power to oppress them. It is not meant by way of a curse or imprecation; but, as many other the like passages in the psalms, by way of a prediction, or prophecy of what should come upon them, in punishment of their wickedness. Ibid. Thy hidden stores; Thy secret treasures, out of which thou furnishest those earthly goods, which, with a bountiful hand thou hast distributed both to the good and the bad.
