もうひとつの１７編は、神様への嘆きの訴えから始まりますが、神様への希望へと展開していく最後の15節がとても印象的です。¹⁵ But as for me, my hope is to see Your face.
    When I am vindicated, I will look upon the holy face of God,
    and when I awake, the longing of my soul will be satisfied in the glow of Your presence.

Psalm 16The Voice (VOICE)

Psalm 16

A prayer^[a] of David.

¹ Protect me,
God, for the only safety I know is found in the moments I seek You.
² I told You, Eternal One, "You are my Lord,
    for the only good I know in this world is found in You alone."

³ The beauty of
faith-filled people encompasses me.
    They are true, and my heart is thrilled beyond measure.
⁴ All the while the despair of many,
    who abandoned Your goodness for the empty promises of false
gods, increases day by day.
I refuse to pour out blood offerings,
    to utter their names from my lips.

⁵ You, Eternal
One, are my sustenance and my life-giving cup.
    In that cup, You hold my future
and my eternal riches.
⁶ My home is surrounded in beauty;
    You have gifted me with abundance
and a rich legacy.

⁷ I will bless
the Eternal, whose wise teaching orchestrates my days
    and centers my mind at night.
⁸ He is ever present with me;
    at all times He goes before me.
I will not live in fear or abandon my calling
    because He stands at my right hand.

⁹ This is a good
life--my heart is glad, my soul is full of joy,
    and my body is at rest.
    Who could want for more?

¹⁰ You will not abandon me to experience death and the grave
    or leave me to rot alone.

¹¹ Instead, You direct me on the path that leads to a beautiful life.
    As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending,
    and I know true joy and contentment.

Footnotes:

1. 16:title Hebrew, miktam, meaning
   is uncertain.

Psalm
17The Voice (VOICE)

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

¹ Listen, O Eternal One, to my cry for justice.

    These words of mine are true--turn Your ear
toward me.

² Announce that I am free of all the charges
against me--only You can see into my heart to know that to be true.

    Treat me with fairness; look at me with justice.

³ You have searched me--my heart and soul--awakened
me from dreaming and tested me.

    You've found nothing against me.

    I have resolved not to sin in what I say.

⁴ The path violent men have followed,

    I will not travel. Violence is not my way.

Your ways and Your voice now guide my journey.
⁵ I will press on--moving steadfastly forward along Your path.

    I will not look back. I will not stumble.

⁶ I am crying aloud to You, O True God, for I
long to know Your answer.

    Hear me, O God. Hear my plea. Hear
my prayer for help.

⁷ Put Your marvelous love on display for
all to see.

    Liberator of those who long for shelter beside
You,

    set them safely away from their enemies, ever welcomed
by grace.

⁸ Keep close watch over me as
the apple of Your eye;

    shelter me in the shadow of Your wings.

⁹ Protect me from the wicked who are poised to attack,

    from the enemies swarming around me and
closing in quickly.

¹⁰ Like clay baking in the sun, their hearts have hardened;

    arrogance spills from their mouths.

¹¹ They've tracked me down like quarry.

    They're surrounding me

    and are poised to throw me down into the dirt.

¹² Like a lion--crouching in the brush--they
are ready to tear me apart.

    Like young lions in their hiding places, they
are poised to strike.

¹³ Rise up and confront them, O Eternal One! Make
them pay.

    By Your sword, set me free from my wicked
enemies!

¹⁴ May Your rescue find me here.

    By Your hand, save me from my enemies, Eternal
One.

    Save me from men whose hopes are rooted in this
world.

But as for those You cherish,
    may they feast on all You have set aside for
them;

    may their children never be in need;

    may they have enough so their children will
inherit their wealth.

¹⁵ But as for me, my hope is to see Your face.

    When I am vindicated, I will look upon
the holy face of God,

    and when I awake, the longing of my
soul will be satisfied in the glow of Your presence.