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Psalm 17:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 17:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 17[a]
Prayer in Time of Persecution
1 A prayer of David.
Hear, O Lord, my call for justice;
give heed to my cry.
Listen to the prayer of my lips,
for they are free of deceit.
2 Let my vindication issue forth from you;
let your eyes discern what is right.
3 You have probed my heart[b]
and examined me throughout the night.
You have tested me
and found no malice in me,
for I have not sinned with my mouth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 17:1 Here again we have a picture of smug and pitiless people whose hearts are closed to the word of God as well as to the cry of the poor. The psalmist who endures their unjust accusations begs God to show forth his innocence and to punish his evil accusers. He is willing to leave earthly goods to them (v. 14) as long as he can rejoice in God’s presence. Perhaps we can see in this desire for awakening, enlightened by God’s face (v. 15), the burgeoning hope of the resurrection.
In praying this psalm, we should recall that in the Church (his Mystical Body) and in each Christian (as in a part of that Body), Jesus relives the mystery of his undeserved Passion and glorious Resurrection (see Acts 9:4f). - Psalm 17:3 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
