Psalm 16

A just man's prayer in tribulation against the malice of his enemy.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 17, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 16.

English (Douay-Rheims)

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 Show 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. Their fat... That is, their bowels of compassion: for they have none for me.
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. Divide them from the few, etc... 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.
15 But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Oratio David.

Exaudi, Domine, justitiam meam;
intende deprecationem meam.
Auribus percipe orationem meam,
non in labiis dolosis.
2 De vultu tuo judicium meum prodeat;
oculi tui videant æquitates.
3 Probasti cor meum, et visitasti nocte;
igne me examinasti, et non est inventa in me iniquitas.
4 Ut non loquatur os meum opera hominum:
propter verba labiorum tuorum, ego custodivi vias duras.
5 Perfice gressus meos in semitis tuis,
ut non moveantur vestigia mea.
6 Ego clamavi, quoniam exaudisti me, Deus;
inclina aurem tuam mihi, et exaudi verba mea.
7 Mirifica misericordias tuas,
qui salvos facis sperantes in te.
8 A resistentibus dexteræ tuæ custodi me
ut pupillam oculi.
Sub umbra alarum tuarum protege me
9 a facie impiorum qui me afflixerunt.
Inimici mei animam meam circumdederunt;
10 adipem suum concluserunt:
os eorum locutum est superbiam.
11 Projicientes me nunc circumdederunt me;
oculos suos statuerunt declinare in terram.
12 Susceperunt me sicut leo paratus ad prædam,
et sicut catulus leonis habitans in abditis.
13 Exsurge, Domine: præveni eum, et supplanta eum:
eripe animam meam ab impio;
frameam tuam 14 ab inimicis manus tuæ.
Domine, a paucis de terra divide eos in vita eorum;
de absconditis tuis adimpletus est venter eorum.
Saturati sunt filiis,
et dimiserunt reliquias suas parvulis suis.
15 Ego autem in justitia apparebo conspectui tuo;
satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition