Exaudi, Domine, iustitiam meam
1.
Latin: Exaudi, Domine, iustitiam meam, intende deprecationem meam: auribus percipe orationem meam, non in labiis dolosis.
English: Hear, O Lord, my justice; attend to my supplication. Give ear to my prayer, not from deceitful lips.
Notes:
- Exaudi — imper. of exaudio, -ire, -ivi, -itus, to hear, listen favourably.
- iustitiam — acc. sg. of iustitia, -ae, justice, righteousness.
- intende — imper. of intendo, -ere, -tendi, -tentus, to direct, pay attention.
- dolosis — abl. pl. of dolosus, -a, -um, deceitful, treacherous.
2.
Latin: De vultu tuo iudicium meum prodeat: oculi tui videant aequitatem.
English: Let my judgment come forth from your presence; let your eyes behold equity.
Notes:
- prodeat — subj. of prodeo, -ire, -ii, -itus, to come forth.
- aequitatem — acc. sg. of aequitas, -atis, fairness, justice.
3.
Latin: Probasti cor meum, et visitasti nocte; igne me examinasti, et non est inventa in me iniquitas.
English: You have tested my heart and visited me by night; you have tried me by fire and found no iniquity in me.
Notes:
- probasti — perf. of probo, -are, -avi, -atus, to test, approve.
- visitasti — perf. of visito, -are, to visit, inspect.
- igne — abl. sg. of ignis, -is, fire.
- examinasti — perf. of examino, -are, to weigh, test, scrutinise.
- iniquitas — iniquity, injustice.
4.
Latin: Ut non loquatur os meum opera hominum: propter verba labiorum tuorum ego custodivi vias duras.
English: That my mouth may not speak as men do; because of the words of your lips I have kept the hard paths.
Notes:
- loquatur — subj. of loquor, loqui, locutus sum, to speak.
- custodivi — perf. of custodio, -ire, to guard, keep.
- vias duras — the difficult paths, via, -ae + durus, -a, -um.
5.
Latin: Perfice gressus meos in semitis tuis, ut non moveantur vestigia mea.
English: Perfect my steps in your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.
Notes:
- Perfice — imper. of perficio, -ere, -feci, -fectus, to complete, perfect.
- gressus — acc. pl. of gressus, -us, step, pace.
- moveantur — subj. of moveo, -ere, movi, motus, to move, be shaken.
6.
Latin: Ego clamavi, quoniam exaudisti me, Deus: inclina aurem tuam mihi, et exaudi verba mea.
English: I have cried to you, for you have heard me, O God; incline your ear to me and hear my words.
Notes:
- clamavi — perf. of clamo, -are, to cry out.
- inclina — imper. of inclino, -are, to bend, incline.
- aurem — acc. sg. of auris, -is, ear.
7.
Latin: Mirifica misericordias tuas, qui salvos facis sperantes in te.
English: Show forth your marvellous mercies, you who save those who trust in you.
Notes:
- Mirifica — imper. of mirifico, -are, to make wonderful, display.
- sperantes — pres. part. of spero, -are, to hope, trust.
- salvos facis — you make safe, from salvus, safe + facio.
8.
Latin: Custodi me ut pupillam oculi; sub umbra alarum tuarum protege me.
English: Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of your wings.
Notes:
- Custodi — imper. of custodio, -ire, to guard.
- pupilla, -ae — pupil, little doll, figuratively apple (centre) of the eye.
- protege — imper. of protego, -ere, -texi, -tectus, to cover, protect.
9.
Latin: A facie impiorum qui me afflixerunt: inimici mei animam meam circumdederunt.
English: From the presence of the wicked who afflict me; my enemies have surrounded my soul.
Notes:
- impiorum — gen. pl. of impius, -a, -um, ungodly, wicked.
- afflixerunt — perf. of affligo, -ere, -flixi, -flictus, to strike down, oppress.
- circumdederunt — perf. of circumdo, -dare, to surround.
10.
Latin: Adipem suum concluserunt: os eorum locutum est superbiam.
English: They have shut up their fat hearts; their mouth has spoken pride.
Notes:
- Adipem — acc. sg. of adeps, adipis, fat, richness, figuratively insensibility.
- superbiam — acc. sg. of superbia, -ae, pride, arrogance.
11.
Latin: Proicientes me nunc circumdederunt me: oculos suos statuerunt declinare in terram.
English: They have now surrounded me, casting me down; they have set their eyes to the ground.
Notes:
- Proicientes — pres. part. of proicio, -ere, -ieci, -iectus, to throw forth, cast down.
- statuerunt — perf. of statuo, -ere, to set, fix.
- declinare — to turn aside, lower.
12.
Latin: Susceperunt me sicut leo paratus ad praedam, et sicut catulus leonis habitans in abditis.
English: They have taken me as a lion ready for prey, and as a lion’s whelp lurking in secret places.
Notes:
- Susceperunt — perf. of suscipio, -ere, -cepi, -ceptus, to take up, seize.
- praeda, -ae — prey, booty.
- catulus, -i — young animal, cub, whelp.
- abditis — abl. pl. of abditum, -i, hiding place.
13.
Latin: Exsurge, Domine, praeveni eum, et subplantato pedes eius: eripe animam meam ab impio, frameam tuam ab inimicis manus tuae.
English: Arise, O Lord, go before him and cast him down; deliver my soul from the wicked one — your sword — from the enemies of your hand.
Notes:
- Exsurge — imper. of exsurgo, -ere, to rise up.
- praeveni — imper. of praevenio, -ire, to go before, forestall.
- subplantato — imper. of subplanto, -are, to trip up, overthrow. (a variant that reflects medieval Latin morphology. -to imperatives only exist for a small set of verbs — mostly in the 2nd and 3rd person, and in early Latin or legal formulas.)
- eripe — imper. of eripio, -ere, -ui, -reptus, to snatch away, rescue.
- framea, -ae — spear, sword (Germanic loanword).
14.
Latin: Domine, a paucis de terra divide eos in vita eorum: de absconditis tuis adimpletus est venter eorum.
English: O Lord, divide them from the few of the earth in their life; their belly is filled with your hidden treasures.
Notes:
- divide — imper. of divido, -ere, to separate.
- absconditis — abl. pl. of absconditum, -i, hidden thing, secret.
- venter, ventris — belly, womb, appetite.
15.
Latin: Saturati sunt filiis, et dimiserunt reliquias suas parvulis suis.
English: They are filled with children, and have left their substance to their little ones.
Notes:
- Saturati sunt — perf. pass. of saturo, -are, to fill, satisfy.
- parvulis — dat. pl. of parvulus, -i, little one, child.
16.
Latin: Ego autem in iustitia apparebo conspectui tuo; satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua.
English: But I in righteousness shall appear before your face; I shall be satisfied when your glory is revealed.
Notes:
- apparebo — fut. of appareo, -ere, to appear.
- satiabor — fut. pass. (dep.) of satior, satiari, to be filled, satisfied.
- gloria, -ae — glory, splendour, honour.
✍️ Psalm 17 Vocabulary — Practice Sentences (English → Latin)
- The righteous man keeps his heart pure in the night.
- The wicked have spoken deceit with their lips.
- Guard the path of justice and walk without fear.
- My enemies surrounded me, but God protected my soul.
- The child sleeps safely under the shadow of his father’s wings.
- Fire tests gold, as sorrow tests the heart.
- The proud man falls, but the humble man stands firm.
- Show mercy to those who hope in you.
- My feet were moved, yet your hand raised me up.
- I shall be satisfied when truth appears before my eyes.
✍️ Psalm 17 Vocabulary — Translations
- Vir iustus custodit cor suum purum in nocte.
(The righteous man keeps his heart pure in the night.)
→ custodio, -ire; cor, cordis; nocte abl. of time. - Impii dolum locuti sunt labiis suis.
(The wicked have spoken deceit with their lips.)
→ impius, -a, -um; dolus, -i; loquor + labiis suis. - Custodi viam iustitiae et ambula sine timore.
(Guard the path of justice and walk without fear.)
→ imperatives custodi, ambula; via iustitiae genitive construction. - Inimici mei me circumdederunt, sed Deus animam meam protexit.
(My enemies surrounded me, but God protected my soul.)
→ circumdo, protego, anima, -ae. - Puer tuto dormit sub umbra alarum patris sui.
(The child sleeps safely under the shadow of his father’s wings.)
→ sub umbra alarum echoing Psalm 17:8. - Ignis aurum probat, sicut dolor cor probat.
(Fire tests gold, as sorrow tests the heart.)
→ probo; parallelism common in sapiential style. - Superbus cadit, humilis autem stat firmus.
(The proud man falls, but the humble man stands firm.)
→ superbus, humilis, stare firmus. - Misericordiam ostende sperantibus in te.
(Show mercy to those who hope in you.)
→ misericordia, spero in + abl. - Gressus mei moti sunt, sed manus tua me eripuit.
(My steps were moved, but your hand snatched me up.)
→ eripio, moveo, gressus, -us. - Satiabor cum veritas apparebit ante oculos meos.
(I shall be satisfied when truth appears before my eyes.)
→ satio, appareo, oculi mei.