Psalms 17:1-15
A Prayer of David.
1 Hear a just cause, O LORD,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
3 You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
You have tried me and have found nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
9 From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They have closed up their fat hearts;
With their mouths they speak proudly.
11 They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth,
12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey,
And like a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O LORD,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O LORD,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.
15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.
This psalm of lament and supplication by David begins by Him justifying himself before God as a just cry for help. He reminds God that he is truthful, not deceitful, in Coming before the LORD in prayer. He trusted God’s vision to see all rightly and knew that he would be vindicated by God’s very presence, from Him only and before Him alone. A just verdict of divine judgment was the justice the psalmist sought. Of course he must have been seeking grace and mercy, knowing he was certainly not sinless, and deserving of what he had earned along with all who breathe. But he also was a man after God’s own heart, and trusted in God to listen to his heartfelt words. He reminds God and himself out loud that he has been tested by the Almighty and found blameless in this context. The king made a vow with his lips to avoid sin and listened to God’s word to avoid sinful men and their ways. But then he realized his own frailty and begged for God to keep him following in the ways of the LORD, asking for firm footing as he walked it out. This is a good example for we who are in Christ, to petition for daily protection and guidance as we seek to live wholeheartedly for our Lord. Like the psalmist, we can then cry out to Him, knowing He hears us and trusting that lovingkindness will be shown to us in the great grace and love of our God our Maker (Isaiah 54:5, Job 35:10). He alone delivers us from the enemy and saves because we trust in Him. He keeps us as precious in His eye and covers us in the protection of His figurative wings, in His loving embrace, as a shield. Though the psalmist’s and our own enemies boast in pride and lie in wait as a lion to attack and destroy us (1 Peter 5:8), we can follow David’s example by asking the Lord to confront the enemy for us and deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) again and again. The world and those in the enemy’s sway pursue wickedness against God’s word, finding their portion in this life only, but we join king David in proclaiming to God and others that we trust in the resurrection to see God face to face forever in the righteousness of Christ, and will find satisfaction when we awake in eternity in conformity to Christ as the restored image of God in us (Revelation 22:4, 1 John 3:2, Romans 8:23, Philippians 3:21, 2 Corinthians 3:18). Let us then pray boldly and confidently by faith as David gave us the example here with a view to our final salvation from this world of corruption.
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