PSALM 17 Written by David and essentialy a prayer for protection. It’s one of the few psalms dedicated as a prayer psalm. David didn’t claim he never sinned, only that he was innocent of sin that would bring on his present trouble. Sometimes difficulties are caused by personal sin, but not always. When we’ve remained faithful and obedient and still facestrouble, the wise response is to appeal honestly to God, who is just and loving.
1 Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed.
4 Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded.
5 My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled.
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
SECTIONS:
I Appeal deealing with response & recognition
II Appeal dealing with rescue & relief
II Appeal dealing with retribution & rest
or
I Plea in time of crisis and plea from a tested heart
II Plea for Protection
II Defeat powerful and arrogant enemies.
IV Settled confidence of Prayer
THEME: Seeking protection from our powerful God in time of crisis. Confidence that God Will Protect the Innocent Man from His Deadly Enemies.
QUESTIONS:
What is David specifically seeking from God?
What does David expect the results to be if God examines his heart?
How did David keep himself from accepting bribe or following the ways of violence?
Where does David want his vindication to come from?
Have you ever wanted to vindicate yourself? Did you? What were the results?
How is the wicked’s attitude contrary to God’s ways?
What are the actions of the wicked?
How does David contrast the essential difference between those that follow God’s ways and those that don’t?
blueletterbible.org
David appeals to God for justice. He believes God will listen to his cry because his cause is just. But it’s possible for us to think that our cause is just when it’s not; or for both parties in a dispute to be absolutely convinced that their own cause is just. A wonderful thing to ask God is to know one’s own heart, hidden motives, and sins.
David didn’t want to vindicate himself. In his struggle with King Saul, he had several opportunities to set things right himself, but he refused. He waited until vindication came from God. David left his problem to the Lord and refused to take matters into my own hands.
It takes a level of patience and maturity to let God test our heart like this. But we must accept the fact that we might be wrong and that someone else may be right. We should be more interested in God’s justice and standard of right and wrong than we are in winning our cause. We must come to God with a heart ready to be convicted and corrected. We all need to ask: Do I allow God to test my heart? Can I be corrected? Will I listen to others when they tell me that I may be wrong? Unconfessed sin is a great prayer barrier. Are we being disobedient? Selfish? Neglecting some important duty? Is there a wrong we should make right? Are our priorities in order? (Boice) Many of us ask for or only expect God’s moderate lovingkindness. We make our prayers, our faith, and our expectations small. David shows us we should expect and can ask from God marvelous lovingkindness.
Keep me as the apple of Your eye: The phrase “apple of your eye” described something precious, easily injured, and that needed protection. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings is another powerful figure of speech. It’s like a mother bird who shields her young from predators, from the elements, and from dangers by gathering her young under her wings.
I shall be satisfied when I awake: David knew that the transition from this life to the next was like waking. He knew that the world beyond was more real and less dreamlike than our own. We tend to think of heaven and its realities as an uncertain dream world. In truth, it’s more real than our present environment. David did not have a sophisticated understanding of heaven. No one in the Old Testament really did. Yet he knew that he would see God’s face when he awoke in heaven.
Explainingthebook.com
God is good even to the wicked. Isn’t this just like God? He causes his rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. He’s good, kind, and generous indiscriminately. And yet, this goodness leaves wicked men all the more culpable. They take what God so generously gives them and they squander it. They use his resources for oppressing innocent people. There is a bible story of a rich man and Lazarus. The rich man had all kinds of material blessings while Lazarus had experienced nothing but pain and misery. They both died. Lazarus went to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man went to hell. And when the rich man wanted mercy Abraham told him, “Child, you had your good things during your lifetime and Lazarus had his bad things. But now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in agony.” Receiving good things in this life is no sign that God approves of you. It actually makes the wicked even more guilty in God’s eyes.
Wendypope.org
Once again we hear David praying from a place of pain seeking vindication. He feels the breath of his accuser on his neck and calls out to God. His words are confident. He declares his innocence before his Holy God. That’s bold, don’t you think? Approaching God with such confident innocence can only come from a heart that is “prayed-up.”
David invites God to examine his heart because he has an intimate relationship with him through regular prayer and confession. Daily drawing near to God keeps us “prayed up” so that we’re confident in times of crisis and know God is big enough to handle any situation.
There are times when I fight to the death defending my innocence, never considering the possibility that I’m not. The reality is: I am not always innocent. Rushing to defend ourselves, never considering we might not be innocent, impedes the Holy Spirit’s work in the matter. A few years ago accusations were made questioning my fitness as a parent. It was devastating! My heart was shattered. Like David I cried out to God declaring my innocence and asking for help. God faithfully helped me through the truthful yet convicting words of a neighbor. She spoke truth, in love, pointing out ways my supervision may have been construed as negligent. Though I was “prayed up” and innocent of being an unfit parent, I realized there was room for growth and improvement. God uses times of crisis as growth opportunities. He has greater purposes for us than to help us avoid pain. (~Beth Moore)
Life-giving truth and constructive criticism may have a purpose to bring us in line with His perfect plan. It is crucial to respond to life-giving rebuke in a godly way. In the midst of crisis or accusations, the godly response is two-fold. First, ask God to reveal any truth in the criticism. He will heal what He reveals. Our response is to allow Him to complete His work without becoming bitter. If no truth is revealed, ask God to remove the hurt and help you move on.
The second part of a godly response is to avoid striking back, leaving our vindication in God’s hands. David teaches us not only to ask God for protection amid accusations (verses 8-9) but also for vindication. He doesn’t confront his enemy nor run around Jerusalem’s hillsides calling his accusers liars, exonerating himself. He completely trusts God to rise up and bring the guilty parties down.
When I was unjustly accused my first response was not a godly one. With my temper raging I called my accusers to confront them, fortunately no one was home. Time allowed me to process the situation and shift the weight of my defense onto God’s shoulders. It’s hard remaining silent when you are falsely accused. And allowing God to be our avenger is tough. Our human nature demands an instant and public acquittal. God however, often desires to settle matters in a less public manner in his own time. If we rush with our temper flaring to make our innocence known, we may create results with irreversible effects.
My reflection on Psalm 17
“Hide me in the shadow of your wings” this verse has special meaning to me. I used to love watching a live video cam of an eagle’s nest in Northern Virginia. Eagerly I’d watch the camera every day. It was exciting to see the babies break through their shell and then watch their daily progress. I’d observe the mother eagle spread her wings over her young to protect them from the hot sun. She’d wrap her enourmous wings around them to keep out the blowing wind and rain. She would shield them from the cold and gather them close to her. I’d watch her circle, swoop over and attack an owl or other predator and fiercely defend her young and keep them safe. To me, this is a beautiful illustration of the way God also shields, holds us close and defends us.
Before the eaglets learned to fly I saw them closely studying their parents. They tried to copy all their moves – They’d try flapping their wings. I’d see them lift off the nest for a few seconds, and was excited by their progress. Slowly they learned perching, gliding, and landing. Without a safe place to learn these lessons, an eaglet will never learn how to fly. I’m reminded of the verse in Isaiah 40:32“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
In the same way, God provides shelter and protection for us. He teaches us to soar above circumstance. He holds us close to his heart so we aren’t overcome by evil around us. We will still have suffering in this world- like the wind, cold, rain and predators that the eaglets experienced. But like the parents of the eaglets, God diligently and constantly watches over us day and night. He’s given us his example and his holy word in the bible that teaches us how to fly—to survive in this fallen world. Exodus 19:1-6 recalls how God delivered Israel from the Egyptians. God gives Moses a message for his people: “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.” God will provide renewed strength and courage to overcome obstacles, if Israel has patience and trusts in God’s timing. It’s hard someties, but through it I’ve learned a little more patience and a lot more trust. I know that my Father knows what he’s doing, even if I don’t.
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