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Psalm 17

A Prayer of David

17 Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea;

listen to my cry.

Give ear to my prayer —

it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2 May my vindication come from you;

may your eyes see what is right.

3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,

though you test me, you will find nothing;

I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

4 As for the deeds of men —

by the word of your lips

I have kept myself

from the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held to your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;

give ear to me and hear my prayer.

7 Show the wonder 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 assail 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 great lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, bring them down;

rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

14 O Lord, by your hand save me from such men,

from men of this world whose reward is in this life.

You still the hunger of those you cherish;

their sons have plenty,

and they store up wealth for their children.

15 And I — in righteousness I will see your face;

when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

This is only one of five Psalms identified as “prayers” (17, 86, 90, 102, 142). Considering so very many of the Psalms contain prayers to the Lord, it is interesting that only five were given this special distinction. Interesting to note as well that with the exception of only one of these five Psalms (90), these are written by people in distress. 17, 86, and 142 are attributed to David and were mostly written when he was running for his life from Saul (1 Samuel 21-26)

Examine Me (vv1-5)

· Acting as bookends, this Psalm begins and ends with righteousness because David wants God to vindicate him.

· David’s self-analysis of a “righteous plea” (v1), is not a declaration of arrogance but one of honestly.

o He knew his heart! More importantly, he knew God knew his heart!

· In verse 1, David says “listen to my cry”. The word translated “cry” is the Hebrew word hN*r! ‎rinnah (rin-naw’) which means, literally, a creaking sound but here means more the loud sobbing associated with grief.

· Verse 3

o He knew the Lord would find no evil thing in him. David had purified his heart before the Lord. Not due to his own actions but because he walked in ways that the Lord said were pleasing to Him.

Can you say these words when you pray to the Lord?

Keep Me (vv 6-12)

· Notice the faith in verse 6: “I call…for you will answer me”. David knew where his strength and protection came from!

· Vv 7-8 paint a beautiful word picture:

o 7 Show the wonder 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

o “Show the wonder of your great love”

§ What does the wonder of the Lord’s great love look like?

· (In David’s time: past deliverance for the people of Israel and David himself. In our time: Jesus)

o “you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes”

§ The phrase “your right hand” is an anthropomorphic reference to God’s strength.

· Most people are strongest in which hand?

· This was likewise true in Biblical times. Even more so since most likely EVERYONE was taught to work, write, and use their right hand and arm.

· David is saying “your powerful hands save (protect in an intimate way) those who seek your protection”.

§ “Keep me as the apple of your eye”

§ The pupil is the apple of the eye. You protect this area because it is where you see! If something comes at it, you duck. Literally translated: this phrase says “Keep me as the little man-the daughter of the eye.”

· When you stand really close to someone and look at their eyes, what do you see (a little image of yourself).

· May we be found so close to God that we can see ourselves in His eyes. 1) because His eyes are on us and 2) because we are looking intensely at Him.

· The “daughter of the eye” is a similar phrase as used in the “daughters of the city” meaning they are dependent on something greater. “Daughter of the eye” means our eyes are dependent on Him.

§ “hide me in the shadow of your wings”

· This phrase basically means the same thing and draws on the imagery of the birds to protect their young.

· Verses 9-12 (1 Samuel 23:19-29) when David was surrounded by Saul and his men.

o This a great example of “internal evidence” in Scripture. So much of the Scriptures references other Scripture which further validates it truthfulness and trustworthiness.

o Have you ever been in that situation: where you felt like every bad thing in the world was closing in on you and you just felt like you were about to fall?

Rescue Me (vv13-15)

· Notice David doesn’t say “I will arise”.

· He calls on the Lord to rescue him

· Verse 15: should be a life-verse for us”

o And I — in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness

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