Psalm 17 (New King James Version)

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.

The first few verses here are convicting to me. I can pray knowing that my cause is just and my prayer is sincere (v. 1), but the thought of God testing me and trying me and finding nothing to reprove (v. 3) seems almost impossible — it seems there is constantly something that needs to be corrected in my life.

We know from other Scripture that harboring sin in our hearts can block God’s answers to our prayers. ” If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

Thankfully God shows us these things not just to get after us, but so we can get it taken care of and have a clean slate before Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9).

The last part of verse 3 reminds me that one step in keeping my mouth from transgressing is to “purpose” that, to determine it in my heart. I can still only resist it by the Lord’s grace. I might still slip up, but I will do so less.

By God’s Word we’re kept from the path of the destroyer (v. 4). By prayer we’re kept from slipping (v. 5). Verse 6-9 expand on that prayer, pleading for the Lord’s help, care, and protection from the enemies who are described in verses 9-12.

In v. 13 David asks God to confront and cast down the wicked “men of the world” (v. 14) who have set themselves against him and to deliver him. He comforts himself with the knowledge that some day he will behold the Lord’s face in righteousness.

We may not be hunted down by enemies in quite the same way David was (although we do need to remember that in some parts of the world Christians are still persecuted severely and we need to pray for them). But try to take any kind of stand for the Lord in your community, and you’ll face ridicule, misrepresentation, sometimes ostracism, sometimes falsehoods being told about you, not to mention just general negative reactions. It can be frightening to read letters to the editor full of vitriol against Christians, and I wonder where it will lead in the coming years. The ungodly in this day and time fight against us in different ways. Yet our recourse is the same as David’s: our care and defense is of the Lord. We search our hearts, consult God’s Word, pray, appeal to Him to show His lovingkindness, keep us as the apple of his eye, hide us in the shadow of His wings, confront and cast down the wicked, and deliver us.

Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.

You can see more mediations of this Psalm at the site of our hostess, Erica of Butterfly Kisses.