Psalm 17
English Standard
Version (ESV)
A (A)Prayer of David.
17 Hear a just cause, O Lord; (B)attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence (C)let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence (C)let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
3 You have (D)tried my heart, you have (E)visited me by (F)night,
you have (G)tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have (H)held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
you have (G)tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have (H)held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I (I)call upon you, for you will
answer me, O God;
(J)incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 (K)Wondrously show[a] your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from (L)their adversaries at your right hand.
(J)incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 (K)Wondrously show[a] your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from (L)their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Keep me as (M)the apple of your eye;
hide me in (N)the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who (O)surround me.
hide me in (N)the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who (O)surround me.
10 (P)They close their hearts
to pity;
with their mouths they (Q)speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our (R)steps;
they set their eyes to (S)cast us to the ground.
12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion (T)lurking in ambush.
with their mouths they (Q)speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our (R)steps;
they set their eyes to (S)cast us to the ground.
12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion (T)lurking in ambush.
13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O Lord,
from (U)men of the world whose (V)portion is in this life.[b]
You fill their womb with treasure;[c]
they are satisfied with (W)children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O Lord,
from (U)men of the world whose (V)portion is in this life.[b]
You fill their womb with treasure;[c]
they are satisfied with (W)children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
15 As for me, I shall (X)behold your face in
righteousness;
when I (Y)awake, I shall be (Z)satisfied with your likeness.
when I (Y)awake, I shall be (Z)satisfied with your likeness.
Do
what is right no matter what surrounds you.
David points out two types of people in this world. Those who strive to do what is right and
those who only think of themselves and do evil.
So many times when we think of evil we think of murderers, thieves,
rapists, those who do evil in the eyes of man.
Look at how David describes evil.
He does ask the Lord to guard Him from violence but then he describes
those who are evil in two ways.
1.
Close their eyes to pity. They don’t care about anyone else only
themselves. They don’t try to put
themselves in others shoes but rather turn from them.
2.
Speak arrogantly. They flaunt their power. They let people know that they are smartest,
brightest, most powerful . . . again they only think of themselves.
I think we all probably
know people who think they are better than anyone else. We ourselves can fall into that trap as well
if we are not careful. Yet we all have a
choice. We can follow the ways of man or
we can follow the way of the Lord. The
ways of men are the evil acts, arrogance and pride but the way of the Lord recognizes
that He is in control, that He is our protector.
Don’t get caught up in
the evil of turning from God. Our hope
rests in Him alone. One day we will
awake to behold in face. In the meantime
we need to awake each day asking Him
to guide us, seeking Him in order to
know Him, and thanking Him for His
shield of protection around us.
Seeking Him with all my
heart,
Sheila
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