Saturday, 21 January 2017

Psalm 17 – The prayer of a person in right standing with God

David was a prayerful person. This is one of his prayers in a psalm. This was certainly one of those moments when he was persecuted and pursued by Saul. In this Psalm, it seems quite obvious that David believed that the Lord would deliver him as he considered himself righteous. So he made a series of four petitions. The first of which is recorded in verses 1-4. He was confident that God would hear the prayer of the innocent. He maintained that he had not been found guilty of wrongdoing, therefore God would hear him. He was not deceitful and was certain that he could stand the Lord’s scrutiny and find no flaws in his actions. He knew because he had made up his mind and even swore not to transgress in his life. When we have lived our best for the Lord, we can confidently come before Him, assured that He has perfect knowledge of everything and will count us blameless. 

The second petition that David made is found in verses 5-6. Here he asked God to keep him on track. Despite his earlier claims that he had done nothing that would make him guilty before God, yet he knew that to remain in a faithful track with God, he needed His help. Like David we need to know and be fully confident that God alone can keep our feet from slipping from the path He had ordained for us. David was sure God would answer his prayer. Verses 7-12 formed his third petition where he asked to be shown the loving-kindness of God and be protected from the traps of the enemies. David felt the favor of God upon him and was sure that He would keep him and protect him as one would protect the pupil of his eye. He was assured that God would keep him from being destroyed by the enemies that surrounded him.

Then with the deep assurance that God would view him with favor, he boldly made his fourth request recorded in verses 13-15. He asked God to arise and personally deliver him and to destroy his enemies. Unlike the children of this world that enjoy earthly blessings, and he knew that God was the source of these earthly blessings. They could be so filled with God’s good things and would even afford to leave some for their posterity. But as far as David was concerned, these blessings would only be earthly blessings. Whereas David could only be satisfied with things of the world to come. His deep yearning was to be able to behold the face of God in righteousness and when he arose in that world, he would adorn honorable image of the Most High.

Like David, it is good for us to seek to live righteously for God, and should ask God to keep us in the path of righteousness. We can rely on Him to help us overcome our enemies. Our pursuit should be to become more and more conformed to His image and not be caught up with the pursuit of things of this world. Truly when we keep our focus on Jesus, the things of this earth will be strangely deemed, in the light of His glory and love.   

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