January 28
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PSALM 17 PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE AND TO BECOME MORE LIKE GOD
Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! 3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have 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 held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion 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 men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. – Psalm 17:1-15
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This psalm is an individual lament of David, much like Psalm 7. Both have the same theme in which a person considers himself unjustly accused of wrong. This is a prayer for vindication. It is a prayer of someone very confident of his standing with the Lord and an expose of David’s honest heart. The first line pronounces that David won’t come to the Lord, unless he was pure in his heart. He continues to enumerate how faithful he had been to his master. He had followed his path and have evaded any evil act.
Verses 6-8 shifts to declaring God’s promises and trait. He knew that his Lord will answer him because he had responded to God as He requires of him. He also mentions God’s steadfast love and reminds God of his claim on him, that he was the apple of His eyes. In verses 10-12, David tells the Lord how the enemy was accusing him and attacking like a lion would want to tear his prey. Then David closes in verses 13-15 by reminding God of his promise of deliverance to his people. He ends the psalm with a confident trust and hope that when he awakes, he will become more like his Lord.
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REFLECTION
• Why do humans often forget to pray to become more and more like the Lord?