THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - August 11, 2014 – Day 17 - Psalm 17

Old time preachers like Charles Spurgeon would urge their church members to not simply ask God for their needs in prayer but to argue their case with Him by explaining why God should answer. Hebrews 4:16 instructs us to “…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  Psalm 17 finds David doing just that.

“Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.”, says David in verse 1 of Psalm 17.” Then notice how David pleads His case first by stating his own innocence.

Psalm 17:2-5
“Let my judgment come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity.
You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the paths of the violent. My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped.”

This is not a claim of perfection for the sins of David are many. But David knows something all Christians must understand. None of us are without sin but our righteousness comes from the grace of God. When Jesus is our Lord and our Savior then we wear the robe of His righteousness. Our part is to confess our sins and be straight with God on who and what we are. 1 John 1:8-9 explains this process clearly. “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

So when we pray we can, like David, come boldly to God arguing our case based on our having the righteousness of Christ. Thus James 5:16 is ours to plead to god. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Secondly David argues that God should hear his prayer because of who God is.

Psalm 17:6-8
“I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.
Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.”

David, as we should, reminds God in his prayer that he calls upon God for in Him David has faith and believes in his heart that God is a God of steadfast love.

The third plea from David is simply that David is in danger.

He asks that God save him “…from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me. They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.
He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush.” Psalm 17:9-12

By telling God his needs and his fears David has demonstrated to God a faith that is complete in its dependence on Him. David then closes by expressing a desire to be a man like the coming messiah would be.

Psalm 17:15
“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.”

The lesson is simple. We need God. He wants us to come to Him and remind Him through prayer that we know who is and how awesome His love and power are. But the only way we can win an argument with God is by speaking the truth. The only truth in this world is God’s Word. We cannot pray effectively if we do read and know His Word for in it we see who He is. Prayer that declares the greatness of God not only becomes prayers of our need, but becomes prayers of worship and praise as well. And that is what we were created for; worship.