Studies in the Psalms - Psalm 17

Let God Be the One Who Saves You

We know from scripture, read Romans, that there is no one who isn’t a sinner. Yet, we read in the Bible of men who were righteous men. Job, Noah, and David were men who caught God’s eye, men who, though we see their sins in scripture, were looked upon favorably by God. As Christians, we wear the cloak of righteousness that the blood of Christ provides to those who believe by faith that He died in their place and bore their sins. So, God looks down upon us and sees us as righteous. This is called justification. But God is not finished with us. Those He justifies, He also sanctifies. This means when we are Born Again, God puts the Holy Spirit inside our hearts and begins to change us from the inside out. When we finally go to be with Him in Heaven, He will complete the work and we shall be like Jesus.

1 John 3:2
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

Until then we must be working with the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus every day.

1 John 3:3
And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

We have work to be doing. David is in trouble in this Psalm, so he cries out to God. In this prayer, we see three concerns and three requests to God. As we “purify” ourselves, we need the same help David needs.

First, David desires to please God and thus wants God to see him as a man who is obedient to God’s way. He asks God to examine him to reveal the repentant heart he has.

Psalm 17:1-5

Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. 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.

Can we say the same as David? We are called to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5) But our eyes are often deceived, so we need God, through His Holy Spirit, to be the eyes we examine with. God’s Word is the standard by which we must judge and the Holy Spirit is our counselor in this work.

Next we see that David seeks God’s protection. He asks God to keep him from the enemy. Our enemy, the devil, wants to lead us onto the wrong path. We must seek the refuge of our God, as David did.

Psalm 17:6-12
I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech. Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings From the wicked who despoil me, My deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed their unfeeling heart, With their mouth they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground. He is like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion lurking in hiding places.

But the truth is, we will fail without God being the one who saves us from our enemy, just as David knew it was God who saved and protected him. So, like David, we must pray for God’s salvation and ask Him to rescue us. As hard as we try we cannot save ourselves nor can we defeat the flesh of our own sinful nature. Jesus tested Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter failed. Jesus this to Him in Matthew 26:41,  “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” We are certainly no better than Peter, so we need to pray for God to be our help.

Psalm 17:13-14
Arise, O LORD, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,  From men with Your hand, O LORD, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes.

God hears the prayers of those who earnestly seek Him with a humble and contrite heart. Like David, find your everything, your every hope, and your every answer in Christ.

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