Psalms 17

Psalms 17:1-7

David, in great distress, directs his prayer to God. 1. He appeals to God concerning his integrity, vers. 1—4. 2. He prays to God full to be upheld in it, and preserved from the malice of his enemies, vers. 1—8, 13. 3. He gives a character of his enemies, vers. 9—12, 14. 4. He comforts himself with the hope of his future happiness, vers. 14. Thus the perfects innocent for of David suffered, and in prayer committed himself to him who judgeeth rightfully.

¶ A Prayer of David.

1. HEAR the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer: ’that path not out of feigned lips. 2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence: let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3. Thou hast proved mine heart, ’thou hast stirred me in the night, ’thou hast tried me, and thalt find nothing: I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, ‘I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. 5. ‘Hold up my gosings in thy paths, ’thus my footsteps slip not. 6. ‘I have called upon thee, for thou walt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. 7. ‘Shew thy-marvellous loving-Vol. I.

kindness, O thou that favell by thy right hand them, which put their craft in thee, from thole that rise up against them.

This psalm is a prayer of David, probably when flying for his life from the blood-throth-shod, and ready to be surrounded and destroyed by his numerous forces.

1. He buys a hearing of his righteous cause; and as he frokes from the simplicity of his heart, v. 1. he hoped from the heart-searching God for an answer of peace. Note. When our conscience bears witness to our inward simplicity, then have we confidence to approach God.

2. He humbly does, v. 2. for a gracious interposition of God in his behalf, that his uprightness might be made manifest, and by God’s providential dealings the existence of his justice might appear. Note. (1.) When we are natured of men, it is an uniparkable comtent to have the testimony of our confidence, and boldness to look up to the unmatured God. (2.) God’s judgments in favour of injured innocence will appear, sometimes in minutest providential interposition, at least in the great day, when the jurors of all feasts find to find open, and every man found faithful have prays of God.

3. He appeals to God, v. 3. 1. who had proved him in the furnace of affliction, and connected him under the darkest times of his distress; that nothing was found in him, to allured guile, no secret malice against his internal memory, and God knew it was his purpose both to withhold his lips from every evil word, and his hands from every evil work; in that even when Saul was in his power, he had never entertained the thought of hurting him, keeping from the paths of the destroyer, from the ways of tougher in general, and particularly from an aging himself by the death of his enemy, and this, because he made God’s word his rule, and fought it unheardly to conform to his holy precept. Note. (1.) A confluent action respect to God’s word, is the great persecution against evil. (2.) The ways of his lead down to death; before the lead that is taught by God to avoid these destructive paths. (3.) We may not only deliver to men of welcome, and if those who injure us, but our lips must be kept with a bridle, that not an undue’s reflection may be made on them.

4. He prays for continued support in this holy way, v. 5. I in this that it was not in man that witheth to direct his steps, and that left but not a moment to him; if, his feet must slide. His thence God had helped him, v. 6. when he called, and therefore he humbly hopes to find the same grace manifested to him, acknowledging that it would be marvellous loving kindness, v. 7. yet such as God was ever used to manifest to me oppress, who, renouncing other help, did to him alone for the war. Note. (1.) We have no fund of grace to support us a moment in ourselves, unless constant supplies are sent from the living fountain. (2.) A deep feast of our own weakness and insufficiency, is the farest way to be strong in the Lord, and the power of his might. (3.) Every christian walks in a slippery path, and many wait for his halting; he needs thereto a watch and pray that he faint not. (4.) Enemies to God’s people, are rich as against himself, and will be reckoned with accordingly. (5.) In the eyes of a helper, God’s loving-kindness, appears marvellous, not only in his first gracious call, when he brought him out of his wretched state of sin, but especially in his patience, pity, and many recoveries when his feet were well high gone; and when he gets to heaven, he will still meet would, at himself, and stand to all eternity admiring God’s amazing love.

5. ‘Keep me as the apple of the eye: ‘hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9. From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compels me about. 10. ‘They are incited in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. 11. ‘They have now compelled us in our steps: ’they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth: 12. ‘Like as a lion they is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13. Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, call him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14. From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, ‘which bore their portion in this life, and which helly thou shied, with thy hid treasers: they are full of children and leave the rest of their influence to their babes. 15. As for me, ‘I will behold thy face in righteousness: ‘I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psalms 17:8-15

Sensible that his help stood only in the Lord, the plainish redoubles his opportunistic prayer, v. 8. Keep me at the apple of the eye: with such care as we guard the coats of that sensible organ: hold me under the shadow of thy wings: with such tenderness as the hen gathers her chickens; or in such safety as if lodged on the mercy-first under the wings of the cherubim. Note. In vain doth Satan rage against those whom God secures. His enemies, who oppressed him, and compelled him about, are

described in lively colours beforeaking their feuduality, pride, malice, craft, and cruelty. (1.) They are included in their own fat; fed to the full, wallowing in luxury, and rioting in abundance. (2.) With their mouth they speak proudly; impunity, defying God, and breathing out threatenings against his people. (3.) They have compelled us in our fairs; as had often did, and as the christian often feels himself beset from the restless malice of Satan and his servants. (4.) They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; intent and eager upon my ruin; or under the model and humble look concealing deep and dark designs. (5.) They are cruel as a hungry lion, v. 12. and insidious as the lion’s whip, when lurking secretly to surprise the unwary traveller. Note, When a christian is thus belsy, he need look about him, and above him, if he would be preserved from falling. In the view of his danger, David cries to God; Aris, O Lord, disloyal him, and cast him down: deliver my fair from the wicked, which is thy sword, the instrument God uses often for correction or judgment; and, however men may purpose, they can only move and act as they are permitted by him: from the man which are thy hand; held in it, refrained by it, or used according to God’s purposes and designs. There he describes as men of the world, whose heads are taken up with worldly schemes, and their hearts funk in worldly gratification; which have their part in this life, seek no other portion than they can find below, and could they be left to enjoy this world, would gladly quit all expeditations of another; which belies thus filled with the bid treasier; the gold and silver which are dug out of the earth: they are full of children, who will support and strengthen them; and some the rest of their influence to their bones; their children’s children, transmitting to them their affluence and abundance, and living and dying in the heights of outward prosperity. From such the psalmist prays to be delivered; from their destructive ways, which, notwithstanding all their worldly success, would end in everlasting misery; or from their power, which these outward advantages gave them over him. Note, (1.) God’s enemies have in this world usually the most affluent circumstances, and as they count these their good things, they look no farther. (2.) If we receive unkindness from man, let us think who’s hand he is, and though the action in him be evil, justify God in his corrections.

Finally, the psalmist concludes with his great hope and joy: not the world, or the things of it, did he grasp after, a nobler ambition filled his heart, even to be like and enjoy the blessed God. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; either walking now in the ways of God’s will and worship, and therein enjoying the present sense of his favour and love; or, as expecting God’s appearing in the great day, when he should be exculpated from every accusation laid to his charge; or intimating the manner in which he expected to see God’s face with comfort, as cloached in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus: I shall be paralyzed with this, and nothing less than this, when I awoke in thy likeness, when in the glorious resurrection-day I shall be protected in holiness, and made happy in the constant vision and eternal fruition of thy blessed self. Oh that such may be our sentiments, such our desires, such our prayers, then such as David’s will be our portion!