This week’s Song To Live By is Psalm 17

Lesley writes:

In verse 3, David describes the Lord probing his heart, examining and testing him in the night. Do you ever lie awake at night and think about all the things you have ever done wrong? Like literally every single thing throughout your life? I do! There are plenty of amusing memes about this on the internet so I assume that there are many people who can relate to this like I can.

David comes from a position where he asks God to hear his prayers because David’s mouth has not transgressed (transgression means violating the laws of God which we would say as sinning). But MY mouth HAS transgressed! That is precisely what I lie awake at night feeling bad about! Will God hear MY prayers and hide me in the shadow of his wings? Yes he will because of his son Jesus.

In this Psalm David calls out to God for vindication against his enemies and those with callous hearts who are speaking against him with arrogance and hunting him down like lions hungry for prey. He asks the Lord for justice in his lifetime, for these wicked people to receive a just reward for their wickedness. I agree with him…until verse 14 where he calls for what God has stored up for the wicked to fill their bellies. But their children? Their little ones? I found this bit tricky but it expresses the raw depth of human emotion about injustice and oppression.

Some of us have faced similar physical threats on the streets, in our homes, at school, in our workplaces. We as believers also feel the threat of an unjust, secular culture crouching at us like a hungry lion trying to devour us and our Christian children. Some of us in our country of origin have experienced persecution, war, corrupt government or conflict, as have our family members. We may well feel the visceral strength of desire for vindication. God can hold the strength of this emotion. And yet also we now know that Jesus asks us to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

Remember, David writes this Psalm from a time before Jesus brings a new covenant. This is a very simplistic explanation: David was part of the Jewish nation where priests would make animal sacrifices on people’s behalf so they could be spiritually clean from their transgressions. So this is why David could confidently pray or sing this Psalm from a stance of his mouth and his heart being clean. You and I now have Jesus, the son of God who effectively does this for us. His death and resurrection means that we who believe in him and follow his teachings can cleanly come before God and ask him to hide us under the shadow of his wings.

Verse 15 says: “As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness”. Our ultimate vindication will come when Jesus returns.

So whether I wake in the literal morning or I wake in the morning of my resurrection, I will see the likeness of the Almighty God through his son Jesus Christ. As will all the wicked who repent and turn to Jesus.

A Prayer:

Hear me Lord, rise up with your sword and rescue me from the wicked. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Your will be done, Lord God, your kingdom come. Have mercy on my enemies. Turn their heart towards you in repentance. And forgive me my own sins as I forgive those who sin against me. Amen