Psalms 17:1-15
1 Hear the right,a O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth 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 visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt 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 goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slipb not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 From the wicked that oppressc me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
12 Liked as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O LORD, disappointe him, cast 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 have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance 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 17:3. Thou hast tried me. Vulgate, Igne me examinâsti, Thou hast proved or tested me with fire, referring to the test of metals.
Psalms 17:14. Men which have their portion in this life, as in Luke 16:25. The holy patriarchs, on the contrary, expected their portion in the life to come, and died believing in the promises. The Lord kept David under the shadow of his wings, safe from Saul's lions, that lurked for his life.
REFLECTIONS.
We are taught to carry all our troubles to the Lord, and to labour after sincerity of heart. God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth. “A sense of the divine omniscience should regulate our words and thoughts. His eyes behold the things that are equal; he tries and proves us, and is intimately acquainted with our true character; therefore we should steadily purpose and resolve that our mouth shall not transgress, and that our words and thoughts shall be such as he approves.
To arm us against temptation, let us consider that the path of sin is the path of the destroyer. It is the way of Satan, who was a destroyer from the beginning, and who still leads to destruction. Let us attend to the words of God, that we may learn our danger and our duty, and pray that he would hold us up and preserve us, even when we have formed the best resolutions; then we may hope that he will guard us with the greatest care and tenderness.
It is comfortable to think, that the bitterest and most powerful enemies are only a sword in God's hand, his instruments in chastising his people. He manages them as he pleaseth; they can do nothing without his leave, and cannot exceed his commission. The wrath of man therefore shall praise him, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain.
Let us often meditate on this sublime and delightful view of heaven, this bright abridgment of future blessedness. It consists in seeing and knowing God; in being like him, and transformed into his spotless image. This will yield us entire satisfaction, when nothing else can; and the hope of it should reconcile us to the prosperity of the wicked, and to our own troubles; and engage us to purify ourselves even as He is pure, since none but the pure in heart shall see God.” ORTON.