Psalm 17
A David Prayer
1-2 Listen while I build my case, God, the most honest prayer you'll ever hear.
Show the world I'm innocent—
in your heart you know I am.
3 Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
surprise me in the middle of the night—
You'll find I'm just what I say I am.
My words don't run loose.
4-5 I'm not trying to get my way
in the world's way.
I'm trying to get your way,
your Word's way.
I'm staying on your trail;
I'm putting one foot
In front of the other.
I'm not giving up.
6-7 I call to you, God, because I'm sure of an answer.
So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp!
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
take in your frightened children who
Are running from the neighborhood bullies
straight to you.
8-9 Keep your eye on me;
hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
from mortal enemies closing in.
10-14 Their hearts are hard as nails,
their mouths blast hot air.
They are after me, nipping my heels,
determined to bring me down,
Lions ready to rip me apart,
young lions poised to pounce.
Up, God: beard them! break them!
By your sword, free me from their clutches;
Barehanded, God, break these mortals,
these flat-earth people who can't think beyond today. I'd like to see their bellies
swollen with famine food,
The weeds they've sown
harvested and baked into famine bread,
With second helpings for their children
and crusts for their babies to chew on.
15 And me? I plan on looking
you full in the face. When I get up,
I'll see your full stature
and live heaven on earth
In psalm 17, we see David praying about how his enemies have come upon him, and lifts up praises to God for protecting him. We see in the first seven verses David asking God to hear his cry. He begs God to just hear him. Verse 5 reads, "My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped." He is telling God that he has not let the world cause him to stumble.
And in verses 6-7, David knows that God will hear him. He asks God to make Himself known to his enemies. The message translation says, " I call to you, God, because I'm sure of an answer. So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp! Paint grace-graffiti on the fences; take in your frightened children who are running from the neighborhood bullies straight to you." I love that term "paint grace-graffiti." I get an image God making Himself as visible as the graffiti you see on the side of the free way. It is just an interesting kind of language.
Through the remaining verses, David asks God to keep under His wing of protection. He wants protection from his enemies who he knows are hiding ready to tear him apart like lions. He says that even though they find their joy in their sinful abundance, he knows that God will have the final word. David closes saying that regardless of what his enemies say or do to him, that he will look God in the face every morning and see the fullness of God. He will know he is in the likeness of Him.
From these verses, I get a feeling that sometime it will seem as God is not listening to our pleas. But even when our enemies are living lavishly and ready to destroy us, that we can seek refuge in the arms of Christ. He will protect of destruction. And everyday we will wake, and we will have to look into the face of God and know that He is there.
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