Walk Of Life – Day 22, July 2022 – Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms

Psalm 17 – Finding Shelter Under The Shadow Of His Wings

This psalm is a prayer where David pleas to God for deliverance from his enemies. David would have written this psalm when he was chased by King Saul. From a musician to an armor bearer to a soldier in the king’s army, David became a fugitive in Israel because of Saul’s jealousy and fear that he would take away his kingdom. Following Saul’s attempt to kill David, he had to flee and hid like a criminal wandering from place to place.

Plea From A Tested Heart In Crises (Verse 1-5)
In distress David cried out to the LORD the way an infant would cry to get attention from his parent. In a desperate attempt to gain God’s favor, David asks God to examine him like a surgeon to find out if his cause was just. He could boldly pray this way because:

• He did not have deceitful lips
• He waited for God to prove him right.
• He planned no evil schemes either in his heart or by action.
• He resolved to keep his mouth from speaking slander.
• He did not take any bribe
• He did not resort to violence even though he could have killed Saul on two occasion.
• He kept God’s commands and did not waver from it.

Plea For Protection (verse 6-9)
David had become a fugitive, still he knew that God is faithful and his ears are not dull in listening to his prayers. Exhausted and broken due to his situation, he desperately desired three things from Yahweh.

• To show him lovingkindness – The steadfast love of God is that he enters into a favorable relationship with his people, promising to be their God. David prayed that God would remember his covenant and deliver him by his mighty right hand.
• To keep him as the apple of his eye – Eye is a part of the body which is sensitive and can be easily injured by tiny dust particles or by light and often need protection. David wanted to be kept by God as if he were something valuable and even fragile.
• To keep him under the shadow of his wings – David felt so lonely and tired that he wanted God to cover him just like a mother bird shields her young chicks from predators, from harsh climate, and from dangers by gathering them under her wings.

Plea to God to defeat his enemies (verse 10-14)
Like a lion who chases its prey till it captures and destroy it, David was chased by his enemies everywhere. Even though David had killed wild beasts and won many victories in battle, he needed this enemy to be defeated by the hand of God. So he pleaded God to take control of his foes whose delight was in this life.

Earnest plea restores peace (verse 15)
David’s prayer ends with an assurance that God will deliver him not only in this life but also in the afterlife. He received an understanding from God that he will be made righteous and thus transformed into God’s likeness. Only then the mind will be satisfied with his truth, the heart with his love, the will with his authority. Then he would be lacking nothing.

This psalm teaches us that we need to have our conscience clear before we approach God with our supplications. Only then we can expect our prayers to be answered. So like David, let us resolve in our hearts not to sin by putting God’s word into practice and be found blameless in God’s eyes.