Psalm 17

Psalm 17
Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation, a Prayer of David

Summary: this psalm is a prayer of David, a righteousness man making a just plea to God. He prays that God will uphold him, and keep him safe. He also remembers that ultimately, he will be in heaven with God in the end. This is a pray for safety and success, while knowing that ultimately in the end David will be in heaven, safe and in a new body with Christ.

Its like watching a movie; I always get caught up in the movie and find myself hoping and wishing that everything will turn out all right, but then I remember, it’s a movie. The main character is in a mess of trouble, but you know that somehow everything is going to work out and somehow by the end of the 90 minute movie, everything will be in its place and everyone will live happily ever after.


I think it is almost the same case in this psalm. Let me explain. Verse one: 'Hear a just cause o Lord, attend to my cry.' David is praying that the Lord will hear his cry and protect him. Verse five: 'Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps my not slip.' He prays that God will guide his choices and paths to safe places. He goes on the pray that God will show his lovingkindness (m-w: tender and benevolent affection) and save those who trust in the Lord. Verse seven: 'O You save those who trust in You, from those who rise up against them.' He prays that God will keep him from those who oppress him and from his enemies. But then he remembers that his enemies store up treasures on earth, but when they die, they have to give all their possessions away. And David remembers God’s promise to His believers, that he will be rewarded in heaven. Verse fifteen: 'As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.' As Christians, our happily ever after is waking up, seeing our Creator, our loving Father for the first time, living in an eternal kingdom with the Creator of the universe, which is far better than 'happily ever after' on TV.

This Psalm reminds me of a song that is all about how we as Christians should live, with the final goal in mind, a heavenly home, a heavenly family. The song is Heavenlies, by Evan Wickham. Check out the lyrics, it's a pretty cool song. But my favorite part is the chorus, I'm living for the heavenlies. Which is kinda what David says at the very end of his psalm, 'I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness', which means David is looking forward to that moment when we are with God and can see Him face to face. It is so awesome that in trial and pain and suffering we can remember that we are living for something more than this world, we are living for a heavenly Father whose love is perfect beyond measure and stores up heavenly treasures for us.

No matter what troubles or trails we face today, we can have the same attitude that David had, God will triumph in the end! And because we are on God’s side, so will we!