Psalm 17

Psalm 17

Verse 1

"Hear what is right, O Lord." He who has the worst cause does but noise; then the oppressed soul is apprehensive that its voice may be drowned and therefore invokes in this verse for an audience of no less than three times. The the troubled heart yearns for the ear of the great Judge, convinced that with to hear is to notice. If our God could not or did not want to hear us, our state would be deplorable indeed; and yet, some teachers they make so little space in the propitiatory that God does not hear them through simple reason that they neglect the plea. We also do not have a house if we persist as gypsies living in the streets and public spaces; just as do not have a seat of mercy as always defending our own cause and never going to God. There is more fear of not hearing the Lord that the Lord will not hear us. "Listen to the right;" it is good that our case be good in itself and can be recommended as certain, for the law never will be offended by our just judge; but if our case is harmed through our ailments, it is a great privilege for us to be able to mention the the justice of our Lord Jesus, which is always prevailing on high. To the right there is a voice that Jehovah always hears, and if my mistakes cry out against with great strength and fury, I will pray to the Lord to hear that even more high and more powerful voice of the right, and the rights of his beloved Son. "Listen, O God, the Just;" that is, "hear the Messiah," is a translation adopted by Jerome, and admired by Bishop Horsley, whether correct or not as a translation, is quite suitable as a plea. That the reader defends on the throne of God just right, even when all other arguments are useless. it's good that our if it is good in itself and can be considered correct, because the the law will never be offended by our just judge; but if our process is harmed by our ailments, it is a great privilege that we can make mention of the justice of our Lord Jesus, which is always prevailing in high. On the right, there is a voice that Jehovah always hears; and if my mistakes are they clash against me with great force and fury, I will pray to the Lord to hear that voice even louder and more powerful from the right and the rights of your dear Son. "Hear, O God, the Just"; that is, "hear the Messiah", is an adopted translation by Jerônimo, and admired by Bishop Horsley, whether it is correct or not as a translation, is adequate enough as an appeal. Let the reader beg in throne of the just God, even when all other arguments are useless. It is good that our case is good in itself and can be considered as correct, for the law will never be offended by our just judge; but if if our process is harmed by our ailments, it is a great privilege that we can mention the justice of our Lord Jesus, which is always prevailing above. To the right, there is a voice that Jehovah always hears; if my mistakes collide against me with great force and fury, I will pray to the Lord to hear that voice even louder and more powerful from the right and the the rights of your dear Son. "Hear, O God, the Just"; that is, "hear the Messiah," is a translation adopted by Jerome, and admired by Bishop Horsley, be correct or not as a translation, it is adequate enough as an appeal.

Let the reader plead on the throne of the just God, even when everyone other arguments are useless. "Attend to my cry." This shows the vehemence and seriousness of the petitioner; he is not just a mere talker, he cries and laments. Who can to resist a cry? A real, bitter and lamentable cry can almost melt A stone, there can be no fear of its prevalence with our Heavenly Father.

A scream is our first expression and, in many ways, the most natural. of human sounds; if our prayer wants the baby's cry to be more more natural than intelligent and more sincere than elegant, will not be eloquent with God. There is a huge power in a child's cry to prevail with the heart of a father. "Listen to my prayer." Some repetitions they are not in vain. The reduplication used here is neither superstition nor tautology, but it is like the repeated blow of a hammer hitting the same a nail in the head to fix it more effectively, or the continuous beating of a beggar at the gate who cannot be denied a donation. 'This does not come from fake lips." Sincerity is a sine qua non in prayer. Lips of deceit is detestable to man and even more so to God. In relationships as sacred as that of prayer, hypocrisy, even in its most remote degree, is as fatal as it is foolish. Hypocritical devotion is a double wickedness.

He who pretends and flatters better should try his trade with a fool like him, To deceive the One who sees is as impossible as catching the moon in a net, You take the sun in a trap. He who would deceive God is already deceived. but more coarsely. Our sincerity in prayer has no merit, more than that the seriousness of a beggar on the street; but at the same time the Lord takes care from this, through Jesus, and He will not turn His ear away for long from a honest and fervent petitioner.

Verse 2

"Let my sentence come out of your presence." The psalmist now made bold by the empowering influence of prayer, and now he pleads to the Judge of all the earth who gives judgment on your case. He was slandered, despised and ill-intentioned; and having taken his action before the highest cut, he, like an innocent man, has no desire to escape from the investigation, but even invites and prosecutes for judgment. He does not It could be confidential, but it would have results for the world. He would have a sentence. pronounced and executed immediately. In some matters, we can... dare to be as bold as that; but, unless we can claim Something better than our supposed innocence would be a terrible presumption. to challenge the judgment of a God who hates sin. With Jesus as our complete and glorious justice, we need not fear, although the day of judgment should begin immediately, and hell should open its mouth at our feet, but it can prove with joy the truth of the holy oath of our anthem I will stand bold on that great day; For whom will my load be established?

While, through your blood, I am absolved, Of the tremendous curse and shame of sin. "May your eyes behold the things that are equal." The believers do not they desire no other judge besides God, or to be exempted from judgment, or even being judged by principles of bias. No; our hope is not in the perspective of God's favoritism and in consequent suspension of its law; we expect to be judged by the same principles that other men, and through the blood and justice of our Redeemer, we will pass through the trial unscathed. The Lord will weigh us on the scale of just justice and justly; he will not use false weights to allow us escape, but with the most severe equity these balances will be used on we, just like about others; and with our blessed Lord Jesus as our everything in everything we do not tremble, for we will not be found lacking. In the case of Davi felt that his cause was so righteous that he simply wished that the divine eyes would rest upon the subject, and I was confident that the equity would give him everything he needed.

Verse 3: "You have tested my heart". Like Peter, David uses the argument: You know all things, you know that I love you. It is a very secure thing. to be able to immediately turn to the Lord and ask our judge to be a witness of our defense. "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, so we trust in God." "You visited me at night." As if it were Lord, you entered my house at any time; and you saw me when no one was around; you surprised me and marked my unrestrained actions, and you know whether I am guilty of the crimes alleged my door ". Happy man who can thus remember the all-seeing eye and the omnipresent visitor and find comfort in the memory. We hope that let us have had our visits at midnight of our Lord truly they are sweet; so sweet that the memory of them makes us desire more of such condescending communities. Lord, if we were indeed hypocrites, we should have had this communion, or feel so hungry after a her renewal? "You have tried me and you will find nothing." Certainly the psalmist does not mean anything hypocritical or wicked in the sense that their slanderers or accused; because, if the Lord put the best of his people in the crucible, the scoria would be a fearful sight, and it would be penance to open its behaviors. Researchers soon detect the presence of alloy, and when the chief of all evaluators, finally, said that he found nothing, it will truly be a glorious hour - "They are without guilt before the throne of God". Even here, as seen in our alliance leader, the Lord does not see. sin in Jacob, nor wickedness in Israel; even the gaze that sees everything detects that Omniscience cannot see any flaw where the great Substitute covers everything with beauty and perfection. "I intend for my mouth do not transgress. Oh those sad lips of ours! we needed to purpose for purposes if we prevented them from exceeding their limits. The the number of tongue diseases is as many as the diseases of the rest of the man, and they are more inveterate. Hands and feet one can bind, but who can it stick to the lips? iron bands can bind a madman, but that can chains contain the tongue? It needs more than one purpose to keep this agile aggressor within its proper reach. The taming of the the lion and the charm of the serpent should not be mentioned on the same day as handle the tongue, for the tongue cannot tame anyone. Those who they need to be smart about the falsehoods of others and should be more careful about themselves; perhaps this led the psalmist to record this holy resolution; and, besides that, I intended to affirm that, if I had spoken besides in his own defense, it was not intentional, as he wished, in all aspects, adjust your lips to the sweet and simple music of truth. Despite of All of this, David was slandered, as if to show us that the purest innocence will be harmed by malice. There is no sunlight without shadow, nor ripe fruit unseen by the birds. for he wished, in every aspects, adjust your lips to the sweet and simple music of truth. Despite all this, David was slandered, as if to show us that the purest innocence will be harmed by malice. There is no sunlight without shadow, nor ripe fruit unseen by the birds. for he desired, in all the aspects, adjust your lips to the sweet and simple music of truth. Despite all of this, David was slandered, as if to show us that the purest innocence will be harmed by malice. There is no sunlight without shadow, nor ripe fruit not seen by the birds.

Verse 4

"On the works of men." As long as we are among the men, we will have their works under our knowledge, and we will be obliged to maintaining a section of our diary titled 'concerning the works of' men". To be very clear, the dead works of carnal humanity are the I wish devoted souls that are stimulated by the Holy Spirit.

The word of your lips I have kept from the paths of the destroyer. he kept the road of the Scripture and did not choose the foolish paths of wickedness.

Soon we must imitate the example of the worst of men if not for the grace of God. did not use the Word of God as the great conserver of evil. The paths of the destroyer often tempted us; we were led to become destroyers too, when we feel very provoked, and the resentment heated up; but we remember the example of our Lord, that would not call down fire from heaven upon his enemies, but humbly prayed: "Father, forgive them." All paths of sin are the paths of Satan.

- Apollyon or Abaddon, both mean the destroyer. In fact, the fools are those who give their hearts to the old killer, because, during time, it satisfies his evil desires. That heavenly book that is neglected on many shelves is the only guide for those who they would avoid the attractive and tangled labyrinths of sin; and it is the best way to preserve the young pilgrim from always walking these dangerous paths.

We must follow one or the other; the Book of Life or the path of death; word of the Holy Spirit, or the suggestion of the Evil Spirit. David could to insist, as proof of his sincerity, that he had neither part nor lot with the wicked in their ruinous ways. How can we dare to defend our cause with God, unless we can also wash our hands of All connection with the enemies of the Great King?

Verse 5: Under judgment, it is not easy for us to behave correctly; a a candle is not easily lit when many envious mouths are blowing In bad times, prayer is particularly necessary, and the wise they turn to it immediately. Plato said to one of his disciples: When men speak ill of you, live so that no one believes them; Good advice, but he didn't tell us how to do it. We have a precept here. included in an example; If we were preserved, we should cry for the Preserver and to obtain divine support on our side. "Hold my outputs" - like a careful driver holding his horse when he goes down the hill. We have all kinds of steps, fast and slow, and the road never it's long of a type, but with God to support our outings, nothing in rhythm or on the road can be taken down. The one who came down once and cut the knees sadly, to the bone, had to redouble their care when using this prayer; and all of us, since we are so weak in our legs through the the fall of Adam, we needed to use it every hour of the day. If a perfect father he fell, how could an imperfect son dare to boast? "In your ways."

Abandoning the ways of Satan, he prayed to be kept in the God's ways. We cannot avoid evil without staying well. If the if the acre is not full of wheat, it can once again be full of straw. In all the ordinances and duties of our most holy faith, that the Lord empower us to walk in your saving grace! "May my steps not they slip." What! slip on the paths of God? Yes, the road is good, but our feet are bad and therefore slip, even on the road of Who asks if carnal men slip and fall on the paths of your own choice, which, like the valley of Sidim, are full of slime mortals? One can stumble upon a decree, just as one can stumble upon a temptation. The Jesus Christ himself is a stumbling block for some, and the doctrines of grace has been a cause of offense for many. Only grace can sustain our steps on the paths of truth.

Verse 6

"I have called upon you, for you will hear me, O God." You always me You have heard, oh my Lord, and for this reason I have the greatest confidence in approaching you. again from your altar. Experience is a blessed teacher. He who tested God's faithfulness in times of need, has great boldness in present your case before the throne. The well of Bethlehem, from which we extract refreshing sketches in years past, our souls long for silence; we won't let it be left in the broken cisterns of the earth. "Incline the your ears to me and listen to my speech." Come down from heaven and put your heard in my mouth; Give me your ear just for me, like the men when they lean to catch every word of the friend. The psalmist here returns to your first prayer, and thus gives us an example of pressing our we repeat it repeatedly, until we are fully certain that we have done well events.

Verse 7

"Show your wonderful kindness." Wonderful in your antiquity, its distinctive character, its fidelity, its immutability and, above of everything, wonderful in the wonders she works. That wonderful grace that redeemed us with the precious blood of the only begotten Son of God, is here invoked to come to help. This grace is sometimes hidden; the text says: Show it.

The present pleasures of divine love are unmatched cordials to support faint hearts. Believer, what prayer is this! Think carefully. Oh Lord, show your wonderful kindness; show it to my intellect and remove my ignorance; show my heart and revive my gratitude; show it to my faith and renew my trust; show my experience and me free from all my fears. The original word used here is the same as In Psalm 4:3 it is made separately, and it has the power to distinguish your mercies, distribute them and separate the best to be granted to in this hour of my deepest affliction. "O you who guard for your "right those who trust in you from those who rise against them." The title Here given to our gracious God is eminently comforting. He is the God of salvation; it is his present and perpetual habit to save the believers; he exposes his best and most glorious strength, using your right hand of wisdom and power, to save all those, of any class or category, who trust in you Same with him. Happy faith, therefore, to ensure the omnipotent protection of Heaven! Blessed God, to be so gracious to unworthy mortals, when They have more reason to trust in you! The right hand of God is interposed. between the saints and all evil; God never loses the means; his own hand it is enough. He works without tools, just like he does with them. funny with the unworthy mortals, when they only have the grace to trust to you! The right hand of God interposes between the saints and all evil; God never loses the means; his own bare hand is enough. He works without tools, just like with them. be gracious to the unworthy mortals, when they only have the grace to trust in you! The right hand of God is interposed between the saints and all evil; God never loses His means; His bare hands are enough. He works without tools, just like with they.

Verse 8

"Keep me as the apple of your eye." No part of the body more precious, more tender and more carefully guarded than the eye; and of eye, no portion more peculiarly protected than the central apple, the pupil, or as Hebrew calls it, "the apple of the eye." The omniscient creator She placed her eye in a very protected position; it is surrounded by projections. like bones surrounded by mountains. Moreover, your great The author surrounded it with many inner covering tunics, in addition to the hedge of eyebrows, the curtain of the eyelids, and the fence of the eyelashes; and, moreover, he gave each man a value so high in his eyes, and a concern so quickly from danger, that no part of the body is cared for more faithfully than that the organ of vision. Thus, Lord, keep me, for I trust that I am one with Jesus is, therefore, a member of his mystical body. "Hide me under the shadow of your wings." Just as the father bird completely protects your brood of evil and, in the meantime, feeds them with the warmth of your Your own heart, covering them with your wings, you do the same with me, more condescending to God, for I am your seed and you have the love of a father in perfection. This last clause is in Hebrew in the future, as if for show that the writer had asked, but a moment before that he now had certainty that it would be granted to him. Confident expectations must to follow the rhythm of sincere pleas. And, in the meantime, comfort them with the heat of your own heart, covering them with your wings, so do with me, but condescending to God, for I am your descendant, and you have love of a father in perfection. This last clause is in Hebrew in the future, how to show that the writer would ask, but a moment before he now would be sure that it would be granted to him. The confident expectations they must keep pace with sincere supplications. And, in the meantime, they comfort it. with the heat of your own heart, covering them with your wings, so shall it be with me, more condescending to God, for I am your descendant, and you have the love of a father in perfection. This last clause is in Hebrew in future, as if to show that the writer had asked, but a moment before that he would now be sure that it would be granted to him. The expectations those who are confident must keep pace with sincere pleas.

9. "From the wicked who oppress me, from my mortal enemies, who me searched for. The enemies from whom David sought to be rescued were men wicked. It is hopeful for us when our enemies are enemies of God. They were mortal enemies, to whom nothing but their death would satisfy.

The enemies of a believer's soul are the deadliest enemies. emphatically, for those who fight against our faith aim at their own life of our lives. The seven deadly sins are mortal enemies, and what sin is there that Is there no death in your bowels? These enemies oppressed David, they devastated your spirit, like invading armies devastate a country, or like wild animals ravaging a land. He compares it to a city besieged and complains that his enemies surround him. It may very well accelerate our businesses, when everything around us, every road, is blocked by mortal enemies. This is our daily position, as around us dangers and sins are lurking. O God, protect us from all of them.

Verse 10

"They are bent on their own fatness." Luxury and gluttony. they generate a vain fatality of heart, which closes the gates against all compassionate emotions and reasonable judgments. The old proverb says that full bellies make empty skulls, and it is even more true that they they frequently make empty hearts. The most important weeds They grow from the richer soil. Wealth and self-indulgence are the fuel. about which some sins feed their flames. Pride and fullness the bread were the twin sins of Sodom. (Ezekiel 16:49.) The falcons of They forget their masters; and the full moon is farther from Eglon was a notable example of a well-fed corporation. it's not safety for life, when a sharp message comes from God, directed to the internal vital signs of the body. "With their mouth they speak proudly." He who is worshiped will have no heart to worship the Lord.

Full of selfish pleasure inside his heart, the wicked man fills his mouth with overbearing and arrogant expressions. Prosperity and vanity usually They come together. Oh, the fed bull when he blows on his owner, the poleaxe does not it's far.

Verse 11

"They now surround us in our steps." The fury of the wicked it is not directed at a single believer, but at the entire group; they surrounded us. All the the race of the Jews was just a bit of Haman's hungry vengeance, and everything because of a Mordecai. The prince of darkness hates all the saints for the cause of your Master. The Lord Jesus is one of us and here is our hope.

He is the destroyer and will pave the way for us through the hosts that follow us. involve. The hatred of the powers of evil is continuous and energetic, as they they observe every step, in the hope that the moment will come when they they catch us by surprise. If our spiritual adversaries do so, they will repeat with every step, with what anxiety must we guard all our movements, so that we are not, in some way, betrayed by evil! "They "They placed their eyes bending to the ground." Trapp intelligently explain this metaphor by an allusion to a bull when it is about to run in his victim; he lowers his head, looks down and concentrates all his strength in the stroke he makes. It probably denotes malicious envy with the which enemy observes the steps of the righteous, as if they were studying the ground about which they tread, and looked for some wrong sign to accuse them for past, or some stumbling block to throw in your future path to They stumbled over the days to come and looked for some wrong sign to accuse them of past, or some stumbling block to throw in your future path to they stumbled upon them in the days to come and sought some wrong signal to accuse them the past hair, or some stumbling stone to throw in your path future to stumble upon them in the days to come.

Verse 12

The Lions are no longer greedy, nor are their ways more cunning than Satan and his helpers when engaged against the children of God.

The blood of souls that the adversary thirsts for, and all his strength and skill. are exercised to the maximum to satisfy your detestable appetite. We are weak and fools like sheep; but we have a wise and strong shepherd, who knows the the tricks of the old lion and is more than a match for his strength; therefore, not we will be afraid, but let's rest safely in the flock. Let us have care, however, with our enemy lurking; and in those parts of the road where we feel safer, let's look at each other for what, Ventura, our enemy does not jump on us.

Verse 13

'Arise, Lord'. The more furious the attack, the more fervent is the prayer of the psalmist. His eyes rest upon the AllPowerful, and he feels that God just has to rise from the seat of his patience, and the work will be carried out immediately. Let the lion jump About us, if Jehovah places himself among us, we do not need better defense.

When God meets our enemy face to face in battle, the conflict soon It will end. "Disappoint him." Be upfront with him, deceive him and run after.

Delete. Point out in another way that he has designated, and thus disappoint him.

Knock him down. Spread him out. Make him sink to his knees. Make him bow down. how the arcs conquered before the conqueror. What a glorious vision it will be see Satan fall at the feet of our glorious Lord! Accelerate, day glorious! "Deliver my soul from the wicked, what is your sword?" "He recognizes the more profane and oppressive as being under the providential government of the King two kings, and used as a sword in the divine hand. What a sword can to do? unless wielded by a hand? No more the wicked they could irritate us, unless the Lord allowed them to do so. most translators, however, agree that this is not the correct reading, more than it should be as Calvin puts it: "Deliver my soul from man impious by your sword." Thus, David contrasts the sword of the Lord with help and human relief, and rests with the certainty that he is safe sufficient under the sponsorship of heaven.

Almost every word of this verse provided material for discussion to scholars, as it is very obscure. Thus, let us be content with the version common, instead of distracting the reader with various translations. "Of the men who they are your hand." Having called the wicked a sword in the hand of his Father, he now compares them with his own hand to demonstrate his conviction. from which God could easily remove his violence like a man move his own hand. He will never kill his son with his own hand. "Of "men of the world", mere worms; not the men of the world to come, but mere inhabitants of this narrow sphere of mortality; having no hopes or desires beyond the ground they tread on. "That has its part in this life."

Like the prodigal, they have their share and are not content to wait for the time of the Father. Like Passion in "The Progress of the Pilgrim", they have their best things first and have fun during their little hour. Luther he always feared that he would have his part here and, therefore, frequently donated amounts of money that had been presented to him.

We cannot have both earth and sky for our choice and share; the wise we choose that which will last the longest. "Whose belly you filled with your hidden treasure." Your sensual appetite receives the gain for which it longed.

God gives these pigs the shells they long for. A man generous does not deny dogs their bones; and our generous God even gives enough enemies to fill them, if they weren't so irrational like never content. The gold and silver that are enclosed in the dark depths of the earth are given to the wicked freely and, therefore, roll in all kinds of carnal pleasures. Every dog has its day, and they have of them, and it seems like a bright summer day; but ah! How quickly it ends in Good evening! "They are full of children." This was your greatest hope. affectionate, that a race from its loins would prolong its names far below on the page of history, and God granted them this as well; so that they may have everything the heart can desire. What enviable creatures they are. they seem to be, but they're just seeming! "They are full of children and leave the the rest of your substance for your babies." They were fat housewives and, however, they left no lean will. Living and dying they they needed nothing but grace and woe is me! this lack ruins They had a reasonable amount within the small circle of time, but eternity did not enter into their calculations. They were wise cents, more foolish; they remembered the present and forgot the future; they They fought for the shell and lost the kernel. How good a description do we have here. of many successful merchants or popular statesmen; and it is, to at first glance, very flashy and tempting, but in contrast with the glories of world to come, what are these insignificant joys of mounds. I, I even so, all these joys begin and end in minimal selfishness; but Oh, our God, how rich are those who begin and end in You! all the contamination and damage that the association with the men of the world brings us bring it to us, oh God! they remembered the gift and forgot the future; they fought for the shell and lost the kernel. How well a description we have here many successful merchants or popular statesmen; and is, at first glance, very flashy and tempting, but in contrast to the glories of the world to come, what are these insignificant joys of mounds. I, I myself, all these joys begin and end in minimal selfishness; But oh, our God, how rich are those who begin and end in You!

From all the contamination and damage that association with the men of the world brings us bring it to us, O God! they remembered the gift and forgot the future; they fought for the shell and lost the kernel. How well a description we have here many successful merchants, or popular statesmen; and it is, at first glance, very flashy and tempting, but in contrast to the glories of the coming world, what are these insignificant joys of mounds. I, I myself, all these joys begin and end in minimal selfishness; But oh, our God, how rich are those who begin and end in You!

From all the contamination and damage that the association with the men of the world brings us bring us, O God! What are these insignificant molehill joys.

I, myself, all these joys begin and end in selfishness minimum; but oh, our God, how rich are those who start and we end in you! From all contamination and damage that the association with the men of the world will bring us, deliver us, oh God! What are these joys insignificant molehills. I, myself, all these joys begin and they end in minimal selfishness; but oh, our God, how rich are those that begin and end in you! From all contamination and damage that the association with the men of the world will bring us, deliver us, oh God!

Verse 15

'As for me.' 'I do not envy or desire the happiness of those men, but in part I have and in part I hope it will be much better. to contemplate the face of God and be transformed by this vision in his image, in order to take part in your justice, this is my noble ambition; and, in light of this, I gladly renounce all my gifts Pleasures. My satisfaction is to come; I am not looking for now. I'm going to sleep. for a while, but I will wake up to the sound of the trumpet; wake up to joy eternal, because I rise in your likeness Oh my God and King! Glimpses of glory, good men have here below to maintain your sacred hunger, but the banquet full awaits you in heaven superior. Compared to this deep, ineffable, and eternal fullness of delight, the joys of the worldly are like a firefly to the sun or the a bucket falling into the ocean.