Psalm 17 — 18
shepherd, but Saul was a ravenous beast (v. 12; see 57:3; 2 Sam. 1:23). Twice Saul threw his spear at David (1 Sam. 18:11; 19:10), on four occasions he sent soldiers to capture him, and Saul went personally to lay hold of him (1 Sam. 19:11–23). Now, like a lion, Saul tracked his prey and waited for the right time to pounce; but the Lord protected David.
from violence. Though he was a fugitive in the wilderness, David walked on the paths of the Lord and obeyed God's law.
David's declaration of righteousness was not evidence of pride or hypocrisy but of faithfulness to the Lord in difficult situations. You find similar language in 18:19–28 (and see John 18:22–23; Acts 23:1; 24:16.) David had a good conscience toward God.
Salvation—"Rescue Me" (vv. 13–15) David now sees the Lord as his gracious Redeemer, rescuing him and his men from the wicked hands of Saul. These verses contrast the "people of this world" to the "people of God" who live for that which is eternal. "Arise, O Jehovah" reminds us of 3:7, 7:6, 9:19, and 10:12, all of which go back to Numbers 10:35. He asks the Lord to confront Saul and his army, cast them down, and use His sword to defeat them. "Cast down" (v. 13) can be translated "make him crouch down like a lion that has been subdued." (See v. 12.) Except for his son Jonathan, Saul and his leaders were not spiritually minded but thought only of the things of this fleeting world (39:5; 49:1; 89:47). As "men of the world," they lived for time, not for eternity, and for their own pleasures, and not for the glory of God. (See Luke 16:8, 25; James 5:5.)
Protection—"Keep Me" (vv. 6–12) The enemy had surrounded him (vv. 9, 11; and see 1 Sam. 23:19–29), and though David was a masterful military tactician, he knew that without the Lord's help, he could not escape. God was not only the righteous judge, but He was also the powerful defender who could shelter David and his men from the enemy. He used the Hebrew name El as he addressed the Lord, a name that emphasizes God's great power, for He is "the Mighty God." His request in verse 7 reminds us of the "Song of Moses" in Exodus 15:1–19. Jehovah is a God of marvels and wonders (Ex. 15:11) and great unfailing love (15:13), and His right hand works for His people (15:12). If God could deliver His people from Egypt, He could deliver David from the hand of Saul. (In Psalm 18, David will celebrate that victory.) David asked for "a marvelous demonstration of God's love" in the defeat of his enemies.
Verse 14 is difficult to translate, but the sense seems clear: God was storing up judgment for David's enemies (Matt. 23:32; 1 Thess. 2:16), and their only reward would be in this life, not in the afterlife. They were full, they had many children who lacked nothing, and they would leave their wealth to their descendents. But the consequences of their sins would also be inherited by their descendents (Ex. 34:7; Num. 14:18). "May they have their punishment in full. May their children inherit more of the same, and may the judgment continue to their children's children" (v. 14 NLT). But verse 15 describes David's glorious future: seeing God's face and sharing God's likeness. This is one of the few texts in The Psalms that touches on the future life (see 16:11; 73:23–26). "Awake" is a metaphor for the resurrection of the human body (2 Kings 4:31; Job 14:12, 14; 26:19; Dan. 12:2; John 11:11; 1 Thess. 4:13–18). David seems to be saying, "Even when I die, the Lord won't desert me; for I shall be awakened and given a glorified body. I shall see His face, and I shall be satisfied!"
In verse 8, David used two images—the eye and the wings—to remind God that he was precious to Him. The "apple" of the eye is the pupil, the most delicate part of the eye. The Hebrew says "the little man of the eye," for when you look into someone's eyes, you can see yourself. Just as we protect the eye from injury, so David wanted the Lord to protect him. David may have borrowed this image from Deuteronomy 32:10. The phrase "under the shadow of thy wings" sometimes pictures the mother hen protecting her young (Matt. 23:37), but often it refers to the wings of the cherubim in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle (Ex. 25:18–20). David asked the Lord to make his hiding place into a Holy of Holies, the place of God's throne and God's glory, protected by the angels of God (see 36:7–8; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; Ruth 2:12). Because of the heavenly intercession of Jesus Christ, God's people today can enter into the Holy of Holies and fellowship with God (Heb. 10:1–25).
The enemy had arrogant mouths and hearts that were "enclosed in fat" (v. 10), that is, they had hearts that were callous from repeated disobedience to the Lord. In Scripture, "fatness" is sometimes associated with a selfish and worldly lifestyle (73:1–9; 119:70; Isa. 6:10). These people were morally and spiritually insensitive to what was right and weren't upset when they did something wrong. Paul called this "a seared conscience" (1 Tim. 4:2), for a heart covered with fat would not be sensitive to the needs of others (1 John 3:17). David's heart was sensitive to God's will; he knew that God wanted him to have "a broken and a contrite heart" (51:17). David was a compassionate