Hear My Cry, O Lord

-


Psalm 17:1-5. 15 (NIV)

1 Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;

listen to my cry.

Hear my prayer—

it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2 Let my vindication come from you;

may your eyes see what is right.

3 Though you probe my heart,

though you examine me at night and test me,

you will find that I have planned no evil;

my mouth has not transgressed.

4 Though people tried to bribe me,

I have kept myself from the ways of the violent

through what your lips have commanded.

5 My steps have held to your paths;

my feet have not stumbled. …

15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;

when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

 

Devotion:

 

            Psalm seventeen is a cry for help from God against the psalmist’s enemies. It proclaims that the writer has kept to God’s ways even in the face of enemy taunts and oppression. The verses omitted from the reading above deal with the specific actions of the psalmist’s opponents. Through it all the writer maintains his innocence. Proclaiming that he is the apple of the Lord’s eye. Some commentators suggest that verse fifteen can be construed to mean that the psalmist spent the night in the temple, though this is not clear.

 

            In verses one and two, the writer declares his innocence. The psalmist prays that the Lord will hear his prayer and know that it comes from a pure heart and lips that speak the truth and not lies. Our author knows that the Lord cannot be fooled but sees the condition of the heart and judges rightly.

 

            The psalmist then asks God to examine him. He knows that God will vindicate him and declare him free from deception and evil doing. Verses three through five make this claim clear. The writer has accepted no bribe nor dealt violently with his neighbor. He has followed the path of righteousness and truth telling.

 

            The final words of this psalm declare the writer’s trust that he will be ultimately proven right about all he has declared in this prayer. He will rest secure in the knowledge that the Lord judges justly and will make His righteousness known among all the people. The psalmist sleeps securely knowing that in the end he will be vindicated by the Lord.

 

Prayer:

            Lord, may we, like the writer of this psalm, be able to trust in you fully and completely. Help us to know that You are truly for us and not against us. Lord, keep us unstained by the world. May you be glorified through our lives as we hope in you. Teach us to follow the path you have laid out for us. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reflecting on Reformation Day

-
  On October 31st, millions of Christians around the world celebrate Reformation Day, a commemoration of a pivotal moment in church history. It marks the day in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German monk and scholar, nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This act, challenging the practices and doctrines of the Catholic Church, ignited what we now know as the Protestant Reformation. The Courage to Stand for Truth Reformation Day calls us to reflect on the courage it takes to stand for truth. Martin Luther faced immense opposition and risked his life to speak against the corruption and abuses he saw within the church. His conviction was rooted in a deep understanding of scripture and a sincere desire to return to the teachings of Christ. As we remember Luther's bravery, let us examine our own lives. Are we willing to stand firm in our beliefs, even when it is difficult? Do we seek truth in God's word and let it guide our actions? Script...
Read more

We Will Wait for the Lord

-
  Scripture: Psalm 33:20-24 (NIV) 20  We wait in hope for the Lord ; he is our help and our shield. 21  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22  May your unfailing love be with us, Lord , even as we put our hope in you. Devotion: The words of Psalm 33:20-22 resonate deeply with anyone who has ever found themselves in a position of waiting, hoping, and trusting in the Lord. "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him, our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you." These verses encapsulate a profound truth about the nature of our relationship with God and our hearts' posture as we navigate life's uncertainties. The concept of waiting in hope is not passive resignation but an active, expectant stance. It signifies a deep trust in God's timing and His perfect plan for our lives. As we wait, we do so with the assurance that God ...
Read more

Bold Testimony

-
  Scripture: Acts 4:8-12 (ESV) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9  if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11  This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Devotion: In this passage from Acts 4:8-12, we witness a decisive moment where Peter, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, addresses the rulers and elders of the people. His bold testimony is not just a defense of miraculous healing but a proclamation of the central truth of the Christian faith. ...
Read more