The Righteous One’s Dissatisfaction with the Present World
David is the author, and to a degree the subject, but to quote another, “This is a prayer in the Person of a perfect Man, and of Christ Himself, and of everyone that is redeemed by Him.” The psalm speaks of vindication and salvation, and ends with the resurrection. David, as a type of Christ, is open to investigation by God concerning his attitude and response to them that vilified him, and not even God could find anything in his heart. The church, as accepted in Christ, shall be vindicated from all charges, and know salvation and deliverance from its enemies.

Everyone shall close their eyes in death, but the believer shall open them to the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We shall see Him as He is, and be like Him, awaking with His likeness.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Psalm 17

¹LORD, hear the right, attend my cry,
Unto my pray’r give heed,
That doth not in hypocrisy
From feigned lips proceed.

²And from before thy presence forth
My sentence do thou send:
Toward these things that equal are
Do thou thine eyes intend.

³Thou prov’dst mine heart, thou visit’dst me
By night, thou didst me try,
Yet nothing found’st; for that my mouth
Shall not sin, purpos’d I.

⁴As for men’s works, I, by the word
That from thy lips doth flow,
Did me preserve out of the paths
Wherein destroyers go.

⁵Hold up my goings, Lord, me guide
In those thy paths divine,
So that my footsteps may not slide
Out of those ways of thine.

⁶I called have on thee, O God,
Because thou wilt me hear:
That thou may’st hearken to my speech,
To me incline thine ear.

⁷Thy wondrous lovingkindness show,
Thou that, by thy right hand,
Sav’st them that trust in thee from those
That up against them stand.

⁸As th’apple of the eye me keep;
In thy wings shade me close
⁹From lewd oppressors, compassing
Me round, as deadly foes.

¹⁰In their own fat they are inclos’d;
Their mouth speaks loftily.
¹¹Our steps they compass’d; and to ground
Down bowing set their eye.

¹²He like unto a lion is
That’s greedy of his prey,
Or lion young, which lurking doth
In secret places stay.

¹³Arise, and disappoint my foe,
And cast him down, O LORD:
My soul save from the wicked man,
The man which is thy sword.

¹⁴From men, which are thy hand, O LORD,
From worldly men me save,
Which only in this present life
Their part and portion have.

Whose belly with thy treasure hid
Thou fill’st: they children have
In plenty; of their goods the rest
They to their children leave.

¹⁵But as for me, I thine own face
In righteousness will see;
And with thy likeness, when I wake,
I satisfied shall be.