Chapter 17: Prayer For Protection

I. INVOCATION (1-6). "Attend, 0 Jehovah." 1. Petition (1). 2. Pleas (2-5). (a) Equity of Jehovah (2). (b) Integrity of the psalmist (3-5 ). 3. Petition (6). II. INTERCESSION (7-12). The Saviour and His Saints. " "( ) US, II . I. Prayer for His People (7-8). Deliverance desired. 2. Plaint against His Persecutors (9-12 ). Doings described. "th ,, ( ) em, 7;

RECORD ·OF THE DIVINE RED.SEMER III. INVOCATION (13-15). "Arise, 0 Jehovah." 1. Petition (13). 2. Pleas (14). (a) Instrumentality of the Enemy. (b) Prosperity of the Enemy. 3. Persuasion (15). SUPERSCRIPT.-A prayer of David. SUBSCRIPT.-For the Chief Musician. PRIMARY Assoc1ATION.-Historical occasion is the period of David's outlaw life; see e.g. 1 Sam. xxiii. 25-29. This "prayer" is one of the five psalms so entitled. N Qte many' links with xvi. The two psalms, however, differ in tone, consequent upon the different circumstances. Ps. xvi. shows the danger in the background and the psalm "breathes a spirit of calm repose and joyous serenity''; in xvii. "the danger is pressip.g and help urgently needed." PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Belongs to the period of the perse cuted Jewish remnant in the closing days of this age and with millennial days in immediate prospect. Messiah is seen as their Inter cessor associating them with Himsel£ He makes appeal against the enemies of His people, based upon His own personal perfection. PERSONAL A.PPUCATION.-Let there be no hypocrisy in my prayer, 1. Will all my ways bear the divine scrutiny? 3. Do I know by experience the preserving power of the Word of God? 4. The "reflection" in my eye will be a miniature of that upon which I gaze. As He looks into my eyes, does the Lord see a small likeness of Himself? 4-5. If the Perfect One needed the Word for His path down here, how much more do we need it? 4. The ''works'' of men are diametrically opposed to the Word of God, 4. Both the might and the mercy of God are manifested on behalf of those who take refuge in Him, 7. Divine power delivers from deadly peril, 7. Wicked men may be the instruments of discipline, 13-14, but their triumph is short, Job xx. 5. When the voices of the world are hushed in the night season, the truth makes itself more clearly heard, 3. Worldly men are satisfied tp see themselves reflected in their sons; Christians will be satisfied to see God in the person of His Son, 14. VERSE NOTES 2. "sentence"= judgment, i.e. vindicate the justice of my cause. (b) br.asR.V.m. His prayer is based upon the known character of God.

3. "proved" = tried. For the blessing of the quiet night season, cf. xvi. 7; (be) hr. "Thou hast proved (refined, or assayed) me and findest no evil purpose in me; my mouth doth not transgress." 4. "I have shunned the paths of the violent," i.e. avoided both their society and their example; ctr. the path of life, xvi. II; "violent," Heb. = one who breaks throuéh all restraint. 5. ' f;?15," Hêb. . beaten tracks such as made by wheeled traffic; "slipped," s.H.w. moved, XVI. 8. 6. 'T' (emph.); "God" = El (Mighty One). 7. (a) i.e. by some signal intervention of divine power; "trust"= "take refuge . , ' lll XVI. I. 8 "k 1 " · h f th r eep = preserve, s. .w. xvi. I; app e, 1.e. t e part o e eye 1onrung the pupil, emblem of that which is tenderest and dearest, and therefore guarded with most jealous care; c£ Deut. xxxii. IO; Prov. vii. 2; Zech. ii. 8; word lit. = the little man, that is, the reflection seen in the pupil. 8. "Hide . .. wings:• a favourite figure of speech with the psalmist, taken from the care of the mother· bird for her young, xxxvi. 7; lvii. 1 ; lxiii. 7; xcl. 4; in light of lxi. 4 may also be a reference to the wings of the cherubim which patterned all the beautiful curtains and the veil of the tabernacle sanctuary. These were to be seen by the ministering priests above and all around them, except the way of entry to the Holy Place. 9. "deadly," i.e. they sought his life, 1 Sam. xxiv. II. IO. or as R.V. m.; (b) c£ x. 2; xii. 3-5. II-12. c£ X. 8-9. 12. "He," one adversary (Saul) is conspicuous for ferocity and craftiness., 13. "cast ... " or, make him crouch (in abject submission). 13-14. A.V. on the whole here preferable. 14. C£ New Testament language, Luke -xvi. 8; Luke xx. 34-3 5; Phil. iii. 19, R V " h R V "Th fill "cf. . . ; w ose portion, see . . m.; ctr. xvi. 5; ou est, . cv1. 15; "children" = sons; in Eastern lands the great desire is to see the family perpetuating its name; "rest of their substance," hr. their superabundance. 15. Or as R.V. m., expressing the psalmist's aspiration in ctr. with that of the "men of the world," c£ xvi. II. (b) c£ Num. xii. 6-8; Exod. xxxiii. 18-23 for the psalmist's desire (i.e. a waking sight and not a mere dream or vision). For the christian application to the joyful hope, see John xiv. 9; I John iii. 2; Rev. xxii. 4; see also of men in the old creation, 1 Cor. xi. 7, shadow of the ultimate purpose of God for redeemed man. Christ is now the perfect expression of it. Man is satisfied with sons, the believer with the Son.