Psalm 17: A Cry For Help

It's been almost two years since I wrote about the Psalms. There are a number of reasons for that. The biggest, I suspect, is that I just didn't get this Psalm, for all that I'd studied all the words, and I didn't really want to move on until I understood. So I reread it from time to time. And waited. Tonight, I ended up doing scripture study late with the kids, so rather than reading a chapter from each one's personal bookmark, I just picked something short: a Psalm. And the first one to come to mind was the one that I'm supposed to be "working on" (though it has remained a mystery) for this Psalm Project: Psalm 17.

Suddenly, I could hardly see the page for the tears. All the mystery was unexpectedly cleared up: this Psalm is a cry against injustice, perpetrated by someone irresistibly stronger. It's the plea of someone who is powerless to change the choices of those who are stronger, better positioned, more powerful, and who needs Divine Help to survive.

It says "A Prayer of David", and I can almost see him: he used to be a hero, the king's favorite son-in-law, savior and darling of the people, slayer of Goliath. Anointed by the prophet. And then the king lost his ever-loving mind. So there David is: in a cave. Scrambling for food. Deprived of wife and family. Grieving for priests who died for his sake. Hunted from place to place like a beast. Still desperately trying to protect his people from their enemies. All through no fault of his own. (See 1 Sam. 17-27)

"Wait a minute; this isn't what I thought I signed up for..."

It's grinding. Crushing. Too much.
He cries out: 

Hear the right, O Lord, 
Attend unto my cry,
Give ear unto my prayer,
  that goeth not out of feigned lips.

Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
Let thine eyes behold the things
  that are equal.

Thou hast proven mine heart;
Thou hast visited me in the night;
Thou has tried me,
  and shalt find nothing;
I am purposed that my mouth
  shall not transgress. 

Concerning the works of men, 
By the word of thy lips
I have kept me 
  from the paths of the destroyer. 

Hold up my goings in thy paths,
That my footsteps slip not. 

I have called upon thee,
For thou wilt hear me, O God; 
Incline thine ear unto me,
  and hear my speech.

Shew thy marvelous lovingkindness,
O Thou that savest by thy right hand
  them which put their trust in thee
  from those that rise up against them.
-Psalm 17:1-7

It's a plea for help. The cry of a righteous man, just trying to do the job he's been given. Just trying to keep his head above water. And it's not going well: he's sinking. It's all too much. He needs help.

So he turns to the One, the Source.
Because he knew that that was the only way he was going to survive this.

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