Attend to my cry

August 07, 2017 0 0

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Psalm 17: 1-7

1 Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
    give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come;
    let your eyes see the right.

3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
    if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
    my mouth does not transgress.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not slipped.

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
    when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

The blurb on a commentary on the Psalms states: ‘More than any other part of the Old Testament, the book of Psalms reveals to us the intimacy possible between God and humanity. As songs and prayers of praise and lament, the Psalms are unsurpassed in their variety, depth and range… They encourage us to be honest and thorough in our dealings with God, and they teach us how to praise him, seek him and rest in him.’ (Psalms for Everyone: Volume 2, John Goldinggay).

Open honesty before God is a hallmark of this Psalm. It is a prayer offered in deep anguish on account of being unjustly accused of wrong. There can be few more painful situations in life than that. 

The Psalm is a heartfelt cry for vindication and protection to a God who is known and near. Two features deserve special mention. Firstly, the Psalmist is not afraid to speak of his ‘righteousness’. He is without deceit (verse 1), he has kept from the ways of violent people and held firmly to right paths (verse 5), and he is comfortable with the idea of God testing his inner life and thoughts (verse 3). As John Goldingay says, to speak like this you need to be ‘a person who has looked unflinchingly at your own life and not hidden from the truth about yourself’. He adds, ‘One challenge of the Psalms is that they expect us to be people who do so and who can then claim to be committed people – which doesn’t mean sinless, but it does mean that we have a proper orientation to our lives.’ 

Secondly, the Psalmist’s anticipation of deliverance is anchored in trust in God’s faithfulness and love. This note of trust comes to the fore as the Psalm develops. The Psalmist is confident that God will hear the prayer (verse 6) reference is made to ‘the wonder of your great love’ (verse 7) and in the last verse (verse 15) there is a confident expectation of communion to come in the very presence (face) of Yahweh.

The Psalm encourages all who suffer, particularly through injustice, to be open and honest with God, to bring our deepest worries and burdens to him in prayer, and to look forward in hope.

Prayer

Lord, let not our souls be busy inns that have no room for you or yours, but quiet homes of prayer and praise, where you may find fit company; where the needful cares of life are wisely ordered and put away and wide, sweet spaces kept for you; where holy thoughts pass up and down and fervent longings watch and wait your coming. Amen. (A Prayer of Julian of Norwich)