For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 17 – Please Help Me

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.

6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,
    you who save by your right hand
    those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10 They close up their callous hearts,
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

15 As for me, I shall be vindicated and shall see your face;
    when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

A. Find Out:

1. What actually is this psalm? v.1
2. What is David’s request? v.6-9,13,14
3. What had happened? v.9-12
4. What was his confidence? v.3-5
5. In what truths does he rest? v.7b,14b
6. So what is his hope? v.15

B. Think:

1. What causes David to pray?
2. On what grounds does he come to the Lord?
3. What does he ask for?

C. Comment:

      This psalm is a clear, straight forward, and simple prayer. Note first of all, the NEED that David had: he was surrounded by enemies who sought to pull him down. Again and again in these early psalms, this same need comes to the surface in David’s writing.

      Second, note the CONFIDENCE David had: he was righteous! He had resolved to let no wrong be in his heart, on his lips, or in his deeds. He felt sure that he had kept to the Lord’s paths. But David has a second confidence, that comes from knowing the Lord. He knows the Lord brings salvation; he knows the Lord brings provision for the godly who are needy.

    Third, note his REQUEST as he prays this prayer of petition: that the Lord would hear, that He would show His love, that He would keep David, that He would hide him from his enemies, that He would rise up and deal with his enemies and bring them down so that David would be rescued from their attacks.

     Finally let’s note his FAITH CONCLUSION: that in the end he will know the Lord’s presence coming to him. He is sure of that, that having prayed he can rest in the knowledge that the Lord WILL come, and when He comes, David can rest in peace, knowing that God, the Lord, will deal with his enemies.

D. Application?

1. The awareness of having enemies around us is very real.
2. The solution to this awareness is to cry to the Lord who WILL answer and come.