#DailyDevotion Turn To The LORD In Prayer When Trial Hit
Psalm 17 O LORD, listen to a just case. Hear my cry, listen to my prayer, for there’s no dishonesty on my lips. 2Let me get justice from You; Your eyes see what is right.
Here is probably an early psalm of David from the times when Saul is after him unjustly. It was Saul who turned against David when the people started praising David for his conquest beginning with Goliath. He was afraid David was trying to take the throne away from him and his family. But Saul had already lost that because of his unbelief. David many times could have wrenched the kingdom away from Saul. Several times he could have killed Saul and who could blame him. Saul was trying to kill him. David recognized Saul’s anointing and respected it. He trusted in the LORD to deal with Saul and is in this psalm turning to the LORD to do so. Jesus in his visible ministry to us also recognized the anointing the leaders of his day had. They also were afraid Jesus was after their power and influence. While he verbally disagreed with them at times, he subjected himself to their authority and did not raise up his disciples or his angels against them. He handed himself over to God his Father to take care of him and do what is right.
3Test my heart, examine me at night, test me in fire; You will find no evil intentions in me; nor do they cross my lips.
David calls upon the LORD to test him, to examine him to see if there is any evil intention in him. I don’t know if we would be as bold. Perhaps we may find in ourselves some wicked thought of revenge. Hopefully we recognized the evil of revenge and out of faith we did not act on it. The LORD’s testing is also purifying. He does test us in the flames of trials and tribulations to purify our faith. Peter reminds us the LORD does this in his first epistle. Certainly our LORD Jesus Christ was tested in the wilderness and in the Garden and placed himself in the hands of God our Father to take care of him.
4As for what others do – by Your word of warning I’ve kept myself from violent ways. 5My steps have not strayed from Your paths; my feet have not slipped.
Perhaps some of David’s companions, maybe some who wanted Saul out may have told him or advised him to rebel against Saul and take his life. David listened to the LORD and waited on the LORD to deal with Saul. While David had his anointing, so did Saul. David trusted the anointing he had received from Samuel and trusted in the LORD to carry that out. So David was not violent against those whom the LORD forbade him to be violent towards. Jesus did not call down thousands of angels to deliver him either. He had to fulfill his mission. He was anointed by God to be the sacrifice for the sin of the world. He trusted his Father to raise him from the dead and seat him at the Father’s right hand. You too are anointed by God in baptism. God has a mission for you as well. We are called to follow in Christ’s footsteps, not caring for the things of this world and its glory. We have been promised to be raised from the dead and reign with Christ Jesus in the world to come.
6I call You, O God, because You answer me. Turn Your ear to me; listen to what I say.
David called on God because he believed God answered him. Jesus teaches us to pray with the promise our Father hears us and answers us in the manner that is best for us. Join David in his faith and open your mouths to your heavenly Father trusting He will turn his ear and listen.
Heavenly Father, there are many trials and tribulations we experience. Give us your Spirit to do your will, open our mouths in prayer and trust you hear us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.