Appealing to the King
Have you ever wondered just how someone brings a petition to a king? History fascinates me and throughout the history books there are comments that nobles or commoners brought things before the king to be judged. Kings were the supreme power in the kingdom, anything that they said goes. Kings didn’t have weeks to hear cases tho. They often only set a few hours a week or month aside for the cases the of their people. I’ve heard stories of people traveling for hours to bring their case to the king only to have him run out of time before hearing their case.
Modern courts use evidence and people trained for years to prove innocence or guilt. Back then cases were entirely dependent on who was available when the case came before the king and what everyone said. If the person being accused had to work and couldn’t get to the court that day, the king only heard the side of the accuser. If the accuser was good with words, but the accused stumbled over words or was tongue-tied before the king, the case could be decided easily for the smoother talker.
Psalm 17, written over two thousand years ago, is written as a plea to a king, with some deviation since it was probably designed to be a private prayer, not a public presentation. Let’s see how this writer appealed to the greatest King of all.
Opening Statement
The writer starts strong, saying that this is a plea for justice and he isn’t lying.
Claim Of Innocence
This is a slightly more personal part than could be said to a king, since David says God has already spent time with him and knows David is innocent. He has take God’s rules for behavior seriously and not told lies and he’s kept to the path God told him to take.
Petition For Rescue
Here David says that God is loving and David is confident that God will continue to protect him from the physical enemies that surround David.
Accusation Against His Opponents And Request For Their Punishment
David is worried about the arrogance and danger of the men who want to harm him, men who reach for a reward in this life, not the next.
Closing Confidence in God’s Love And Rescue
I really love how the NIV 1984 translation words these last verses:
“You still the hunger of those you cherish;
Their sons have plenty,
And they store up wealth for their children.
And I-in righteousness I will see your face;
When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”
(Psalm 17: 14b-15)
David is saying that he’s so confident in God’s love and mercy that even though David’s enemies are circling him, wishing him dead, David will wake up happy as long as he remembers God when David wakes up.
Wow, what confidence David has, and such love to create such a gorgeous psalm for everyone to use as a prayer any time they want!
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