Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings….
Psalm 17:8
Psalm 17 is David’s heartfelt prayer for God to protect and vindicate him in the face of relentless enemies. This prayer reveals David’s perseverance in faith as he appeals to God on the basis of his innocence, God’s covenant love, and his ultimate hope in seeing God’s face.
David begins by asserting his innocence, inviting God to examine his heart, words, and actions (vv. 1-5). He is confident that God will find no wrongdoing. This doesn’t imply that David was sinlessly perfect but rather his sincere commitment to walk in God’s ways and avoid the paths of the wicked.
In the middle, David shifts his focus to God’s steadfast covenant love. He calls upon the LORD to demonstrate His love and loyalty, describing Him as the Savior of those who seek refuge (vv. 6-9). David prays using imagery to reflect his desire to be kept as the “apple of [God’s] eye” and hidden “in the shadow of [His] wings”, evoking a clear image of God’s tender care and protection (v. 8).
Psalm 17 then describes David’s enemies as ferocious, comparing them to a lion lying in wait for prey (vv. 10-12). David asks God to intervene and protect him from danger, entrusting his future and his enemies justice to the Lord. He contrasts his enemies, who find their portion in this life only, with his own hope in the eternal presence of God (vv. 13-15).
David concludes with a powerful declaration of his confidence in the Lord: “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with Your likeness” (v. 15). His ultimate hope is not in earthly justice but in the joy of seeing God face-to-face, a longing that points us to eternal life.
Seeing Jesus in Psalm 17
Psalm 17 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. As David appeals to God for justice and vindication, we see a foreshadowing of the sinless Savior who fully trusted the Father’s will. Jesus, like David, faced accusations and violent enemies, yet He entrusted Himself to God’s righteous judgment (1 Peter 2:23).
Jesus also perfectly embodies the hope expressed in v. 15. Through His death and resurrection, He made it possible for us to behold God’s face in righteousness and enjoy eternal life in His presence (Revelation 22:3-4).
Reflection
Pray Psalm 17 and be reminded of Jesus’s faithfulness. Put your hope in Him. Know that God still hears, protects, and promises joy in His presence forevermore.
Be confident in God’s justice rather than seek your own revenge. Rest in God’s care, finding comfort in His wings and know that you are His delight, the apple of His eye. And seek to have a perspective grounded in the eternal life He gives and the hope we can have in Him rather than focusing on trials and suffering.
The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.
Won’t you take the challenge?
Just Keith Harris 