Faith in God’s Attentive Care

Text: Psalm 17

Reflection and Question: The psalmist’s plea for vindication is earnest and self-righteous. There is no doubt about who is right — the writer is. There is some doubt as to the singer’s safety, however, so that the prayers for shelter and protection ring true. And yet the psalmist remains utterly confident that God will deliver his life from the wicked who surround him. If ever there were words for a believer in a tight spot, this psalm is it. When have you prayed for deliverance?

Prayer: Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
From mortals — by your hand, O Lord —
From mortals whose portion in life is in this world. Amen

This meditation is based on the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).