Discipline Leads to Visualizing God This psalm is a lamentation written by someone unjustly accused. He therefore took shelter in the temple waiting for the verdict in his case1. David may have prayed it when his enemies gave him a hard time, and he has recorded it when he was in the Maoon wilderness, when Saul and his men rose against the Lord’s anointed (1Sam. 23: 25). C. Stuhlmueller says, “We need psalm 17 just as much as our need in our secret suffering when we are innocent. This is not to be release to what is behind the earth horizon and this reach eternity only, but so as to go in Jesus’ heart who was accused wrongfully (John 8: 46) whereas He was innocent. “For He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us” (2Cor. 5: 21). When we say psalm 17, we also pray for the times when we ourselves have misjudged and wronged others. We pray for all the victims of injustice2”. Some think this psalm is similar to psalm 16, and they count them both as twins. This psalm reveals to us what happened to David the prophet. He was as if thrown in a cauldron of fire, but instead of perishing, he came out of it not only unharmed but he as also sheltered under the Lord’s wings, and could see the glory of His divine face! Messaic psalm Some think the Psalms 16-24 represent a complete Messaic collection. Each psalm of these offer a clear prophecy about the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The most beautiful of these prophecies is what has been mentioned about the cross and the glorious suffering of the lord in Psalm 22. Gaebelein says about Psalm 17, “when reading this precious prayer, man feels immediately that it concerns the lips of One greater than David. He wrote this prayer by the Spirit of God, as with all the other prayers, including the prayers of the curses against the enemies. The characteristic of this pledge addressed to God, does not concern David. Its wording, in the first place applies to Christ. He is the perfect and the righteous One, and He is the Intercession for His people, for He is the One who calls them through his own righteousness and perfection. The Father listens constantly to His intercession” 3. St. Jerome applied all what was mentioned in this psalm on the Lord Jesus, and some other fathers such as St. Augustine counted all what came in this psalm as concerning the Lord Jesus and His people. St. Augustine says, “we should attribute this psalm to our Lord in Person, our Lord who is united to the church that is his body”. The Title “David’s Prayer” There is four other psalms that have the same title. These are (Psalms 86, 90, 102, 142). They are called prayers because they are charged with pleadings, and they are all characterized by this and the essentials properties of the psalms4. David the prophet excelled in the art of prayer, to the extent that he called himself ‘prayer’. He knew how to constantly resort to it, particularly because he was a man of 1 The Collegeville bible Comm., p. 758. 2 C. Stuhlmueller: The Psalms, p. 123. 3 Gaebelein: Psalms, p. 78. 4 W. Plumer, p. 220. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 56 affliction and agony. He feels he is in need of God as a refuge to him from his wicked enemies and from his personal infirmities and failure, so he would be fit through God’s mercies to be lifted above any discipline to the joyful heavenly life. The General Frame 1. Resorting to God so as to assure his innocence 1-5 2. A pleading for mercy’s sake 6-12 3. Entreating against the wicked 13-14 4. Praising God 15 1. Resorting to God so as to Assure his Innocence The opening words of the psalm are a prayer to his justification (Ps. 17: 1-5) followed by an assurance of this innocence (17: 3-5). The psalmist begs God to show him as being innocent, He is sure of God’s righteousness, for He is not partial to faces, and David relies on his good conscience. “Hear a just cause, O Lord, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips” (Ps. 17: 1). The psalmist asks God to listen to him and to attend. He repeats three times in this verse that the Judge supports him. This repetition is not falsely said, rather, as a proof of emphasis and eloquence, and going to no other good than Him. David was righteous and blames. He followed truth and justice on his part, and he was innocent of the wrongs he was accused of. The characteristics mentioned here, of his justice, his innocent, and undeceitful lips, all of these apply first and foremost to Jesus Christ, for He is the absolute perfect righteous One, and His lips have no deceit (1Pet. 2: 22). The Lord intercedes by His own righteousness for the sake of His people, and the Father listens perpetually to His intercession. The Lord Jesus is the One who entreats; He prays as the Head for his body’s sake, the church. He regards the case of His people as His personal case. He intercedes for the sake of His saints because “in all their affliction He was afflicted” (Is. 63: 9). He told Saul, “Saul, Saul, why are perecuting Me?” (Acts 9: 4). We, too, as members in the body of Jesus, it is appropriate for us to live in righteousness, because the Father cannot deal with us unless we are absolutely honest with him, having the righteousness of Christ. He knows our real motives; we may deceive ourselves sometimes, but we cannot deceive God. We notice in this psalm the following: a. We cannot understand the defenses by righteousness here as a naive expression about the personal righteousness. It is not merely a confirmation on the part of the worshiper of being free from sin. It is actually an attempt to justify man of certain unjust accusations1. By our saying, “Hear a just cause, O Lord, Attend to my cry”, this does not mean we are sinless; we rather mean that the voice of the Lord’s blood and it worthiness is far greater than the voice of false accusations against us, and greater than the voice of sin that testifies against us. His voice in us is stronger, because it is the voice of Christ’s righteousness, the divine truth. In Christ’s righteousness, we hear the apostle’s voice “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and 1 Weiser, p. 180. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 57 six month” (James 5: 16, 17). it is as if with Christ’s righteousness we carry the keys of heaven, and the Father answers us Himslef. b. By the words “Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips”, the psalmist declares he does not utter his prayers with mere lips, but rather through the harmony of the lips with the inward heart’s loyalty and the integrity of work. It is as if the psalmist declares that his prayer comes out of his entire being! The inward thoughts or the heart’s intention, and the words together with work. The one of undeceitful lips has inward loyalty and truthfulness in his apparent behavior, and thus he does not fall under God’s rebuke “You have harlots’ forehead … Will you not from this time cry to Me. ‘My Father, you are the guidt of my youth? … Behold, you have spoken and done evil things, as you were able” (Jer. 3: 3-5). The deceitful lips are despised by people, so how much more so will they be hated by the Lord? God does not ask for prayers from the deceitful lips, He only asks for the soul’s outpur (1Sam 1: 15) and the heart’s outpour (Ps. 62: 8). c. When the psalmist resorts to God, he finds his rest in God’s divine presence. The psalmist then asks God to take over the case Himself, and to declare His judgment openly, because the judgment is just and correct. “Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright” (Ps. 17: 2). May my vindication not spring up from cheating lips that belong to the wicked but rather may it spring up from Your glorious presence, so I do not speak any different than what I discover in You. I wish the eyes of my heart witness the upright matters. St. Augustine What does the psalmist mean by the Father’s face other than the Son who has told us of the Father? He has declared by means of the cross, the absolute divine love. By means of the salvation work we are blessed with the spender of God’s face. It is our right, then, to come to the Fatherly embrace, and witness all what is true and upright. d. Straightening its internal life “You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress” (Ps. 17: 3). The word ‘tested’ is used to express the testing of gold with fire (Zech. 13: 9). This is a process that surpasses the regular inspection to the deep investigation inside the human soul. The psalmist, by this pleading, may have meant to offer his heart at night when he leaves all those around him, and uncover to the Lord the depths of his heart and his good intention, away from people’s deeds, and his being preoccupied in talking to them. God can then see sincere integrity inside him that has no hatred or spite or injustice even against those who maltreat him. God could see in his heart real eagerness so the psalmist would not be preoccupied with people’s words, even though they have not separated themselves from him physically. The psalmist speaks to them and deals with them, but he is like a stranger, and he wishes to speak of God’s deeds and not those of the people. The psalmist may have wished to declare how easy it is for people to judge against him, by their misunderstanding his words or his deeds. But as for God, He judges https://coptic-treasures.com/ 58 according to his depths. It is as if he is saying with St. Peter the apostle, aft denying the Lord “Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You” (John 12: 17). We are truly in need of yielding our hearts at nighttime and thus Christ shines on us, and He changes our darkness to His glorious Light. He may say ‘I have given praise to Him at nighttime’ because the night is the thermometer of the spiritual life, in which the hearts are unfolded. The person whose heart is kindled with love all day long, when night falls, he finds his pleasure in prayer and studying the Holy Book and having spiritual meditation. When he puts down his head he keeps reiterating in his heart “Surly I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord” (Ps. 132). (Prayer of the night time). He puts his head on the pillow and his thoughts roam in what is heavenly, where his heart is, and there his treasure is to be found. But he who is disturbed with worries of the world, he will find no pleasure at night. He will rather suffer from insomnia and his worries are increased. Thus nighttime will not be a time for rest, but rather an experience of the intolerable hell. He who spends his daytime in physical pleasures and looseness regarding his sensualities, whenever night falls, he gets more soaked in the daydreams that are exciting to his body and thoughts. In this way nighttime reveals to man his inner state. At night, the heaven is opened before the psalmist’s eyes, and so he is enthralled in God’s love, and he prays for his brethren’s sake. e. The control of his tongue: “I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress” (Ps. 17: 3). The psalmist has become absolutely prepared to offer his thoughts, his words and his deeds for an accurate examination from God. At the same time, he realized the exaltation man enjoys, who cries out to God so He grants him a perfect heart, word and work. “I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress”, that is lest I speak sinfully. Let my lips speak all what is appropriate to Your glory and give You thanks, and not as the disobedient people and those who resist Your will. St. Augustine Do not disturb yourself with matters of the world, of which you profit nothing good to your life, for it has been written “I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress”. A man which is keen on speaking about sinners and their works quickly becomes aroused with the passion for recklessness. Rather, you have to be preoccupied with the life of the righteous ones, for this will be profitable to you1. I have leaned to pray so I do not speak of the evil deed2. St. Basilious the great Do not search in your thoughts for others’ mistakes. Do not defile your tongue by accusing your neighbor. The words ‘Do not let my mouth speak of people’s deeds’ is a grievous matter3. Father Babbi the Syrian 1 Epistle 41: 2. 2 Epistle 244: 7. 3 From the six century: Letter to Cyriacus, 55. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 59 The psalmist by saying, “I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress” may have meant according to the Hebrew script, that even though a thought of judgment crosses his mind, even if this person is an enemy, yet this thought should not be uttered by his mouth. That is, the thought should not be changed to words and consequently to a deed. Let it be imprisoned and crushed by God’s work in him; for God has put a protection to his mouth, and a door of protection for his lips so his tongue does not transgress. f. The walker in God’s narrow way: “Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. Uphold my steps in Your paths That my footsteps may not slip” (Ps. 17: 4, 5). David the prophet spoke of his good heart, then of his tongue and finally of his deed. Concerning his deeds, he kept himself safe from the evil ways so he walks in God’s way, that is, to live according to the divine will. This has not been fulfilled by his own personal capability, rather, by God’s guidance and his support so his feet would not slip”. In this psalm, the psalmist unfolds the words of the evil ones, and the words of the righteous ones, as well as the words of God. The lips of the evil ones give out scandal and false accusations against God’s children. this is why the psalmist resorts to God so He justifies him in these things, the lips of the psalmist, or the righteous, are careful about people’s deeds, so they have no deceit, and rather, these deeds would imply truthfulness, loyalty and harmony together with the heart’s integrity and the deeds that go with righteousness. As for God’s lips these keep His children safe, for His words lead them to divine way that seems difficult, but they do not fail or fall. God’s lips guide us and give us strength and fortitude on the way. The words of His lips are only God’s covenant and his promises to us, which are able to make us firm in Him forever. “Uphold my steps in Your paths”, until the Church reaches the absolute mercy by means of the narrow paths that leads to your rest. “that my footsteps may not slip”; till the prints of my trips be engraved as the footprints in the mysteries and in the apostles’ writings that are indelible. Let these footprints be apparent, and noticeable to all those who follow me. Or, these words could mean that my feet have walked these hard ways and have fulfilled the struggle in your narrow ways, so I may live eternally in the everlasting life. St. Augustine God’s way is narrow and bumpy, but it is a straight one. if my feet slip, this is due to my infirmity and my sin, for many stumble in God’s commandment so much as in their tribulations. Therefore, I am in need of God’s support not only to go on the way but also that I may be firm in Him till the very end. It is He who begins, and He who continues, and He who makes me reach the end. This is what urged the psalmist to cry out to God who waits our question so he may answer. 2. A Pledge for Mercy’s Sake The psalmist trusts in God’s mercy as a divine support for him. a. God’s coming down to us “I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech” (Ps. 17: 6). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 60 The cry of David the prophet springs up from his old experience with God. He is eager that God hears him so He might answer. What does the psalmist ask for in his cry? That God might incline his ears? The Father’s ear that is inclined to me is only the Son of God, the incarnate One, who has come down to me, to hear my voice, and to answer. Due to our sin, we despair and are unable to pray. But our Lord, who represents us to the Father, he cries on our behalf (1Cor. 1: 30; Rom. 8: 34) and thus the Father answers. In this way, the doors of hope are open before us. The Lord Jesus is the Father’s ear by which He could hear my voice. Thus the voice comes justified, and acceptable to the Father, and pleasing to Him. he comes down to me, because my voice by itself is unable to be lifted up to the Father. b. His salvation and His mercies are declared to those on his right “Show Your marvelous loving-kindness by Your right hand” (Ps. 17: 7). Because our Christ has come down to us, He declares God’s amazing mercies by means of His precious blood. He grants salvation to those who believe on Him and rely on Him in their practical daily life. Through Christ Jesus we have come to be the Father’s right hand, and we have come to carry His strength. This provokes the adversary and so he resists us fiercely. It is here that God’s mercies are manifested, which change resistance to victory. That we are blessed by being God’s right hand, this does not take away the war waged against us, rather, this provokes war all the more. in wartime, we ask for God’s blessing and grace, all the more so as to obtain victory and be crowned eternally. c. His protection to us is like the apple of the eye. “Keep me as the apple of Your eye” (Ps. 17: 8). There is no member in man’s body that needs care and keeping safe as much as the eye does, and God has placed it in a safe place; for it is nested between the protruding bones as a siege to it. It is as if the eye is placed in Jerusalem surrounded by mountains on every side. the purpose of the eye is to be blessed with the truthful version so the entire body is provided in the right position. The eye warns the body of any danger to come, and reveals the way to it. in this way God keeps the soul as the eye, and He surrounds it with His words as strong bones, or as the holy mountains of God. When the soul or the inward vision is sanctified, man walks in God’s way blamelessly. God surrounded the eye with the eyelid covering, and the siege of the eyelashes. In this same way, the Lord besieges all around us with His grace, and He keeps us sage from the evil turmoil. The psalmist here behaves as a child does having fragile feelings towards God, for he sees himself as the loving eye, embraced by God, and taking care of by God Himself. The eye is able to shut itself from the world passions, and its vain pleasures, for it cannot endure the least dust or dirt. In this way it is appropriate for the Christian to despise the least sin defilement. The apple of the eye is what directs the vision, and it enables us to distinguished light from darkness. The true servant, who works in God’s Spirit, sees God’s people as the apple of his eye, as the light of his eyes, and he cannot miss them. we are not surprised to hear St. John Chrysostom saying, “There is nothing dearer to Me than you; no not even the light https://coptic-treasures.com/ 61 I wish to offer my eyes very happily, many, many times if possible, for the sake of your souls salvation and repentance. Your salvation is very dear to me, more than light itself; because of what use to me are the sun beams if grief darkness my eyes because of you? 1” d. His protection of us under His wings “Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me” (Ps. 17: 8). Love and mercy are God’s wings; and as St. Augustine says, “Let your love and your mercy protect me for they grant grace as a shield”. God’s wings have always been similar to the mother bird (Is. 49: 2; Hos. 14: 7; lamentations 4: 20), or a reference to the cherubims’ wings that overshadow the arc of the holy covenant, for the divine presence of God with His people (Ex. 25: 20-22). This is where God was manifested on the cherubims, and where he was sitting on His throne there. It has often been referred in the Holy Book to the wings of God (Ps. 17: 8; Deut. 32: 11; Matt. 23: 37). God’s wings symbolize God’s strength and his blessings, and his incorruption, as well as other symbols. All of these divine properties have been found in man when hardware resembles God in everything. But our diversion to sin has taken off our wings, and consequently, God’s grace was declared to us, and enlightened us. By rejecting corruption and the worldly passions, our wings of righteousness and sanctification grow all anew2. St. Gregory, bishop of Nicus e. His protection of us from the evil enemies “They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, as a lion is eager to tear his prey, And like a young lion lurking in secret places” (Ps. 17: 11). David the prophet sees himself as a city surrounded from all sides by enemies. They shut any opening for him to escape from, and they desired to destroy his life totally. There was nothing else for him to do except to lift up his eyes to find help from God above. He could see himself and those with him as a prey chased by the hunter, or as prey the lion plots to devour up. The prophet spoke first in the single person manner, and then followed the plural one. This is a symbol for the lord Jesus declaring that the adversary does not desire Christ the lord alone, but he also desires to devour the entire church of Christ. Some of the fathers think the enemies here are those who have crucified the Lord Jesus, whose hearts were thick with greed and pomp, and were shut up from knowing the truth. They had the flat and narrow heart. As for their mouths, they uttered arrogance instead of praising God’s name. In this way their tongues scornfully said, “hail, King of the Jews" (Matt. 27: 29). From their city they expelled Me, and there they are surrounding Me when I am on the cross… “As a lion is eager to tear his prey” “and like a lion lurking in secret places” (Ps. 17: 12). 1 Comm.. on Canticle, 15. 2 In Acts, hom 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 62 They are of Satan’s seed, and they are humans. It was said of them “You are of your father the devil” (John 8: 44). This is why they plotted their conspiracies so as to chase the righteous and devastate him. St. Augustine Briefly speaking, these wicked ones are: a. They do not aim at my personal benefit, but rather, to destroy others’ life for no reason. b. “They have closed up their fat hearts"(Ps. 17: 12) this is an expression that refers to arrogance and luxury. They have no cares in their vain and spoilt life and they narrowed the horizon and the heart due to their cruelty and their lack of love. c. They are proud even in their talking, because from the outcome of their hearts, their tongues speak. d. They plot traps so as to catch others, (Ps. 17: 11). e. The persecutors are fearful beasts, and St. Paul called Nero ‘a lion’ (2Tim. 4: 17). f. Their enmity and their violence is not due to any need, because God does not deprive even the wicked ones from His earthly gifts. On the contrary, they had a life of luxury, their bellies were full of God’s prosperity, and they leave what remains to their children (Ps. 17: 14). 3. An Entreaty against the wicked Ones “Arise, O Lord, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, with Your hand from men, O Lord, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babe” (Ps. 17: 13, 14). The psalmist compares between the portion of the saints and that of the evil ones. The portion of the saints is the Lord Himself. They see Him face to face. They are satisfied by meeting Him, and they become like Him, for they are blessed by sharing Him in their hearts, as a deposit for the eternal kingdom. But as for the portion of the wicked, this is division in their life: a. God Himself is the One to fight for his saints “Arise, O Lord, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, with Your hand from men, O Lord, From men of the world” (Ps. 17: 13). The enemies surrounded the psalmist as devouring beasts. But he realizes that man’s help is useless, and he has no hope unless God manifests Himself. b. God’s sword (Ps. 17: 13) is his Word that is used as a disciplinary weapon. c. To see God, or to see his face is a divine gift that we obtain through His righteousness that make his believers just like Him. 4. Giving Praise to God “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Ps. 17: 15). To see God on earth is fulfilled by faith and in heaven by seeing Him face to face. Here we can witness the Lord’s glory as in a thick and darkened mirror, as a deposit for seeing Him in His glory in the vision of immortality. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 63 He, who shares in the godliness, constantly returns to it hungrily. The hungry one obtains talents and gifts without becoming disappointed, and as the wisdom promised “The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish” (Prov. 10: 3). Also in “I will abundantly bless her provision, I will satisfy her poor with bread” (Ps. 132: 15). We moreover hear our Savior’s voice saying “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5: 6) 1. Pope Athanasius the Apostolic In this way the psalmist concludes the psalm by seeing God, and by becoming satisfied with His divine glory. For this is the goal of our faith: to see Him and to share in His glories. To contemplate and see God face to face has been promised us, for this will be the end of our struggle and the topmost of our delight. St. Augustine Every mind, according to its gradation, will be enlightened by a measurable amount of Light. St. Isaac the Syrian 1 Pascal Letters 7: 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 64 prayer By you alone am I justified, and without You do I perish, o may Savior! Take care of my heart by night, so I know no sleep nor carelessness Lighten my heart with Your Holy Spirit, so I be not a son to night or darkness! May the words of Your lips support me, and Your divine promises lead me on So I go through your safe and narrow way, and cross to the Father’s embrace! I thank you for You keep me safe as the apple of the eye, from the world dust around. You shelter me with the shadow of Your wings from the enemy’s blows. You lion coming from Judah’s tribe, church down the fangs of Satan, the lion lurking to prowl on me. Show me your face, and fill me with Your divine beauty!
Welcome