- Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Psalm 17:7 – This is the first time in Psalms where the Hebrew word “checed” is used. It’s the word we get steadfast love and lovingkindness from. Here in this psalm David is crying out to the Lord for help with an unspecified to us trouble in his life. He’s asked the Lord to test his actions regarding this situation and he knows he’ll be found blameless. He’s asking of the Lord to step in, be a refuge for him from those who are coming against him, and to confront those who are sinful in this situation. While we see such a cry coming from David, maybe you feel as if such a cry couldn’t come from your lips because your life isn’t “blameless” like David’s. Maybe you feel God’s steadfast love can’t be shown to you because you have “wondrously” sinned. You sinned so great and so much that you are certain that the Lord can’t rescue you. If that’s where you are at, then this psalm is even more directed at you than you realize. As “wonderful” as the extent of your sin is, the wondrousness of God’s steadfast love is greater. You can never out-sin God’s steadfast love and you can never out-do God’s forgiveness. Then for those who have wondrously sinned in their life know God’s steadfast love is not simply half-heartedly being shown to you. Wondrously is He showing you His “checed,” His lovingkindness and steadfast love. So come to Him always, call on His name always, and seek refuge in Him always, for His love for you is wonderful and wondrously being shown to you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2972
- With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. Psalms17:4 – Especially for those who have been a Christian for a long time, this can be an easy trap to fall into. The trap is forgetting how you got here. David writes that’s its due to His leaning on the Words of God that has kept him free from the sinful ways of man. It’s not by his own efforts or ability, but by resting on the Word of God. Where it’s easy to slip up here is we can forget that it’s God who saved us and perfected us. After a while we can begin to think we got ourselves here and we don’t struggle with those sins anymore because of our determination. So we look down on those still struggling with sin as if we are better than them somehow because we got ourselves out of our sin and they could to if they tried hard enough. God here reminds us it was all Him that got us where we are at and it will be Him that helps them out of their sin too. How have you looked down on someone else’s sin? In response to their sin, was the reason you didn’t share God’s grace with them because you forgot it was God’s grace that saved you to begin with? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 778
- …from men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants. As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. Psalm 17:14-15 – Where does your satisfaction come from? Here scriptures shows how some can be satisfied by the world. They are satisfied by what goes into their bellies and satisfied with the normal grow up, have kids, die, and leave everything to them life. The psalmist though says his delight comes from God. Seeing God before Him on his path, around him in his story, and seeing God deeply within his past satisfies him. Maybe he doesn’t have food on the table or children to leave his treasures to, but having God in his story is enough. God is more than enough for him. Is He enough for you? Would the way you live give an answer you’d be proud of? Today you may not have everything you want, but you have everything you need in God. Seek to find contentment in that truth and let Jesus satisfy your heart. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1734
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