14 day plan

You are enough

Day 7 of 14

NIV

Psalms 17:8-9

8Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings

9from the wicked who are out to destroy me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

Reflection:  Where’s your soft place to fall? Most people have a corner of the world where they feel a little lighter, a little brighter about the world and their place in it. This Psalm would have us find that place in God.

In this Psalm, David is greatly distressed and fears for his safety. Scholars don’t know which event he might be describing, because he had many instances such as this! He describes his enemies as hungry lions stalking their prey.

David was not saintly. His story is one of many in the Bible where we see God choosing a deeply flawed individual to carry out critical aspects of his rescue plan. And yet we see him return again and again in humility to God; His pride abandoned in the desperate search for comfort and protection. David craves the peace of being known by God.

Question:  How confident are you that God has you – that you are also the ‘apple of his eye’?

Prayer:  Father, teach me to love you as David does. Give me an appetite to be known by you, to know you and to place a high value on my relationship with you. Help me to be bold in calling out to you, my God. I know that you love to comfort me. Amen.

Psalms 17:1-15

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

1Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;

listen to my cry.

Hear my prayer—

it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2Let my vindication come from you;

may your eyes see what is right.

3Though you probe my heart,

though you examine me at night and test me,

you will find that I have planned no evil;

my mouth has not transgressed.

4Though people tried to bribe me,

I have kept myself from the ways of the violent

through what your lips have commanded.

5My steps have held to your paths;

my feet have not stumbled.

6I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;

turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.

7Show me the wonders of your great love,

you who save by your right hand

those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings

9from the wicked who are out to destroy me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10They close up their callous hearts,

and their mouths speak with arrogance.

11They have tracked me down, they now surround me,

with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

12They are like a lion hungry for prey,

like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

13Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;

with your sword rescue me from the wicked.

14By your hand save me from such people, Lord,

from those of this world whose reward is in this life.

May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;

may their children gorge themselves on it,

and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

15As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;

when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.