2/4/24:
Psalm 17 Devotional:
Ps. 16 Review.
“10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Psalm 17: 1 Here he complaineth to God of the cruel pride and arrogance of Saul, and the rest of his enemies, who thus raged without any cause given on his part. 6 Therefore he desireth God to revenge his innocence and deliver him.

The prayer of David.

17:1 Hear the right, O Lord, consider my cry, hearken unto my prayer of unfeigned lips.

2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold equity.

3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me by night; thou hast tried me as with fire, and shalt find nothing evil; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the violent.

5 Hold up my steps in thy paths, that my feet slip not.

6 I have called upon thee, surely thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear to me, and hear my speech.

7 Shew thy marvellous mercies, thou that art the Savior of them that trust in thee, from such as resist thy right hand.

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9 From the face of the wicked that oppress me, from mine enemies, which compass me round about for my soul.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: they have spoken proudly with their mouth.

11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes to bring down to the ground;

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked with thy sword:

14 From men by thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: their children are full, and leave the rest of their substance to their children.

15 But I will behold thy face in righteousness: and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with thine image.

As we have seen in other Psalms before this so we see now again here before us. This is a prayer of vindication, a righteous and godly saint crying for God to judge him according to the sincerity of his heart. And this is a remarkable truth to be found in holy scripture, that God’s people are ever like Himself, spiritual and Holy, separate from the world, and that they keep themselves from evil, even as they expect to be heard by Him. As David says in another Psalm, “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” But we are assured that God will hear us because we cry out to Him in truth. As Calvin says, “the Psalmist begins by setting forth the goodness of his cause, because God has promised that he will not suffer the innocent to be oppressed, but will always at length succor them.” and this is a chief focus in many of the Psalms, even that God protects His people who are characterized by righteousness, and when they are maligned and persecuted by men they are found innocent. Therefore David’s prayer is twofold. First, He prays for God to protect Him from his enemies, and Secondly He prays for God to cast down the wicked who mistreat him. We can see the first especially in in v8-12 and the latter in v13, 14. Therefore Calvin says on the first point, “The Psalmist attributes to God the office of defending and preserving his own people from all the ungodly who rise up to assault them, and who, if it were in their power, would destroy them. And the ungodly are here said to exalt themselves against the hand of God, because, in molesting the faithful whom God has taken under his protection, they openly wage war against him. The doctrine contained in these words, namely, that when we are molested, an outrage is committed upon God in our person, is a very profitable one; for having once declared himself to be the guardian and protector of our welfare, whenever we are unjustly assailed, he puts forth his hand before us as a shield of defense.”
So we see that God is offended in the person of the righteous, for we bear His image on earth and if any man hate us for our character either for the gospel’s sake which sets forth free grace opposed to works, or the law which demonstrates man’s sinfulness, let us bear it with composure and a courageous heart, knowing that God will arise to vindicate us if we walk in sincerity and keep from evil, especially from revenging our own cause. On the second point Calvin writes, The last point in this description is, that, by continual succession, these persons transmit their riches to their children and their children’s children. As they are not among the number of the children of God, to whom this blessing is promised, it follows, that when they are thus fattened, it is for the day of slaughter which he hath appointed. The object which David therefore has in view in making this complaint is, that God would make haste to execute vengeance, seeing they have so long abused his liberality and gentle treatment.” showing that God reserves the best gifts on earth for those whom His soul hates, often depriving the righteous of them. The Psalmist says that God fills the wicked with “hid treasures” even beyond the common bounty which is liberally disposed on the wicked. Therefore let us learn to be content with our lot, for that it is accompanied with certainty and the promise of God, and if God give such material gifts to His enemies, what will He give His friends on the last day? Be patient therefore unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, He is hastening to prepare His banquet for us and in His house are many mansions. If it were not so would he not tell us? But He goes to prepare a place for us. Therefore be diligent in your calling and wait on the Lord. If you have nothing of this world’s goods, be satisfied to awake in the resurrection with the likeness of the Most High.

Trapp on the sincerity of the righteous v3: Heb. hast not found; no blot or blemish, that is, not the spot of God’s children, Deuteronomy 32:5 , no dross or deceit that may not well consist with godliness.

Poole also echoing the words of David in prayer, “As by thy word and grace thou hast hitherto kept me from the paths of evil men, and led me into thy paths; so, I pray thee, enable me by the same means to persevere in thy ways, and in mine abhorrency of wicked courses, that I may not fall into that sin of revenging myself upon Saul, to which I may be more and more tempted; nor into any other sin, whereby thou mayst be provoked, or men may be offended, and religion disgraced.”

Lesson 5. The role of women in the church and home.

1. O how sweetly and successfully would the work of God go on, if we would but all join together in our several places to promote it! Men need not then run without sending to be preachers; 2. but they might find that part of the work that belongeth to them to be enough for them, and to be the best that they can be employed in. 3. Especially women should be careful of this duty; because as they are most about their children, and have early and frequent opportunities to instruct them, so this is the principal service they can do to God in this world, 4. being restrained from more publick work. 5. And doubtless many an excellent magistrate hath been sent into the Commonwealth, and many an excellent pastor into the Church, and many a precious saint to heaven, through the happy preparations of a holy education, perhaps, 6. by a woman that thought herself useless and unserviceable to the Church.

1. There are roles for each person to fulfill according to the gifts and calling of God.
[1] Roles of gender.
[2] Roles of office.
[3] Roles of occupation.

2. Heads of households have the noble calling of preaching to their children.
[1] They are to heed the voice and doctrine of the church.
[2] They are to instruct their children according to the Reformed confessions and catechisms.
[3] They are to be faithful to the gospel.
[4] To be the means of salvation or sanctification is the highest calling.

3. Women have a singular calling to raise and nurture children in the knowledge of God.
[1] Because of their emotional capacity.
[2] Because of their office in the home.
[3] Because of the time spent with their children.
[4] This is the noblest thing a woman can be employed in.

4. Women are restrained from public work.
[1] Because of God’s law. “thy desire shall be subject to thine husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Gen. 3:16, 1 Tim. 1:9-15 and GNV.
[2] Because of good laws in society.
[3] They are restrained despite the mad ravings of modern feminism.

5. Women are eminently useful in their place in the home, in subjection to their husbands.
[1] Men can do what women cannot outside the home.
[2] Women can do what men cannot inside the home.
[3] A rebuke against modern feminism that overturns the law of God and removes women from their capacity and renders them useless.
“In many things there is not a common equity: for the husband may command his wife, but not she him.” William Gouge

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/PpBqJesmfl8