Daily Devotion of Psalm 17

Daily Nugget:
“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.” Psalm 17:6

In David’s prayer, we find why he and so many pray. He called on God’s help because he knew God would hear him.

From experience, the leader had learned God listened to him. The key to why David was such trusting prayerer is not just that he knew God would hear him, but that He never forgot what God did for him in the past.

So many pray for God’s assistance in matters, but they forget about it, and when the need was met they never recognized that God answered their prayers. Since it was never realized, they most likely did not thank the Lord for His help.

As a new Christian, I sadly found this out about myself. I had prayed about a matter and told my friend Barbara (at the time we were not married) about the need. Time passed and I forgot all about it until one day Barbara realized what I was praying about was answered. She reminded me by saying, “Hey, God answered your prayer!”

She was right. The need I petitioned God for, had been met. He answered my prayer but I forgot about it and I know I never thanked Him for His help.

Another reason so many people and I do not realize He helped us is that He did not answer our request the way we thought He would. Unless God’s answer dropped gift-wrapped from Heaven with a “From God with Love” tag pinned to it, most of us often do not see how he helped us.

David was not like I was when I was a younger Christian. He remembered his request, recognized it was answered, and never forgot what God had done for him.

Christian, do you find yourself in the place so many of us fail in recognizing and remembering God’s goodness to us? I came up with a helpful remedy for my forgetfulness and ungratefulness. I now write all my prayer requests down on a piece of paper. Daily I pray for some of the needs that God had impressed on my heart. When I come across a person’s need and I know it has been met, I put a check mark next to the request. That helps me remember what God had done, and so I will not forget.

Remember what God has done for you. Thank Him and never forget!

Today’s Thought: 
“Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The only way to trouble God is not to come at all.” — Moody

Words to Understand:
Feigned: invented, imagined
Transgress: to break a moral law

Today’s Reading:
Psalm 17
1 A Prayer of David. 0 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.
3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; 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 destroyer.
5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 ¶ Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
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, which is thy sword:
14 From men which are 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: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.