Psalm 17 (16):7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do not allow Your blessings to be overlooked, for they may be cherished too feebly.

Believers in Christ are encouraged to seek tranquility and peace through prayer and to maintain their steadfastness in faith and truth to avoid succumbing to fear in the face of death. Our protector is the Lord, who delivers those who place their trust in Him.

I have called out, for You have listened to me, O God. I did not speak these words without purpose, for I have witnessed Your humanity; You have continually responded to my pleas. Bend Your ear to me and hear my requests. Be amazed at Your kindness, You who deliver those who place their faith in You. Thus, I ask that You receive my prayer and inspire my tongue to sing. When others observe that those wronged are forgiven by You, they will proclaim Your divine guidance. It is Your practice to support those who rely on You.

Let Your mercies be wondrous, so that they may deliver those who place their faith in You. The prophet requests that Your kindness toward me be seen as truly astonishing. By mercies, he refers to God's intercession. Those who witnessed God's evident assistance to David must have been amazed at how quickly and mightily this help was manifested, realizing that God extends His aid not only to the righteous but also to those who have sinned.

Divine aid should be contemplated thoughtfully by the wise, for the fleeting nature of this life and its unpredictable span should mean that death does not catch anyone off guard. Those aware of their mortality ought to face their end with readiness. Yet, even amid these reflections, the schemes of the adversary persist, and the sentiment expressed by the prophet, "Preserve me, O Lord, as the apple of the eye," should resonate deeply within us. It should be spoken not just verbally but also from the heart. We are in constant need of God’s support, and this unwavering strength of our faith lies in knowing we always have an Advocate, for without Him, we cannot stand strong.

In His third argument, He appeals to God’s compassion, essentially stating, I have presented my innocence and invoked Your justice; now, I seek Your mercy. Although I am not responsible for the wrongs directed at me by Saul, from whom I face persecution, I acknowledge my many other transgressions, which could justly warrant my punishment. Yet, I ask You to demonstrate Your mercies towards me, so that all may be astonished and recognize You as my helper and shield. Rescue me from those who stand against Your sovereign hand—specifically, the wicked men who challenge Your authority and threaten those You protect. Safeguard me from them with the utmost diligence, akin to how we guard the pupil of our eye. Just as the hen shelters her chicks from predatory birds, so too will You envelop me in Your blood and shield me from the wicked who seek to harm me.

In awe of God's profound compassion, we recognize that He came down from the heavens and took on human form, enduring suffering and death for the sake of humanity's salvation. He was resurrected and, in His glorified body, ascended into heaven. The mighty hand of God is embodied in Christ the Savior, while His adversaries include the wicked Jews and various heretics.