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By my verse-by-verse reading of the cited psalm, I found the following qualities that were explicitly or implicitly ascribed to God by the psalmist: -- Just -- Righteous -- Listens to honest prayer -- Vindicates/helps/protects the righteous -- Probes people's hearts/thoughts -- Has great love for those who follow Him -- Distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked -- Actively opposes/defeats the enemies of His followers -- As an eternal Being, governs eternal rewards that go beyond this life and world -- Will eventually be beheld by His followers
I like to outline what I learn about Jehovah thusly: 1. Thy presence to search us Ps. 17:2 "Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal." Another translation renders this verse more clearly: TPT Examine and exonerate me. Vindicate me and show the world I’m innocent. Psalms 139:1 For the music director, a psalm of David. O Lord, you examine me and know. (NET Bible) 2. Thy lips to speak to us Psalm 17:4 -- ‘ The word of Thy lips’ v.4 Inspiration --"Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." If you compare Psalm 17:4 with Psalm 45 (which I believe is all about Jesus), you will find that the Psalmist writes there, PS 45:2 Thou [Jesus] art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. 12 “The words of a wise man’s [this is Jesus, too] mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.” I say this because the Bible says of Him, “in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Co 2:3) 3. Thy right hand to save us Ps. 17:7 --"Show thy marvelous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them." "O thou that savest by thy right hand": Either by his power, or by the man of his right hand, his own son. "Them which put their trust in thee": Not in men, not in an arm of flesh, not in themselves, in their own power, wisdom, riches, and righteousness. But in the Lord their God, who is the Savior of all men, but especially of them that believe (1 Tim. 4:10). For these he saves both in a temporal and in a spiritual manner. "From those that rise up against them": From all their spiritual enemies, sin and Satan. And from all outward ones, from the men of the world, oppressors and violent persecutors. Who are afterwards described: the phrase, "by thy right hand", is by some, as Aben Ezra. Connected with the word trust, and rendered, "them which trust in thy right hand". Either in the grace, mercy, and favor of God, dispensed by his right hand; or in his strength, and the mighty power of his arm. Bible-studys.org 4. Thy face to shine upon us Ps. 17:15 -- ‘ I will behold’ v.15 Expectation --‘When I awake’ v.15 Resurrection JS.FS. 7 Thy likeness to satisfy us Ps. 17:15 -- ‘I shall be satisfied’ v.15 Satisfaction --W.J.M When I in righteousness at last Thy glorious face shall see, When all the weary night is past, And I awake with Thee To view the glories that abide, Then, then I shall be satisfied. v.15 Satisfaction 4 ‘When I awake’ v.15 Resurrection Like Psalm 16:9-11 NIV "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand", this psalm also affirms a future hope for David in the next life., JS.FS This is one of the few texts in the Psalms that touches on the future life (see Ps 16:11; 73:23-26). “Awake” is or seems to be a metaphor for the resurrection of the human body (Dan. 12:2; John 11:11; David seems to be saying, “Even when I die, the Lord won’t desert me; for I shall be awakened and given a glorified body. I shall see His face, and I shall be satisfied!” WW
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