The Climb (A Journey Through Psalms for Men)

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;listen to my cry.Hear my prayer—it does not rise from deceitful lips.Let my vindication come from you;may your eyes see what is right.

Though 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.Though people tried to bribe me,I have kept myself from the ways of the violentthrough what your lips have commanded.My steps have held to your paths;my feet have not stumbled.

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.Show me the wonders of your great love,you who save by your right handthose who take refuge in you from their foes.Keep me as the apple of your eye;hide me in the shadow of your wingsfrom the wicked who are out to destroy me,from my mortal enemies who surround me.

They close up their callous hearts,and their mouths speak with arrogance.They have tracked me down, they now surround me,with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.They are like a lion hungry for prey,like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;with your sword rescue me from the wicked.By 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.

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

I can remember standing at the bottom of a cave, looking down at a hole barely big enough for a person to fit through, and thinking to myself, “I’m supposed to crawl down into that?”

My friends and I had decided to go spelunking on a random property tucked away in Southern Indiana. Geared up with our headlamps, hard hats, kneepads, and a good dose of youthful courage, we were ready for our adventure. We trekked deep into this network of caves, crawling for a hundred feet on our hands and knees with rocks inches about our heads. Eventually, the rocks opened up, and we came to a cavern. We sat there, regrouped, and then, one by one, we turned off our headlamps. It was absolute darkness. We spent time praying and calling out to God in that cave. And that day, we experienced what it felt like to be hidden from the world. When David prayed, “Hide me in the shadow of your wings,” he wasn’t repeating some pretty and poetic line he’d heard. He was desperately begging God to protect him and to keep him safe. He was facing danger on every side from enemies who wanted his life, so he needed to know that God could and would make him secure.

Most of us are blessed to not often feel the threat of imminent, physical danger. However, that should not hinder our need to find spiritual safety and security in God.

The enemy is constantly on attack, and his arrows are still coming at us. But thanks be to God that He is our cave, our refuge, and His wings shadow us so that we may feel safe as we are hidden in His presence.