“Look On Things That Are Upright” (Psalm 17)

“Hear a just cause, O Lord, attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from Your presence; let Your eyes look on the things that are upright”(vs1-2).

We want God to look upon us because we are righteous, doing a righteous cause, which is His will (vs1-5). He says, “Let your eyes look on things that are upright”.

We're not asking Him to sin, not asking to be blessed by our merit, and we're not asking for strength to rebel or cheat our neighbor. Our desire is that God vindicate us, reward us for doing right, and glorify Himself in saving His people according to His own upright character. Be confident, therefore, child of God. If God is Almighty, and He has promised to reward the righteous, and you're justified by faith, seeking obedience and a just reward, then you'll be blessed indeed. Rest assured in God's character, knowing that righteousness prevails eternally, and you'll soon be rewarded. Do not fear or fret at the temporary signs of prospering fools. Their inheritance is in this world, and like the Rich Man in Luke 16, they'll soon be punished, and all their good enjoyments will have been temporary, only to be eternally taken away.

We don't take matters into our hands, because God blesses faith – those who trust in Him (vs6-9). It is His glory to defend us – to give us righteousness, and then to bless our deeds. He says, “Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them”.

Jesus knew Calvary would triumph, so He committed Himself to God and trusted His care. Likewise, your attempts at obedience won't be denied, and your doing good will be rewarded in the end. God is pleased to save those who depend on Him, glorifying Himself in faithfulness. Lazarus, in Luke 16, was poor and afflicted, but God raised him up to paradise, as He will soon do to all His saints. He may appear to be sleeping, and you may be more afflicted in your obedience than you ever were in your sin, and yet the time is coming when God will openly reveal that He was for you all the time, resurrecting us, as He did our Example and Savior, the Lord Jesus. Bless God! His righteousness means that the righteous may sleep in peace. His power means that wickedness will not prevail. His goodness will bless us abundantly.

It is sad, but like the Rich Man, the people of this world have their WHOLE happiness in this short life (vs10-15). We read, “Arise, O Lord, confront him, cast him down; deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, with Your hand from men, O Lord, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, and leave the rest of their possession for their babes”. They squander eternal souls on temporary pleasures, because God gives them all of their good things down here. They live for their families, worship their children by making them more important than God's word, and they go to the slaughter like hogs fattened up for Christmas dinner.

Don't think the smiles of the hypocrites or the success of the wicked is a reason to envy and leave a holy walk with God. He's prepared the destruction He's promised, and though they're SATISFIED now, they shall forever mourn the loss of everything, even the life eternal they could have received.