Today I was reading a short commentary on Psalm 17. It is written by one of my favorite authors, Warren Wiersbe. Dr. Wiersbe is the author of the "Be" series; commentaries on several books of the Bible. He presently lives in Lincoln, Nebraska where he is still writing.
Psalm 17 is one of the many psalms written by King David. Dr. Wiersbe says the psalm can be summarized in three words: "hear me, hold me, and hide me." It is the last of those that I want to center my thoughts. David writes in Psalm 17:8: "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."
A shadow is not very good protection. It does provide some shade on a hot summer's day, but it doesn't provide protection. But notice that David doesn't ask for any shadow, for he says: "hide me in the shadow of your wings." These are not just any wings, it is the shadow of God's wings; on that you can depend.
Dr. Wiersbe says that these wings were the wings of the cherubim in the Holy of Holies. David was saying, "I'm coming into the Holy of Holies. I'm coming to the very throne of God. Please hide me and hold me and hear me."
The image that David is using is the image of a bird, who provides shelter and protection under it's wing for it's young. Wiersbe says: "God's protection has far greater purposes than helping us avoid pain; it is to make us better servants for Him. God also protects us by guiding us through painful circumstances, not only by helping us escape them."
Deuteronomy 32:27 says: "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasing arms."
David concludes the psalm in verse 15 by saying: "And I - in righteousness I will see Your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness." David found protection and provision for his every need in the "shadow" of God's "wings." That protection and provision came in the presence of the "eternal God," in the Holy of Holies.
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