Psalm 17: David's Prayer Understood

"I will be vindicated before you and see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." (Psalm 17:15)

David's emotions are intense. A prayerful person seeks God's response. However, David feels trapped in a space and time without any wind. He reflects on himself, wondering if his own mistakes cause God to remain silent. Eventually, he boldly cries out, "I will be vindicated before you and see your face."

It is a mistake to think that David prayed with a clear conscience, claiming his innocence. If a pure prayer guarantees God's response, then David knows that no one can pray to God without blemish. Instead of a prayer without fault, David asks God to quench his thirst. Even if David has blemishes, he can still see God's face. Psalm 17 is not just David's unfair prayer for vindication but also his dissecting of prayer itself.