(Psa 17:1) “A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.”

(Psa 17:2) “Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.”

In the previous devotion, “Make the Judgment,” the text verse was Psalms 17:1. Here is that devotion’s outline:

1. What is the Request? “Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry”
2. To Whom is prayer directed? “O LORD”
3. What is the Correct Attitude in Prayer? “give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.”

All three of these questions were presented and answered. (Please read “Make the Judgment” if you have not already done so.)

In this second devotion, the title is “Hear the Judgment.” David requested God to pronounce His sentence upon him, concerning his spiritual position in Christ: “Let my sentence come forth from thy presence.” David is declaring, my righteousness is in You; wherein is stated: I am of the truth and not of evil.

Question: How many believers who are reading this devotion can pray as David did, with the certainty (or assurance) that David had, that when God looked at him he would be vindicated, based upon the confidence of the petitioner before men. How many can say with David, ‘In the sight of God, I am clear of the things I have been falsely charged with’? How many can know without a doubt that God’s sentence would declare them righteous? How many can say as in (Psa 37:6), “And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday”? How many can say with Isaiah (Isa 50:8), “He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me”?

First, David said, “Let my sentence come forth from thy presence.”

David had the complete assurance, as did Isaiah, that God was:

1) “He is near that justifieth me”

David could boldly say, “Let my sentence come forth from thy presence” – for David knew that Jehovah was his Justifier. So just as Isaiah knew, David knew, ‘He Who “justifieth me” (or has declared me Righteous) is “near” me, or is around me at all times.’ David knew that only the True and Living God had the Authority, the Purpose, and the Plan in Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, to declare him “righteous” in the Work of the Lamb of God, for his sins. Simply put, David had in his heart the assurance of the Surety of the Promises of God. David knew he was clean before God because of his Position in God. Therefore, David was not afraid to have the sentence of God brought to light before his enemies; for David knew (as every regenerated and converted child of God knows) that their only claim to Righteousness is in Christ, and not in themselves.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

(Rom. 8:31-34) (31) “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

(32)  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

(33)  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

(34)  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Therefore Paul – and every child of God that has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and brought to Conversion (Rom. 10:9-10) – has the assurance that Christ dwells within their spirit. He has within himself the witness that he is “in Christ,” and he is no longer under “condemnation,” because the Spirit of Life has made him free from the Law of sin and death (Rom. 8:1-2). The child of God is either “Justified” (or declared Righteous) in the Work of Christ, which is Grace (Rom. 3:24-25) – this is not by any works of man (Gal. 2:16), but by Christ – or he is not justified. If he is justified by Christ (and every child of God is), then, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

David knew, as did Isaiah, and as all the born-from-above children of God know, God judges His people through the Atonement of Christ on the Cross. In His Atonement is the child of God is “Justified”; and therefore, he is not afraid of God’s sentence. 

2) “Who will contend with me?”

Therefore, being Justified by (The) Faith, Christ, and by Him alone (this is Grace) (Rom. 5:1-2); then who is it “who will contend with me?” Obviously, there is none. If you are “justified” by God (and there is only One True and Living God), then, the answer is: None.

When a person is a true believer in Christ, he has this confidence, assurance, and security that his enemies are the enemies of Christ; and he knows that his enemies cannot defeat God, his God. Believer, who is it that can falsely accuse you when you are covered by the blood of the Atonement of Christ? (See Rev. 12:10.) This knowledge in the believer is what is called the peace that passeth all understanding. It is true rest; for the believer’s salvation rests on the Lord Jesus Christ, and Who He is, and What He has done on the Cross for the believer; and not what works the believer has done for his salvation. The Peace with God and of God allows the believer to be an Overcomer in this life; for he walks and abides in the Love, Mercy, and Grace of God.

3) “Let us stand together:”

Isaiah said: Let my enemy come stand face to face with me, if he can; for there is none that can condemn me, as I stand in Christ, the Perfect One, my Savior. 

4) “Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.”

Isaiah continues: Who is my enemy, let him identify himself. Come on Goliath, come near to me; and I will slay thee in the power of Almighty God, my Defender.

Secondly, David said, “let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.”

David is saying to God: ‘God look on the thing whereby You bring forth the sentence of my righteousness before men, or before those that accuse me.’ That is, look upon me in the Work of Christ: His Eternal Justification of me (Eph. 1:4-6; Rev. 13:8); His Judicial Justification of me on the Cross (Eph. 1:7; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24); and His Experiential Justification of me in Regeneration and Conversion (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rom. 10:9-10; 2 Tim. 1:7-9). The thing that made me “equal” is the Eternal Purpose of God in Christ before time ever was (Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:4-11). (Read Eph. 3:1-11; esp. Eph. 3:11.)

When a person claims to be a believer in Christ; the only thing that is truth, and that brings true peace to the believer, is to believe, “Salvation is of the LORD” (Jon. 2:9). That is, Salvation began with God’s Eternal Purpose in Christ, and ends with Almighty God in Christ. It is by Grace, and Grace alone (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1-2). The sinner’s salvation has its Origin in God; its gift to the sinner is from God; and the implementation of, and sustainment of, is of God and by God for all eternity. This brings rest and peace to the regenerated and converted sinner; because it was all of God, and not of the sinner’s actions. God planned it for the sinner; God initiated it to the sinner; God worked and completed it in the sinner; God sustains it in the sinner. And it is God’s Grace, Love, and Mercy that keeps and preserves the sinner through all eternity (Rom. 8:29-39).

Therefore David, and all the children of God, can say, (Psa 17:2) “Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.” For David knew God was his Sacrifice, Substitute, and Savior from sin, from sin’s penalty, from sin’s punishment, from sin’s practice, and from sin’s power. David knew, (Rom. 8:31-34) “(31) “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Hallelujah and Amen!