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\u201cHear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer\u2014it 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 violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled\u201d (Psalm 17:1-5).

This is the prayer of a saint in anguish, a cry for help. If you find yourself in such a space, consider with me several aspects of this prayer to sustain you. If your life is filled with sunny skies, allow this psalm to help you pray for those in distress and to prepare for anguish that will surely come your way.

It is worth paying attention to the psalmist\u2019s enemies. They have settled in for a sustained attack. It is their intention to stay around long enough to see the psalmist humiliated. Moreover, they do not care what methods they use to achieve their goal. They have no intention on a fair fight. It seems that they have been accusing the psalmist of many wrongdoings. But he is innocent of them all. These are wicked people (13).

Many of us complain too quickly that life is unfair. Yet, in the Christian life, there is often unfair opposition. Jesus challenged his disciples to count the cost of following him. To stand for what is right and just can cost us our reputation and more. Evil does not like being exposed; it will attempt to extinguish the light.

Second, notice that the psalmist is convinced of his innocence. We should not imagine that he believes he has never sinned against God. Rather, that the accusations being hurled against him are untrue. Further, the psalmist allows that in his response to his enemies, he has done what is right. He has not treated his enemies like they have treated him.

Like Job, he is willing to have God Himself, adjudicate his case. He gives himself over to God for cross examination. He is sure that God will find his claims to be true. He has set his heart on righteousness and has done his utmost to remain righteous.

Here is an invitation to test our own hearts. What is it that we want? Success? Adulation from our peers? The psalmist proposes that the godly desire simply to do what is right. This is tough stuff. Jesus reminds us that we cannot serve two masters. Let us set our hearts on righteousness, so that when trouble comes, we are prepared to stay the course.

We should also reflect on how the psalmist perseveres in looking to God for justice. Obviously, the wait has already been extensive. When waiting it is always tempting to take matters into one\u2019s on hands. But our psalmist persists in waiting for God. Each day he hopes that God will answer, but so far nothing. Surely the question has arisen, why is God not doing anything?

This is a difficult psalm to deal with. We don\u2019t like waiting. We expect answers immediately, even from God. During our anxiety and impatience, we forget that Paul wrote, \u201cwe rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us\u201d (Romans 5:3-5),

Here is reason to wait until God answers our prayers. Here are things that should be happening in us while we wait. These--perseverance, character, hope--are things to set our hearts on. The Holy Spirit will see that they mature in us.

As you journey on, let Jude\u2019s doxology encourage you:

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy\u2014 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Jude 24,25).