Psalm 17 is a particularly confident psalm, showing the feelings of someone who knows the Lord, who knows the ways of the Lord and who also knows the ups and downs of their own relationship with the Lord. In this psalm a lot is claimed, a lot is recognised, and a lot is scorned.

It is also unusually well written, having phrases which catch the essence of spiritual realities, phrases like ‘Keep me as the apple of your eye’, ‘They (the wicked) have closed up their fat hearts’ and ‘I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness.’ It is important for us, reading very assured statements on the part of the speaker, not to see these as arrogance or egotism, but rather as conviction and affirmation of someone who will follow the Lord.

The psalm begins, like many do, with a cry -- an appeal to the Lord. ‘Hear a just cause, O Lord, attend to my cry’. It continues, ‘Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.’ The rest of the psalm is this prayer, and its sincerity is always apparent.

The spiritual meaning of this – as with all prayer to the Lord – is far more to become aware of states and needs in ourselves, rather than to ask for things or even advise the Lord what he should be doing. This psalm is a perfect model of that understanding and outcome of prayer. (See Apocalypse Explained 695.5)

Verse 2 has the expression, ‘Let your eyes look on the things that are upright.’ This speaks to the idea that in us, there will always be a mix of what is self-seeking and what is true to the Lord. This is fact, even when our commitment to the Lord and the Word has been our constant practice for many years. Even the angels continue to go through changes in their states. (Divine Providence 223.2)

This continues on into the next verse, where the speaker several times declares that the Lord will find no evil in his heart, even, note, ‘in the night’ -- which is during temptation. The Lord sees everything as it really is; he sees our faults and self-deception, but he knows the true state of our heart and its deepest desire beyond all the changing states. (New Jerusalem 57)

This section ends with a statement ‘I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.’ Spiritually, this reminds us that our commitment to the Lord is not only to be felt and thought; it must be continually lived out in our words and actions. (Arcana Caelestia 6987)

From verse 4 to verse 12, the focus is on the works of men, as verse 4 says. It seems to be a matter of two things; first, to be kept firmly purposeful in following the Lord, and secondly, to be kept safe from the destructive attacks of the wicked. Spiritually, this is not so much to do with other people as with our own lower nature and self-interest, with which evil spirits will have a field day given the least opportunity.

Verse 5 beautifully says, ‘Uphold my steps in your paths’, and verse 8 says, ‘Keep me as the apple of your eye’ which wonderfully carry the truth that each person is looked on by the Lord as if they were the only person there is. But even our sincere wish to follow the Lord is of infinite joy to the Lord. (Arcana Caelestia 33)

The psalm ends with the momentous words, “As for me, I will see your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness.”

624. 14:5 And in their mouth was found no deceit. This symbolically means that they do not speak with cunning or with a purpose to persuade people of falsity and evil.

A mouth symbolizes speech, preaching, and doctrine (no. 452). And deceit symbolizes a persuasion to evil by means of falsity, especially with cunning and purpose. For someone who urges something with cunning or deceit also does so on purpose. Indeed, cunning or deceit proposes it to itself, conceals it, and acts on it when given the opportunity.

A lie in the Word symbolizes falsity and false speaking. Deceit symbolizes each of these on purpose. Lying and deceit are both mentioned in the following passages:

(Jesus said of Nathanael,) "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" (John 1:47)

The remnant of Israel shall... not speak a lie, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth. (Zephaniah 3:13)

...He did no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:9)

Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak falsehood, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. (Micah 6:12)

You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; Jehovah abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. (Psalms 5:6)

Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. (Psalms 120:2-3)

They have taught their tongue to speak lies... Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they have refused to know Me. (Jeremiah 9:5-6)

Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit. (Hosea 11:12)

But if someone purposes to kill his neighbor by deceit, you shall take him from My altar and he will die. (Exodus 21:14)

Cursed is he who does the work of Jehovah deceitfully... (Jeremiah 48:10)

And so on elsewhere, as for instance in Jeremiah 5:26-27; 8:5; 14:14; 23:26; Job 13:7; 27:4.

Deceitful people are symbolically meant in the Word by poisonous reptiles, such as crocodiles and vipers, and their deceit by the reptiles' poison.