This Psalm, like Pslam 16, applies to Christ, but not to Him only; it is more His position in connection with others, as verse 11 shows, where the godly remnant of Israel are evidently included. It is a call to God to judge the right.
There was but one righteous Person, but One perfect in every act, thought, word, yet it is in the Psalm the same spirit working in the Jewish believers of the day that is coming near now, though the first application is to Christ. Without Him, none could take those words to God, "Hear the right!"
"Let My judgment come forth from Thy presence; let Thine eyes regard equity. Thou hast proved My heart; Thou hast visited Me by night; Thou hast tried Me; Thou hast found nothing; My thought goeth not beyond My word. Concerning the works of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept from the paths of the violent (man). When Thou boldest My goings in Thy paths My footsteps slip not." (Verses 2-5).
The blessed Lord is here reviewing the path that He trod from the manger to the grave. What matchless perfection! As the obedient One, He went along on that path of devotion, of singleness of heart; in which He was alone every step of the way.
He called upon God (verse 6) and was heard; we Christians have the same confidence, and can appeal 'to Him as "Thou that savest by Thy right hand them that trust in Thee from those that rise up against them" (verse 7).
As the apple of the eye, and hidden under the shadow of God's wings, He (and we, in our day, we may surely say) would be kept safely from the wicked who oppress. They are prosperous and proud (verse 10), like a lion greedy of its prey, but Jehovah is looked to, to deliver.
The wicked were, after all, only the hand of God (verse 14); their portion is in this life; they may be well supplied here, but what of the next world? For that is what comes into view at the close of the Psalm.
But those who live for this world give no serious thought to the next,—Where will they spend eternity?
"As for Me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness." This is the prospect Christ had before Him. Doubtless, there was more that He looked for—having others to delight in, that should be redeemed by His blood, but that is not spoken of here, nor could we expect it. (See Hebrews 12:22Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2); and for the Christian's portion, 1 John 3:1-31Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1‑3)).
In Psalm 16 we saw Jesus as the lowly, dependent One, having His own joy in God.
In Psalm 17 we see Him still as the lowly, dependent One, but here He is with the wicked, and His comfort is beyond this world.
What an example for us who wait for Him in a contrary scene!