17:13-14 David's mention of the Lord's sword may mean he expected God to use a human army to deliver him, or this may be just a metaphorical way of speaking about deliverance. His description of the wicked draws attention to the fact that they live only for the present. They are content with the many blessings God gives all people in this life through His "common grace."They occupy themselves entirely with their families and estates to the exclusion of spiritual matters.
17:15 In contrast to the wicked, David found his greatest delight in God, not in the temporal things of this world (cf. Phil. 3:19-20). Many readers have assumed this verse refers to David's hope of seeing God after he died. However the preceding verses seem to point to a contrast. It is the preoccupation of the wicked with earthly things and the preoccupation of David with God during their lifetimes. The awaking in view then would not be a reference to resurrection but to waking up from sleep day by day. Of course, David would one day really see God, but this verse does not seem to be describing that event. It speaks rather of David's enjoyment of God's presence before death (cf. Matt. 5:8; Titus 1:15). David's concern was more God's face and God's likeness rather than his own awaking.
In times of opposition from godless people whose whole lives revolve around material matters, God's faithful followers can enjoy God's fellowship now. They can also look forward to divine deliverance and to seeing the Lord one day. David's hope lay in a continuing relationship with God, and so does ours. He did not have the revelation of what lay beyond the grave that we do. He found comfort in his relationship with God in this life as being superior to what the wicked enjoyed. We do too, but we also know that in addition when we die we will go into the Lord's presence and from then on be with Him (1 Cor. 5:3; 1 Thess. 4:17).
