Vindicated or Rebutted
I hope you don’t mind if I meddle a little today as we study a verse that warrants some self-reflecting and self-assessment.
Psalm 26:1-2, Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
In these verses, David is asking God to vindicate him. What comes to mind when you hear the term vindicated?
Vindicate is an interesting concept, it actually means to be judged. David is making several claims and is asking the LORD, God, to judge him on what he is claiming.
Paraphrase: “Test me, judge me, LORD and you will see that I walk in integrity, I have not wavered in my trust of you, and my heart and my mind are pure”
That’s a pretty bold ask, especially from someone who had an affair that resulted in a pregnancy, and then to cover it up ordered that the husband of his mistress be sent to his death in battle.
Two thoughts came to mind as I studied these verses.
First Thought - My Faith
My initial thought was, by what standard do I assess my faith, my devotion to Christ, how well I am living the Christian life. Unfortunately, my standards are often based on how I compare against what others whom I see as strong Christians are doing. Do I go to church as much as them, do I volunteer as much as them, do I treat others the way they do? The problems with that approach are endless. For starters I have no idea if their actions are true or just a facade they put on for others. Jesus rebutted the spiritual leaders about how they display themselves when fasting:
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. - Matthew 6:16
They put on a good show but their hearts were full of deceit. Jesus addressed it even more directly when he rebutted the good deeds people were doing but for the wrong reasons:
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work [good deeds] will become manifest [clear or obvious to others], for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives [for the right reasons], he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up [work done with wrong motives], he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire [salvation does not come because of works]. - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.
The works, good deeds, etc. will be tested. If for the wrong motives they will be considered worthless and of no value. That’s not to say we shouldn’t do good deeds, we just need to be careful that we are doing them out of gratitude and devotion to God, not for the praise of others or because we think somehow our works will help get us into heaven, they won’t.
Paul addresses this as well:
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 6:10
David was certain that his heart and mind were now focused on God, not man or himself which made him bold in his request for God to test him. It was also because he was confident God’s judgment would prove his love for and devotion to God were true and pure.
Second Thought - God’s Love
The second thought which came to my mind is a bit more subtle. David made some major mistakes and followed those mistakes with some horrible actions to hide them. The problem is you can’t hide anything from God. The truth is God saw and knew everything David had done and yet David was confident God would find him true and pure. To do that David must have asked for and experienced the greatest characteristics of God: mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
He [God] does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him [be in awe of]; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions [offenses, sins] from us. - Psalm 103:10-12
God took that to a whole different level when he gave his only son, Christ Jesus, to pay the price for our mistakes and failures, our sin.
For I [God] will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” - Hebrews 8:12
But, that is only true if you invite Christ into your life and take hold of the free gift of forgiveness and accept him as the Lord of your life.
The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! - John 1:29
God is the God of mercy, grace, and forgiveness. He is the God of redemption, and second chances (and 3rd, and 4th, …) David experienced it and so did Paul. Before Paul was Paul, he went by the name Saul and wanted nothing more than to destroy Christians.
though I [Paul] myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. - Philippians 4-8
Paul, as Saul, was a Pharisee who actually persecuted the early believers, watched as Steven was stoned to death and even cheered on those actions. Yet, Christ Jesus redeemed Saul, and changed his name to Paul. After that experience, Paul became the greatest witness for Christ ever known and is the author of 2/3 of the New Testament letters of the Bible.
God forgives and redeems those who seek him and accept him as their savior. David knew that and stood boldly before God and proclaimed his devotion to him with a pure heart and mind.
Paul tells us the secret to being that bold after accepting Christ as your savior is to keep your mind on Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8
Christ Jesus told us the greatest commandment was about the condition of our heart, soul, and mind:
And he [Jesus] said to them, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. - Matthew 22:37-38
Forgiveness is at the core of the Christian faith. It’s free and it’s for everyone who takes hold of it. It is also what drives boldness before others and before God. But even after forgiveness we must continue to renew our minds and grow in our faith as we strive every day to draw closer to Christ.
For what it's worth, we should forgive others they way Christ forgives us, even when they don’t deserve it, just like we didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness. To learn more on forgiving others read, Forgive…Never.
Meddling done, carry on.
