23.188 | Vindicate Me O Lord | Psalms 26:1-12 | God’s Word for Today with Pastor Nazario Sinon

God’s Word for Today

8 Aug 2023

Vindicate me, O LORD,

    for I have walked in my integrity,

    and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me;

    test my heart and my mind.

3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

    and I walk in your faithfulness.

4 I do not sit with men of falsehood,

    nor do I consort with hypocrites.

5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,

    and I will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence

    and go around your altar, O LORD,

7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,

    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

8 O LORD, I love the habitation of your house

    and the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are evil devices,

    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

    redeem me, and be gracious to me.

12 My foot stands on level ground;

    in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

-Psa 26:1-12 ESV

VINDICATE ME O LORD

David was maligned. Otherwise, he shouldn’t have asked God to vindicate him. David claims to have walked consistently with integrity so that he was not hypocritical. A man full of integrity doesn’t mean he is perfect. He knew he has settled his sins before the Lord and is forgiven.

He asks the Lord to search him and see that his claim is substantiated. Such is the man of integrity before God. He is bold and courageous. Not because of his inherent propensity to be holy and blameless. But, for the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord. There was no self-aggrandizement but exalt God.

He narrated what he does not do. That is,

“4 I do not sit with men of falsehood,

    nor do I consort with hypocrites.

I hate the assembly of evildoers,

    and I will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence”[v.4-6]

He is such a blessed man[Psa 1:1] He distanced himself with these men by saying,

9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are evil devices,

    and whose right hands are full of bribes.[v.9,10]

Did not Jesus desire us to be holy also? He prayed, "I do not ask that you take them out of the world…They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:15–16). Why? The world's culture is characterized with evil desires, that is,  "the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life." Contrariwise, the believer's delight is to do God's will (John 7:17).

Not only on what he does not do but a believer should be noted by what he is doing. Thus David claims’

“I wash my hands in innocence

    and go around your altar, O Lord,

proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,

    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

O Lord, I love the habitation of your house

    and the place where your glory dwells.” [v.6-8]

He was occupied with praise and worship. A busy man in the Lord has no time for the devil anymore. His heart is on full throttle unto the Lord.

David's pursuit of holiness was neither sporadic nor was it temporary. His sincere devotion to God was the regular pattern of his life, was it not?  He chose to be a man of integrity because he relied on God’s redemption and grace.[v.11]. In this, he confidently claims he is standing on ‘level ground.’ In Psalm 143:10 David prays, "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!" The believer cannot slip from the path of righteousness if he is submissive to God's will and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Listen and FOLLOW us on our podcast 

Spotify: http://bit.ly/glccfil_spotify 

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-applepcast 

Google Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-googlepcast

Audible Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-audible

Follow us on various media platforms: https://gospellightfilipino.contactin.bio

#gospellightfilipino

#godswordfortoday

#bookofPsalms