Friday 02 November 2018

Background

How can we be blameless and a sinner at the same time? In Psalm 25, we see David acknowledging his sinful past (vs 7 and 11) but here in Psalm 26 he is asserting his own “blameless life”. How do we make sense of this? Maybe it is in contrast to the “bloodthirsty” (v. 9) and those whose hands are full of bribes and wicked schemes (v. 10).

For David, his best life is that lived in the presence of the Lord, focused on the goodness and glory of God that brings hope and encouragement even in the face of accusation. Here, David is one of the congregation of the faithful who worship God. His defining choice is to praise and trust God. When the moment of decision comes, David is not to be found with the godless and corrupt people of verses 4 and 5, which reminds us of Psalm 1:1. Rather, he is with the company of those who are praising God, his default position being of worship and speaking of God’s goodness.

There is a decision of alignment to be made, and however the world around him may judge him, David has made his choice. The ultimate authority over his life for responsibility and for judgement is the Lord.

It can be hard when a reputation is damaged by the tales of unsympathetic onlookers. Misunderstanding, wilful shots taken against a person’s good name and rumours can all happen without us being able to sound anything more than defensive. Indeed, a quick reading of Psalm 26 can leave us wondering about why David is so defensive of his own position. He knows his faults and his weaknesses; he knows also that God is merciful and sees the heart that honours God above all else. We too can do well to remind ourselves that God is the only and Righteous Judge. The appeals made to him are ones that are not subject to the frailty of human vision and the limit of human understanding. Our role is to be within the congregation, at the altar of the Lord, eager to speak of God’s goodness and deeds and to be a person of praise whose best life is lived in trusting God.

To Ponder

• How demoralising it can be when we are judged unfairly. How can we be godly in the things we tell about our fellow travellers in faith?
• David’s best life is the one of faithful worshipper, of trusting servant of God, of proclaimer of God’s truth. How does this best life that he has chosen take priority in God’s eyes over the mistakes he may also make?