Day 26.
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.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness. (Psalm 26:1-3 ESV)
The psalmist prays for vindication, which means that he has been wronged and that wrong has not yet been uncovered or dealt with. And yet, he has not taken matters into his own hands. How hard that must be! It could be that another is spreading false reports about him or worse, plotting his downfall. And yet, the psalmist has chosen not to take vengeance or seek retaliation, but walk in his integrity. What does that mean exactly? To put it simply, he is content to let God be the only one who knows the truth. This is such a hard thing to do!
How does he do it? “I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.” He trusts God to act as judge. His timing may not be our timing and that is often hard to bear, but the psalmist does because the Lord’s “steadfast love is before [his] eyes,” and he walks in the Lord’s faithfulness. Two things he has experienced: the steadfast love of the Lord for him and the faithfulness of the Lord toward him. These two things fuel his choice to walk in his integrity even though the whole world might think wrongly of him to the point of plotting his downfall.
How about you? Do you take matters into your own hands when you are wronged?
Chronological Reading Plan plus Psalms: Ge 41-42, Ps 26
Unfortunately I do often take matters into my own hands and want to force justice rather than resting in my Sovereign. I appreciate you always preaching the Truth. Thanks.