Tuesday 21 May, 2013

1 Lord, when you hand down your sentence, let it be in my favor. I have lived without blame. I have trusted in the Lord. I have never doubted him. 2 Lord, test me. Try me out. Look deep down into my heart and mind. 3 Your love is always with me. I have always lived by your truth. 4 I don’t spend time with people who tell lies. I don’t keep company with pretenders. 5 I hate to be with a group of sinful people. I refuse to spend time with those who are evil. 6 I wash my hands to show that I’m not guilty. Lord, I come near your altar. 7 I shout my praise to you. I tell about all the wonderful things you have done. 8 Lord, I love the house where you live. I love the place where your glory is. 9 Don’t destroy me together with sinners. Don’t take my life away along with murderers. 10 Their hands are always planning to do evil. Their right hands are full of money that bought them off. 11 But I live without blame. Set me free and show me your favor. 12 My feet stand on level ground. In the whole community I will praise the Lord.

This Psalm of David is a Psalm where he calls on God to vindicate him in one of his situations.  We are not told of the reason for the need of the vindication but for some reason he desires it.

What does David do and say – he reminds the Lord of his credentials, of his character of his practices.

David is confident that he lives a life of honour toward God.  He lays out that he is a man of integrity who loves the house of God and who is focused on God not his own gain or fame.

Who of us can make such claims?  These are bold claims with clearly some substance behind them.  David is no push over, he is certain of his walk with the Lord and calls

on God therefore to fulfill his promises of protection.

We do well to live righteously, obediently toward God for many of God’s promises are based in our obedience, not only His ability to perform His promises.

Father help me to live in obedience to Your Word and so walk uprightly before You and so claim Your promises without fear!

Written by Ps. Richard Botta