#706 Company

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. Psalm 26 ESV

Vindicate me oh Lord - In this world, men of integrity are not men without temptation. They are not sinless men, but rather repentant and seeking to be separated from sin both in it's identity and practice. Regardless of the circumstances, David has put his faith in the Lord and he ask the Lord to prove this and try him. See if there is wickedness in me and remove it, see if I have trusted in other than You and lead me to Yourself. 

Sit with men of falsehood - One of the hardest trials in David's life was self inflicted, but in trying to cover up his sin against Uriah he entered into a very dark place with a man of low conscience. David came to hate the way Joab operated but chose to do little if nothing about it. These verses remind me of his discussion with his son Solomon on the matter. To sit is to linger, to sit is to show too much respect for and to be seen as accepting. David wants to break free from those who despise God's ways. 

Breaking free of Joab 

I wash my hands - It is good to not be guilty of a thing and it is better still to use our influence to prevent it at all. Regardless of our technical innocence, let us be quick to praise God lest we fall to the other and most original of sins, pride. It is Your wondrous deeds that have brought me here, that have caused in me the desire to seek You and separate myself from wickedness.

Bloodthirsty men - I think this describes Joab well, but David was a man of war himself, and so he probably knew many like this. Those that do not value all life have disregarded their own unknowingly. We do not have to stay where we started, but the opening of the eye by the spirit brings also the grace to love our brother as well. How precious are all these lives, they do not belong to me, so I must respect them as the Creator's. David wanted to be found with God in death, not with sinners. Christ has made this possible by taking on the form of sinful man and hanging between thieves and sinners on the cross. 

Redeem - I see the way of the wicked now, and I would like to take another path though they scorn me and remind me of my past. Be gracious to me, oh God, it is You that has brought me to level ground, that keeps me from slipping back. 

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 20-21