Our Unimpeachable Vindication

Introduction

Vindication is something that we all look for at different times and in different ways. “To vindicate” someone simply means to clear their name from wrong, and it can be helpful to think of the courtroom scene when we’re thinking about vindication. There stands the defendant, accused of some wrong; and his only care in the world at that moment is that he would be vindicated, declared innocent.

Maybe there are some here who have had to endure the anxiety of actually being the defendant in a court proceeding for whatever reason, either justly or unjustly. But certainly everyone here can relate with the feeling of standing accused of something and desperately wanting to feel the release of vindication.

This morning we are looking at a Psalm where King David is seeking vindication; and from it we will learn about our own vindication. In this Psalm, we will see that only God gets the final say on any matter of justice or vindication. We will also see that God judges based on the integrity of the person in question. By the end, we will see that God has made a way for everyone who is anxious and worried to find rest and peace in him through this vindication.

Lets begin by seeing that vindication is the Lord’s to declare.

Vindication is the Lord’s to declare

Psalm 26:1–3 ESV

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.

State: This psalm starts with the simple plea to God: Vindicate me, O LORD.

It’s rare for us to get specific context for the psalms, and we don’t know exactly what David was seeking vindication from here. David was certainly not exempt from feeling the need for vindication in his life, either from false accusations or credible accusations. Maybe this is in reference to when David was hiding from the murderous King Saul. Maybe this is in reference to when he stole Uriah’s wife and slept with her. Maybe its in reference to when David’s son Absolom falsely accused him and turned almost the entire nation of Israel against him. Maybe its the time David disobeyed God and took a census, leading to the death of 70,000 Israelites. Perhaps David is facing accusations from people, or maybe this is a spiritual battle he finds himself in.

Whatever the case may be, I want to draw your attention to who David calls to for vindication. David here is not primarily concerned with the perception people have of him, and he doesn’t stress primarily over trying to change everyone’s mind about him. When David’s innocent is called into question, he calls out to the only one who can truly judge both body and soul: David calls out to the LORD God Almighty.

David continues by saying:

Psalm 26:2 ESV

Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.

This teaches us something very important: it teaches us that God alone can truly vindicate us. If the whole world stands against you, but God vindicates you, then there isn’t a thing that the entire world stacked together could do to you. They can’t touch you. Try as they might, slander as they will, but the LORD is the one who sits on the throne, and he cannot be fooled by them. At the same time, it teaches us that even if we have everyone fooled into thinking we’re good, when our hearts are truly wicked, then all the praise and adoration of the entire world won’t earn you a thing. God is equally unaffected by the false praise of the world, and he will issue his righteous judgement.

Illustrate: This makes me think of a common phrase that I used to see on social media posts or that will show up in a song from time to time. I especially think of how this phrase got used on a song from a prolific rapper in the 90’s. This phrase, of course, is “only God can judge me.” While this phrase is true in the sense we’ve been talking about — only God has the final say on the innocence of a person’s soul — the way this phrase gets tossed around in popular culture is horribly misleading. Most often, this phrase gets used by people doing terrible things and living incredibly promiscuous lives. They feel judged for their promiscuity, and in an effort to clear their guilty conscience, they try to convince themselves that they don’t have to worry about the consequences for their actions, because “only God can judge.” But should that bring comfort to them? Should those who lead proudly sinful lives find solace in God’s judgement?

Apply: And what does all this mean for us? It means that the answer to a guilty conscience or a tarnished reputation doesn’t rest in trying to win the approval of people: because they don’t judge rightly and it doesn’t mean anything anyway. Rather, the answer to a guilty conscience or tarnished reputation rests in seeking vindication from the Lord.

Do you wrestle against a troubled conscience? Do you worry what people will think of you? Are you plagued with unsettled feelings about the decisions you’ve made, or the potential consequences of your actions?

For right now, forget about all of that, and ask yourself only this: what does God think of you? And how will he judge your case?

But there still remains the question: how can we know that God will vindicate rather than convict? On what basis does God judge? What does God think of us, and can we know that?

This psalm is sandwiched between two uses of a very important word: integrity. We see it in the first verse and in the 11th verse

Integrity is the basis of our vindication

What is integrity? As David uses the word, there are two components to the integrity of a person: there is the source and the outflow.

Integrity itself is not a brag about a flawless life; David readily admits his own sin at many points, both in this psalm and in the Scriptures more broadly. Rather, integrity is a matter of the heart, and more specifically, its a heart that rests in God.

Then, David begins to show how the heart that rests in God evidences itself in outward ways — more specifically, a life that loves the things of God and hates the corrupt things of this world.

Lets see this in the Scriptures here in front of us

The source of integrity - God’s faithfulness

To trust in the Lord

Psalm 26:1 ESV

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

David’s integrity, and his confidence about his case before God, isn’t based on his trust in himself. When he considers his case and whether he is innocent in the matter, his plea is that he has trusted in the Lord without wavering.

This is a significant thing in itself - for we can all recognize that when it comes to being questioned and put on the defensive, when others begin to call your integrity into question, sin is crouching right outside the door. Its easy to become reactive and to defend yourself, and trust in yourself in those moments. David, on the other hand, has continued to trust himself to God throughout the entire process.

Eyes on God’s steadfast love, faithfulness

Psalm 26:3 ESV

For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.

Again, David continues to build the source of his integrity as God’s steadfast love. Here David is using the covenental name of God — LORD in all capital letters — as he refers to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

And what is David confident that God will do? Or, what is God being faithful to? David is confident that God will be faithful to the promises that he has made, and he has made many wonderful promises. Not only to the likes of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and the many judges and prophets that came before, but also specifically to David.

In 2 Sam 7 we read about the covenant that God made with David, when God promised to build David into a great house, a lineage of kings that would reign forever. This is an irrevocable promise, and so David is fully confident that his integrity will stand on the rock solid foundation of God’s faithfulness to his promises.

This leads David to say things like this in verse 11:

Resting in God’s redemption and grace

Psalm 26:11 ESV

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.

David doesn’t waver in this matter because he has heard Gods promise, and he is certain that God will deliver on that promise.

And all of this confidence in his integrity is also showed forth in how David has lived his life. Again, it is important to acknowledge that not even David is claiming to have lived perfectly, but there is a noticeable difference between someone with this kind of God-given integrity and those without it.

Walking in that integrity - living for God (vv. 4-10)

Contrasting between walking in integrity and walking in corruption

the way of the corrupt

Psalm 26:4–5 ESV

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.

David does not count himself among those who do evil. He does not run in their circles or involve himself in their evil practices.

Rather,

the way of integrity

Psalm 26:6–8 ESV

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.

David counts himself among the godly in the house of God. In the temple, David finds his heart joyfully worshiping God and offering sacrifice. David here even talks of his washing here, an admittance of uncleanness, but a further showing of his confidence in God’s steadfast love.

the way of the corrupt

Psalm 26:9–10 ESV

Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.

David here is begging that God remembers his promises, considers the integrity of David, and that David would be spared the brutal end of those who are evil at heart and in practice.

APPLY:

So, should the words, “only God can judge me” bring you confidence, or terror?

It depends very much on this matter of integrity; and just like David, any confidence we can have before the judgement seat of God will come from an ability to lean fully on promises God has made, and that kind of integrity will be showed forth in our lives.

If you are burdened by guilt, unsure of where you stand, and lacking any assurance of your standing before God, don’t settle for any foundation other than the promise of God himself.

And what has the Lord promised you? Like David, let us consider God’s faithfulness in the Scriptures:

John 6:35–40 ESV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus taught us that everyone who comes to him, everyone who looks on him in faith, has found themselves in the arms of Jesus himself. Jesus said that he will never cast out the one who comes to him, and he will never lose any of his own people. And Jesus said that it is the will of God that all who trust in Jesus will with full certainty find eternal life in him.

So then you who are tired, weary, scared, uncertain, those of you have sinned and know your guilt, let me ask you this: do you trust in Jesus? Has he become your all in all? Have you come to him, and have you placed your faith in him? Is your integrity founded upon Jesus, and the salvation he has promised and accomplished?

If you have, then please allow me to offer you the full assurance of faith, just as David had. Let me reassure you that the promise of God is a sure foundation, and so long as you build your life on that promise through Jesus Christ, you have already received God’s full vindication. You have been justified by his word, and you have peace with God.

John 15:3–4 ESV

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you trust in the promise of God, realized through Jesus Christ, then there isn’t anything in this world that can touch you. You have been sealed away by God, for God. So stop worrying about the perception of others, or the need to justify yourself before them or God. God has provided everything you need for your vindication, and he has done it fully through his Son Jesus Christ. come to him, trust in him, and rest in the vindication he has pronounced over you. Amen!

Let us thank God for this wonderful news.

FCF: In a fallen world, we find ourselves accused by our enemies and our integrity questioned.

Whether it be at work, in marriage, at church. Whether it be a person or whether it be spiritual.

CFC: God has vindicated us through faith in Christ.

The call: Walk in faith and live with a clear conscience, knowing you have an unimpeachable vindication (unshakable innocence?) in Jesus.

Words to work out: Integrity, Vindicate.

Integrity: David’s status by the grace of God (V. 3, 6, 11, 41:13, Rom 3:28, 5:1)

Vindicate: Declare me innocent