Exodus 7-9, Psalm 26, Matthew 11:20-30, Acts 16:16-40

Psalm 26:

David is asking for help. In particular, “vindication.” His record has been sullied by some slander. He is being accused in some way or other. He does what the godly do in such situations: he asks God for vindication.

“It is mine to avenge, I will repay,” says the Lord. We do not take vengeance into our hands, but trust God to be the judge. Ultimately, we know that we are not people of unsullied lips either. But there are times when the right is clear on our side in a particular situation, and it is appropriate, good, and needed to ask God to intervene—as David does here.

David prays with confidence based upon his faithfulness to God’s covenant with his people, and with David in particular. God’s “steadfast love” is before his eyes. This is the hesed covenant loyalty of God to his people. If they will trust him (“I have trusted in the Lord without wavering”), he will be their God, and they will be his people. “Remember that covenant, Lord,” David is saying. “I am trusting you. I am looking to you. I have not worshiped idols or bowed down before other gods. I have committed my life to you.”

We know that David was conscious of his moral imperfections: he prays elsewhere to be freed from hidden sins, and the penitential psalms (remember Psalm 25:7: “Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions”). But the confidence he has here is based upon God’s “steadfast love to him,” upon God’s covenant loyalty to his people. So David cries out for help, for vindication. “Redeem me; be gracious to me.”

Perhaps you need to call out to God for vindication this morning. Perhaps there is someone who has wronged you. Someone who has blocked your career for nothing but selfish political reasons. Someone who has wounded one that you love. Perhaps you are deeply wounded by violence or abuse, and the anger you feel against those who hurt you is righteous. It is good to hear that what was done to you was evil. And it is good to leave judgment with God. You are called to forgive; but there is nothing unbiblical with asking God to vindicate your reputation. Indeed, in certain circumstances only God could. So we ask him to do so this morning. Would you pray with me?

“Lord, for those who have hurt us, for those who have wounded us, for those who have damaged our lives, our homes, and the ones we love. Lord, you know. You see. You are not blind. Your arm is not too short to save. We entrust them to you. We say that you are the judge—not us. And we ask that you would vindicate the cause of the gospel. Not our cause, ultimately, but the cause of Christ. Would you lift up the banner of the gospel high over our lives that all may see that we walk by faith in the redeeming work of the grace of God. Amen.”