“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 mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you. I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord, singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds. O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides. Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty, those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.” Psalm 26

“The 26th psalm is a psalm of prayer that laments the false saints who want to be godly through the works of the Law and who condemn the saints who are godly only through God’s goodness and grace. This psalm accuses the false saints of willingly accepting bribes. For such saints are certainly pure servants of greed, whose God is their stomach, as St. Paul says (Philippians 3:19). But with all their spiritual hypocrisy and their worldly glory, they are destructive saints. Therefore, it is good to pray that they may not deceive us. This psalm belongs in the Third Commandment and in the First and Second Petitions, for it speaks of the worship of God and of His kingdom.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther)

“Vindicate me, O Lord….” This is the prayer of the betrayed, the falsely accused, the victim of evildoers.

This Psalm may seem odd. The Psalmist addresses G-d by declaring his blamelessness and innocence — yet we may not know what the Psalmist is being blamed for that he needs to prove his blamelessness. So, in addressing G-d, he confesses his sinfulness and blameworthiness. So, he confesses what we claim every Sunday — “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

We need to imagine a situation many of us have faced in one way or another. Someone has accused you of wrongdoing of which you believe yourself innocent. You have been treated unjustly or spitefully by your co-workers, boss, or friend, or even a member of your congregation. That’s the kind of situation the Psalmist was experiencing.The Psalmist’s claim of blamelessness is that he is innocent of the particular charge that has been alleged against him. He is claiming his integrity, not his complete and consistent perfection of behavior. But there is no way to know the entire situation. There is no evidence that justifies either his guilt or his innocence. But that is often the way of life.

But the Psalmist knows that there he has a G-d who searches the heart. There is a G-d who can properly judge our guilt or innocence. G-d is the judge of all the earth. G-d knows what we have done or not done, down the the the most hidden thoughts and motives. This is why we go to G-d with a contrite heart — for no matter what we say to anyone else, it is G-d who knows us more deeply than anyone else. And so we say along with the Psalmist: “redeem me, and be gracious to me.”

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, abide with us in these latter evil days. Grant to Your Church true shepherds and faithful pastors who preach Your Word in its purity, and who lead us in the way of truth. Preserve our souls from being deluded by worldly wisdom and the teaching of men who walk after their own thoughts, and keep up steadfast in Your Word to our end.

Amen.