Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have integrity, and I trust in the Lord without wavering. Examine me, O Lord, and test me! Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! For I am ever aware of your faithfulness, and your loyalty continually motivates me. I do not associate with deceitful men, or consort with those who are dishonest. I hate the mob of evil men, and do not associate with the wicked. I maintain a pure lifestyle, so I can appear before your altar, O Lord, to give you thanks, and to tell about all your amazing deeds. (Psalm 26:1 -7 NET)
We have all found ourselves saying at times, “God, this is unfair, I don’t deserve this!” A prayer like that can become bitter and self-righteous, blaming God as if He were choosing to treat us unjustly. But God is never unjust, yet evil does attack those who are righteous before God. In those cases, this kind of bold prayer is exactly what we need.
But how do we know that we have the right to be so audacious and demanding of God? The psalmist lists a few things in this prayer. He openly tells God that he has integrity. He has led a blameless life. That doesn’t mean that he never sins, because all humanity is fallen and sinful, but that he lives as pure a life before God as he possibly can. A man of integrity hates sin and does whatever he can to reject it. Is that a claim you could honestly make?
He also says that he has trusted in God without wavering, and even challenges God to test him and examine him inwardly if he is somehow being untruthful about his claims. He isn’t afraid to have his faults pointed out, but as far as he knows, he has trusted to the best of his ability. Though he is a sinner, he can boldly stand before God and say that he has never doubted his Lord.
Then he states a fact that is crucial to pleasing God: he doesn’t associate with evil people, with deceivers, or false people. Obviously, claiming to love God while enjoying the company of those who reject Him and His ways, is unfaithfulness to God. It is evil for a servant of God to tolerate evil, just like a wife who enjoys the company of immoral men becomes evil herself. How about you, do you still make the excuse that you hang around those who have nothing to do with God, just because they are family or old friends? You cannot please God when you commune with the darkness.
When blamelessness, trust, and staying far from those who enjoy evil characterizes our lives, God is pleased with us. We have the right to demand His arm of rescue in times when the devil swoops in to attack. The fight against evil is aggressive and bold, but it needs to have a foundation of purity, trust and faithfulness to God in both the good and bad times. When we have this foundation, our prayers against evil cannot be ignored. But when our foundation is shaky, even our own conscience knows that our authority against the devil is even more shaky.
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