Psalm 26; August 30, 2026; Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity.” – Psalm 26:1
Honestly, this psalm is a bit of a head-scratcher. For on the surface, at first reading, it seems somewhat wrong; going against the ways we usually think and talk theologically.
As in, we always say that none of us are perfect and worthy of grace, right? We can’t earn it. So, why should we be vindicated just because we think we are righteous? It sounds too similar to that that pharisees’ prayer, doesn’t it? You know, the one from Luke 18:
“The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But a tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
[Jesus said] I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Save me! Why? Because, I deserve it!
The things we tell ourselves, man.
But, that’s not how this works. For all who all exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
Amen?
Moreover, so much of what Paul has to say in our New Testament is about none of us deserving mercy, rather, that we are vindicated due to no part of our own, but on the work and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
So, when verse nine states emphatically: “Do not sweep me away with sinners…” it’s like, hello, NEWSFLASH, we are all sinners! You too, dude, Mr. Psalmist.
So yeah, this psalm feels a bit transgressive against how we normally think the mechanisms of grace work.
But you know what? I also kind of like it. Especially when it’s read today, in these times, against the backdrop of our present circumstance, where so much of life feels unjust, where those who commit white collar crimes and who are the authors of evil seemingly get off Scot free.
Yes, this psalm feels like a strange breath of fresh air. At least to me. For it reinforces that there is a right side to choose, and a wrong side to choose, and that our thoughts and actions will be judged accordingly.
You know, I saw a video on social media this past week where a guy refused to say who the bad guys were in Star Wars. “Hard to say” was his answer. “It depends on how you look at it”.
Hard to say… it depends on how you look at it. Really!? As the interviewer interjected: “But one side blows up planets…” like, how can it be hard to see and say what the more righteous side and cause is?
My friends, if the Psalmist was indeed divinely inspired, and if his words are indeed delivered straight from Heaven, from God, then we will be vindicated as innocent or declared as guilty based on the sides that we choose.
- Have a heart that enjoys seeing others suffer? Guilty
- Have a heart that feels compassion for those wronged and afflicted? Innocent
- Have a mind that thinks other people, depending on where or how they’re born, are worth less than you? Guilty
- Have a mind that believes all should have access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, no matter if they are poor, gay, a woman, or immigrant? Innocent
Be thou our vision, O Lord! And help us to more clearly see the right sides that we should obviously be on! For both sides are not at all the same.
Amen?
I mean how appropriate, prescient, and timely is the verse that comes right after verse 9…
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners
nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10 those in whose hands are evil devices
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
Yeah, considering all the bribes and outright corruption today, from politics, to business, to sports, I kind of like this psalm and its clear articulation of ethics and judgement.
Just one thing though… besides it running counter to our belief in God’s abounding grace, as we mentioned before, this psalm also, interestingly, is attributed to David. To David, who you know, like, murdered a man so to sleep with that man’s wife.
But somehow, here he is, supposedly beseeching God to not sweep him away with “sinners” nor his life with the “bloodthirsty.” Sheesh, I guess mirrors back then weren’t a thing yet.
The things we tell ourselves. The narratives we spin to sleep at night so to not be underdone by grief, guilt, and regret. Its psychologically powerful, isn’t it? That we can effortlessly lie to ourselves and others, be it from pulpits, podiums, or even, apparently, in psalms.
But maybe, before we label David a liar, we should wrestle with the question: did he actually write this psalm in the first place? Though it’s attributed to him, as are 73 of the 150 psalms, several scholars cast serious doubt over that claim.
Some books I’ve read think that the bulk were authored by a collection of authors: Levites, priests. Going on to say that only about 10-15 can be said with any degree of confidence to have been written David, given clues from his life and recorded history. But even there, they say it’s tricky to know for sure as we have no direct record of him writing anything really.
And making matters trickier, is that the Hebrew superscription “of David” that sits atop the beginning of this psalm, can also mean “to David” “belonging to David” or “for David.” So perhaps this psalm and 72 others were meant for him. So that they might please him. So that he might learn from them.
But, having said all that, let’s for the sake of argument accept the tradition and say that he did. That David did in fact write this psalm, and others, and that these are indeed his genuine thoughts.
Well then, imagine his surprise if upon meeting Christ in Heaven, learning that according to the Gospel, sinners like him, like us, are exactly who God has in mind to SAVE rather than sweep away.
Imagine his surprise, my friends!
Imagine his displeasure.
Imagine our own.
Truthfully, sometimes all this abounding grace stuff displeases us, doesn’t it? Several of you have recently told me as much, about how much this bothers you: that you might be sharing Heaven with the worst of the worst, the wicked of wicked.
And honestly, it makes my stomach turn as well that there might not be some version of black and white justice where the evil eventually receive their comeuppance, and where the good are rewarded above and in front of them.
And yet, my friends, I have to tell you…looking in the mirror every day and night, and trying to walk in the way of integrity, I too am guilty. I too suck. I too am unworthy.
But here’s the amazing thing…at least according to Paul, and much that we find in our New Testament: That like David, like you, I am yet swept up in God’s redeeming love rather than an old vengeful wrath.
As one commentary put it: “With this psalm, we need to remember that times may come when we too need the help of remembering that God knows our mind and heart and vindicates us even if others don’t and the world won’t.”
Or, even better than that, as Jesus himself puts it, “all who all exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
So let it be.
Amen.
