Divine Scrutiny

Psalm 26: 1 – 12

Divine Scrutiny

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. 3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. 4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. 5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers and will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O LORD, 7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. 9 Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, 10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me. 12 My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the LORD.

In American constitutional law, ‘strict scrutiny’ is the highest and most stringent standard of judicial review, and results in a judge striking down a law unless the government can demonstrate in court that a law or regulation: one, is necessary to a "compelling state interest"; two, that the law is "narrowly tailored" to achieving this compelling purpose; and three, that the law uses the "least restrictive means" to achieve the purpose. It is part of the hierarchy of standards that courts use to determine which is weightier, a constitutional right or principle or the government's interest against observance of the principle. The lesser standards are rational basis review and exacting or intermediate scrutiny. These standards are used to test statutes and government action at all levels of government within the United States.

The notion of "levels of judicial scrutiny” sounds intense doesn’t it? But let me mention to you that there is another form of Scrutiny that is more intense and that is ‘Divine Scrutiny’.

It is possible that we may evaluate ourselves by wrong principals. Self-examination is a good thing to do, however, but there nothing better than to ask our Holy God to help us in this endeavor. We are prone to error in every category. We are prone to be slanted in our observation of ourselves where we make excuses or allowances in areas where we should not. Only our Great God can help us properly do our own inventory.

I like what David asked our Precious Holy Father God. He states in Psalm 139 verses 23 and 24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”

In today’s Psalm we consider His Divine Scrutiny.

It should be considered that this Psalm could never have been written unless it had been preceded by Psalm 25. It was only once the question of forgiveness had been settled that the Psalmist could speak like this. For in this Psalm he approaches God with the confidence of a forgiven sinner.

‘A Psalm of David.’

In this Psalm the Psalmist testifies to YHWH that he has responded to YHWH’s covenant love and trustworthiness with a life of integrity and obedience, and he brings his life openly to God and calls on God to give him a religious checkup. He is not afraid of this because he has already prepared himself by putting right all that was wrong in his life and seeking forgiveness (‘washing his hands in innocency’). He can also declare that he has not kept bad company, whether it be religiously devious, or openly sinful, and can therefore approach God to worship Him in innocency, which he does joyously because he loves His house and the place where His glory dwells. It is on these grounds that he looks to YHWH for long life so that he might continue to worship Him.

1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip.

He is confident that having received the forgiveness that he had pleaded for in Psalm 25 he can now call on YHWH to judge him in the present as one who has been faithful and has walked in integrity. He is ready to open his whole life to YHWH’s scrutiny. And he is not afraid, because he knows that he has trusted YHWH with an unwavering trust, a trust that does not slide about in constant changeableness, ‘none of his steps will slide’ (37.31). He has turned neither to left nor right. In all this he wants YHWH to shine His light on him so that he may ‘walk in the light’ before Him.