The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
August 28, 2011 Proper 17 A
St. Andrew’s Church
The Rev. M. Anthony Seel, Jr.
Psalm 26
Integrity?
John Jacques Rousseau, the 18th century philosopher, heard the three words that strike fear into the hearts of sexually active single men or philandering married men. From Therese Lavasseur, Rousseau’s lover, John Jacques heard these three words: “I am pregnant.”
King David had heard these same words from Bathsheba. After a failed attempt to cover his tracks by recalling her husband from war and trying to get him to sleep with Bathsheba, David conceived a second plan. David sent Bathsheba’s husband Uriah into intense combat and had the commander order the rest of his men in retreat so that Uriah would be killed. This plan worked.
So, David, the greatest king of Israel ever was an adulterer and a murderer. On that score, Rousseau wasn’t that much different. He convinced Therese to leave their baby at a local orphanage. Most of the babies in that orphanage would die there. The few who survived past childhood would be turned out on the streets to become beggars. Rousseau was aware of all this and in his writings he tried to justify his actions. In all, Therese and John Jacques left five children at that orphanage.
David had many more differences to Rousseau than similarities. For one, when David did wrong he confessed his sins and sought God’s forgiveness. He made a serious effort to be righteous and always desired God’s love and mercy.
What do we know about David?
When we are first introduced to David he is a young shepherd (1 Samuel 12:1-13). David becomes part of the court of Saul as a musician. He plays the lyre, a stringed instrument, and his playing cleanses Saul of an evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:23).
David is also a courageous warrior. He kills the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17). He is successful in battle against the Philistines (chapter 23), the Amalekites (ch. 30), the Moabites (2 Samuel 8), the Edomites (ch. 8), the Ammonites (ch. 10), the Syrians (ch. 10), and other enemies of Israel.
He was loyal to King Saul, and Saul’s son Jonathan. He was kind to Mephibosheth, the crippled grandson of Saul (2 Samuel 9). He was also kind to Barjillai, an old man who provided food to David when David was fleeing Absalom (ch.s 17, 19).
He could also be humble. When he was cursed by Shimei he did not allow his servants to kill Shimei because he was open to the possibility that the curses that Shimei rained down on him might be from the Lord (ch. 16).
David had 8 wives, many concubines and 21 children. He is portrayed as a failed father, particularly with his son Absalom who tries to usurp David’s throne and with another son named Amnon.
As Eugene Peterson says, “the life of David is a labyrinth of ambiguities, not unlike our own” (The Jesus Way, p. 87). David was described by the prophet Samuel as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), yet he committed adultery, had Uriah killed, and was ruthless in exterminating rivals to his throne. Despite all of this, we read in Psalm 26, a psalm of David,
1 Give judgment for me, O LORD, for I have lived with integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered.
The word integrity if translated “a blameless life” in a number of English Bibles including the New International Version. With all that we know about David, how could he say that he lived a blameless life? We need to understand what that means in the Hebrew context and the parallelism of Jewish poetry helps us with this. The word integrity in line two corresponds with “trusted in the Lord” in line three.
A blameless life or a life of integrity does not mean a life of sinless perfection. It has to do with the direction of life. For David, that direction was toward God. The desire of his heart was righteousness. He sinned in some huge ways, but his desire was to please God.
As Walter Brueggeman says, David was “neither sinless nor innocent.” He was “fully human with wounds, scars, and failures. He can be and is forgiven, however, so that he has the power for new life” (1,2 Samuel, p. 357). Isn’t that what we all want? Don’t we all want to be forgiven for our sins and given God’s power for new life?
The Apostle John tells us, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9). David’s confidence is such that he can say to God,
2 Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and my mind.
John Jacques Rousseau did not have this confidence. His first justification for sending away his five children was that he could not work “in a house ‘filled with domestic cares and the noise of children’”
(Quoted in Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcy, How Then Shall We Live, p. 174). Later he appealed to the writings of Plato who taught that the state was superior to parents for raising children into good citizens. By the way, there are people today that hold similar views to this.
In his last book, Rousseau admitted that he “lacked the simple courage to bring up a family” (ibid.).
Instead of self-justification, David asks God to look at his heart and mind, his total inner being. David invites God to review his emotions, mind and will. David’s prayer is good for us too. Ask God to examine your heart and mind – your emotions, mind and will. Are all systems moving in a godly direction? Are your emotions, mind and will in sync with God?
3 For your love is before my eyes, and I have walked faithfully with you.
David remembers how God has loved him. This experienced love has been part of his impetus for walking with God.
4 I have not sat with the worthless, nor do I consort with the deceitful. 5 I have hated the company of evildoers; I will not sit down with the wicked.
The apostle Paul writes roughly 1,000 years after David that “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). By the way, Paul is quoting from Menander’s Thais, a famous comedic play. This captures what David is saying in verses 4 and 5. Paul’s context is different – the apostle is concerned with those in the church who promote wrong beliefs and behaviors.
For David, it was a matter of companions and advisors. For us, it is a question of fellowship and witness. Jesus wants the Church to show forth His life – His love, His grace, mercy, purity of life and His truth. Jesus also calls His followers to be His witnesses in the world. We give witness to Jesus verbally and by the ways we exhibit His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness toward others.
The danger that David highlights is that we can become so immersed in this world that our Christian faith and morals are eroded. Instead of lifting the world to Christ, we are pulled down to the ungodly values and actions of this world. David provides an antidote for this.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence, that I may go in procession round your altar, O LORD,
Washing hands was a rite of purification that was a preparation for worship. It is akin to our confession of sin before communion. After his preparation for worship, David is ready, even eager, for worship.
7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and recounting all your wondrous deeds.
In important respects, worship hasn’t changed much since the time of David. True worship still includes thanking God for His wonderful deeds. This includes God’s wonderful deeds in history and His wonderful deeds in our lives and in the lives of those we love. As Christians we are most thankful for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior.
True worship still includes songs of thanksgiving just as we have sung and will sing this morning. We especially sing songs of thanksgiving for all that Jesus has sacrificed for us.
8 LORD, I love the house in which you dwell and the place where your glory abides.
In our day, David would be one of those guys or gals who are in church every day the doors are open. He would be here every Sunday and every feast day for worship. He loved to be in God’s house for worship. How about you? I suspect that you have some of David’s spirit in you as you have come out on this Sunday that is drenched with the waters of Hurricane Irene.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with those who thirst for blood, 10 whose hands are full of evil plots, and their right hand full of bribes.
In David’s time as in our own, there were bloodthirsty men, evil schemers, and those who attempt to pervert justice through bribes. David wanted no part of these people and he certainly didn’t want to be judged by God along with them.
11 As for me, I shall live with integrity; redeem me, O Lord and have pity on me.
David wants what we want – God’s mercy. He has pledged to live according to God’s ways and that’s a good pledge for all of us to make.
12 My foot stands on level ground; in the full assembly I will bless the LORD.
The level ground that David stands upon pertains to his character. He can stand upright because He walks with the Lord.
John Jacques Rousseau knew no level ground in his life. As far as we know he didn’t know much about God’s forgiveness. His writings indicate that he lived with great guilt right up to the end of his life for putting his children in that horrible orphanage.
David wanted to praise God in the full assembly of God’s people because he loved God and God’s ways.
Let’s be clear: as Christians, our character, pursuits, habits, interests, goals and destiny are all to be shaped by Jesus. If our lives are being shaped by Jesus, then we don’t think, speak, feel, act, live or die like non-Christians. Because of Jesus Christ our lives are different. Because of Jesus Christ our lives are better.
We can live with integrity when our lives are aligned with the One who created us. When our lives get out of line, God will realign us if we will confess our sins to Him and turn from them.
David knew this. David did this. So can we.
Not only that, our well-being depends on us doing so.
Let us pray.
What’s amiss in your life?
Will you say to God as David did,
2 Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and my mind.
Are you harboring any guilt? Receive God’s forgiveness and give Him your guilt. Say with David,
11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
If the direction of your life is Godward you can be assured of God’s forgiveness, mercy and love. Trust God and let go of your guilt.
Do you in your relationships lift up Jesus Christ, or are you pulled down to the ungodly values and actions of this world. Ask God to help you sort out your relationships and ask Him to guide you in healthy fellowship with Christians and boldness in your witness to the world.
If you have trusted in the Lord above all else, you are standing on level ground and you are in the right place to praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
