Psalm 26[1]
1 Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life;[2]
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2 Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.[3]
4 I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites.
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, Lord,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
8 Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with those who are bloodthirsty,
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 I lead a blameless life;[4] deliver me and be merciful to me.
12 My feet stand on level ground;
in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.
Today the news has been full of the accomplishments of Captain Tom Moore. ‘Captain Tom’, as he is known, is just a fortnight short of his 100th birthday. He has completed a modest challenge that has captured everyone’s attention and admiration. The Second World War veteran, who saw action in Burma and India, set his sights on walking 10 laps of his garden every day over 10 days. At just after 8am this morning he completed the 100 laps in front of the cameras. His initial target was to raise £1,000 for the NHS to thank staff for a hip replacement operation. By 4pm this afternoon, his ‘JustGiving’ page for NHS Charities Together had received £14,301,136.99 from 709,993 supporters. The website keeps crashing, such is the demand to give he has inspired around the world.
Every so often, a humble person captures the imagination of a whole country. Shortly after he finished the fundraiser, the retired soldier had words of advice for the nation about coping with the coronavirus lockdown.
"You've all got to remember that we will get through it in the end, it will all be right," he said. "For all those people finding it difficult at the moment, the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away." There is something of the psalmist's outlook in him. He naturally uses metaphor and poetic imagery to provide hope beyond despair. His daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore told the BBC: "We are absolutely floored by what has been achieved but we're so happy, so humbled and so proud. He's a beacon of hope in dark times and I think we all need something like this to believe in and it's for such an amazing cause."
Captain Tom, with his walking frame, has certainly given people a spring in their step. He has given momentum to hope and belief in life beyond this grinding diet of death statistics.
Today’s psalm contrasts two kinds of people: there is the ‘blameless person’ who walks with integrity and in truth; and there are those who sit in the company of hypocrites and evildoers, who plan wicked actions and are deceitful.
In other words: there are those who walk the walk and others who talk the talk.
There is a thin line trodden between self-righteousness and blamelessness. In Hebrew, the words translated as integrity or blameless is tom (I kid you not!). This word does not indicate personal achievement or sinlessness. My commentary tells me: ‘The Hebrew root (of tom) has the sense of completeness or wholeness, and its use here indicates complete devotion or total orientation of one’s life to God… integrity in this sense derives from trusting God and from being led by God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.’[5]
Captain Tom’s daily walk has continued, whether in front of the cameras or whether they have been switched off. His feet have helped him stand on level ground (vs11) and inspire others to live more hopefully. And hope is the currency of God’s resurrection kingdom – where death does not have the final say, but love does. Today, this elderly man perhaps helps bring Psalm 26 to life within me and maybe even you.
[2]
Church of England Psalter translates this line: ‘for I have walked with
integrity’
[3]
Church of England Psalter translates this line: ‘I have walked in your truth’
[4]
Church of England Psalter translates this line: ‘As for me, I will walk with
integrity’
[5] J
Clinton McCann Jr The New Interpreter’s Bible Vol IV, Abingdon,
Nashville ©1996, p782
John Eaton in his “Psalms for Life” makes a very interesting connection between this psalm and baptism. The psalmist is praying for protection from those who are wicked and approaches God for help. He comes to the Temple to pray and to be close to the Lord’s presence. He’s not associated with the wicked schemers but has always kept God’s love and faithfulness before him. His trust is in God’s grace and truth. And even though he still knows he needs to be redeemed (v.11), for no-one is perfect, he stands firm on the goodness of God. Eaton states that that firm ground, “the very foundation of the Christian life is our baptism”. Through baptism we are washed of our sins (not just our hands washed as in v.6) and through God’s grace we are drawn into the life of Christ. Baptism is the firm ground on which we stand even when we continue to falter and fail. And our baptism gives us cause to always rejoice and give thanks and “in the great congregation I will bless the Lord”. Baptism is grace for the individual and joy for the worshipping community.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great loss and concern that, while churches are closed because of Covid-19, families who so often seek baptism to protect their children are not able to do so. But the day will come when joy will return and grace abound and the Church once again will be able to welcome all who recognise their need of the foundation of God’s loving strength in this life of trials and tribulations.