Ps. 26: 1 You be my judge and declare me innocent! Clear my name, for I have tried my best to keep your laws and to trust you without wavering.[1]
David writes this when he has been unfairly treated by King Saul. Even with this, David does not complain about Saul but looks to God for justice. This is really a Psalm of loyalty not of self-righteousness. It is a request for vindication. David has tried his best to live a righteous life. He has not chosen to hang out with troublemakers, hypocrites, evil people or crooks. Even though he has made good choices, Saul has not.
In Rev. 2, Jesus sends message to church at Smyrna, 10 Do not yield to fear in the face of the suffering to come, but be aware of this: the devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison to test your faith. For ten days you will have distress but remain faithful to the day you die and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.[2] The spiritual battle wasn’t only in David’s day, but continues to this day.
Life is often a test. God know what you will do when things are unfair, but do you know? Jesus says in Luke 16: 10 “The one who manages the little he has been given with faithfulness and integrity will be promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities. But those who cheat with the little they have been given will not be considered trustworthy to receive more.[3]
God’s character is such that you can trust Him and remain loyal. David had depended on God to keep from falling. He knows God can save and is faithful with faithful love. But David’s loyalty to God has been costly. Despite this, David still depended on God for protection. We, too, need to continue to trust God in the test. Just as exercise makes us stronger, depending on God when life is unfair will help us grow.
To hear more about David and what he did when life was unfair, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/david-and-his-songs-the-early-years/its-not-fair
[1,2,3] The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. thePassionTranslation.com