I've found praying the Psalms to be one of the most theologically stretching exercises I can undertake.
One of the most helpful things to remember is that the author is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, if something seems wrong...it's my grasp of the truth which needs to grow, not his. It might be my understanding of what the author at hand is saying, which makes your further exercise in context helpful. Or it may be my broader understanding of the Bible as a whole, my theology, that needs adjustment.
In Psalm 7, and others like it, I do think we need a category for relative righteousness. We cannot stand before God on such rags. But relative to other men, we are at times very much in the right, and it is not wrong to ask God for vindication in such instances. We would expect such vindication before a fallible and sinful judge on earth, how much more before the King of Heaven and Earth? (see Luke 18:1-8)
If I were to pray "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me." I would pray along the lines of:
a) "Show me, Lord, what it would mean if you judged me according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me. Show me my shortcomings and then show me your grace. Show me who I am and then show me who You are."
OR
b) "Lord, IF, if you judged me according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me, I would be hopelessly, desperately lost. I thank you from the depths of my heart, that you judge me according to the righteousness of Christ that is given to me by your mercy."
How quick we are to judge David, a sinful man like us, a man after God’s own heart. Dare we invite judgment of our integrity as David does here?
For if the Holy Spirit reveals each sin that the Lord may refine our flesh then our regeneration becomes witness to the Cross of Christ.
Hi Roger, thanks for your comment. I think that's a good insight that our own regeneration bears witness to Jesus and the cross.
I've found praying the Psalms to be one of the most theologically stretching exercises I can undertake.
One of the most helpful things to remember is that the author is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, if something seems wrong...it's my grasp of the truth which needs to grow, not his. It might be my understanding of what the author at hand is saying, which makes your further exercise in context helpful. Or it may be my broader understanding of the Bible as a whole, my theology, that needs adjustment.
In Psalm 7, and others like it, I do think we need a category for relative righteousness. We cannot stand before God on such rags. But relative to other men, we are at times very much in the right, and it is not wrong to ask God for vindication in such instances. We would expect such vindication before a fallible and sinful judge on earth, how much more before the King of Heaven and Earth? (see Luke 18:1-8)
These thoughts are really helpful!
If I were to pray "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me." I would pray along the lines of:
a) "Show me, Lord, what it would mean if you judged me according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me. Show me my shortcomings and then show me your grace. Show me who I am and then show me who You are."
OR
b) "Lord, IF, if you judged me according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me, I would be hopelessly, desperately lost. I thank you from the depths of my heart, that you judge me according to the righteousness of Christ that is given to me by your mercy."