Psalm 26
Handling false accusations & critics
Intro
√ False accusations & harsh criticism
Have you ever been falsely accused, or harshly criticized?
How does it make you feel?
How do you handle false accusations and harsh criticism?
I find in my own experience that I begin to question my own sincerity and motivations, the result is that all too often I become crippled by self-doubt!
For the person that tends to be sensitive (too concerned with what other people think!), we're quick to find some fault within ourselves and then take the false accusation or harsh criticism to be confirmation of what we suspected all along…
…that we're no good slime and a disgrace to God!
The result is that the person who has been falsely accused pulls away from their service to the Lord believing that God can't use them.
It's a very effective tool of Satan!
Ex. Confronting the gossip
Even though I had been very careful to gather the facts, present them with Grace…
…the individual was somehow able to spin the conversation away from the issue in their life and turn it around so that I was the bad guy!
The problem is that we often take those false accusations to heart and then lose our confidence in God's call upon our life.
Impacting not only our service to the Lord, but our desire to serve Him, and robs us of the joy and power of His presence.
√ So, what should you do when confronted with these kind of people and their garbage?
Psalm 26 provides a good and healthy model for handling false accusations and harsh criticism.
Examine yourself (vs. 1-5)
Ps. 26:1 Vindicate me, O LORD, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip.
Ps. 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
Ps. 26:3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.
Ps. 26:4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
Ps. 26:5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked.
√ Examine yourself
Even when dealing with patently false accusations and harsh criticism it is a good idea to go before the Lord and ask Him to examine your life.
Note that David asks…vs. 2
"Examine me, O Lord"
"Prove me (or test me)"
"Try my mind & my heart" - (thoughts & motives)
The reason is that we don't want to turn a blind eye toward some sin or area of our life that needs attention.
We must remember that we all have a blind spot when it comes to our own sinfulness - especially concerning our motives!
Jer. 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Only God can reveal our heart (motives) to us and sometimes He allows unjust attacks upon us so that we'll do a personal inventory that we might grow in Christ.
So, we go to the Lord and ask Him to help us examine our lives, specifically…
Is my life what it ought to be?
Is there willful disobedience in my life?
Are my motives pure, or selfish?
Once you've examined your life and corrected any blind spot that the Lord may have pointed out you can go forward with confidence that He will deliver you from your enemy.
Ap. But - I'm not perfect!
Here's where I always get hung up, bummed out, and really depressed.
I know I'm not perfect! Even if the Lord doesn't turn up any glaring issue in my life I can still find fault with myself and allow the false accusations to hinder me.
Or, think that God won't respond to my cry for help because I'm not perfect.
Ah, that's where this Psalm can really free a person.
Note David's cry for help
√ A cry for help
Note David's cry to God…
"Vindicate me" - vs. 1
…literally, "defend me", "deliver me" from those who falsely accuse me!
Note also that David's cry for help is based on his "integrity".
That is, David asks God to help him because he is leading a life that is pleasing to God, therefore, he trusts that God will help him.
You're thinking - that's where I'm in trouble because I know that even at my best I fall short of God's perfect standard!
So, how can I possibly ask God to deliver me!
Understand that the word "integrity" means…
"sincerity" not "faultless"!
The point!? David isn't appealing to God for help based upon his perfection, rather, based upon his sincere desire and effort to do what is pleasing to God!
Ap. God knows you're not perfect!
So when you cry to God for help, you can be confident that He will respond to your prayers if you've sincerely tried to walk in a way that is pleasing to God!
That's a load off my shoulders. I don't have to allow people to viscously, and mercilessly attack me when I know that I've done my best to serve the Lord and to do the right thing!
Focus on the Lord (vs. 6-10)
Ps. 26:6 I will
wash my hands in innocence; So I will go
about Your altar, O LORD,
Ps. 26:7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.
Ps. 26:8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells.
Ps. 26:9 Do not gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
Ps. 26:10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes.
√ Focus on the Lord
After David and examined his life he turned his full attention to the Lord. Note vs. 6…
"So I will go about Your altar, O LORD,"
…where we find David praying, praising, and just spending time with the Lord in His "house" (Temple).
This gives us our 2nd step to effectively deal with false accusations…
…we must focus our attention on the Lord!
Why? Because if we don't then our thoughts will tend to run either back to the person(s) who have falsely accused us, or to ourselves.
If you think about the people you're asking God for deliverance from…you'll get angry!
If you think about yourself too much (self-examination) you'll get depressed!
Both will lead to a vicious circle as you struggle with your emotions.
So, the answer is to spend time with the Lord! As you look to Jesus in praise and prayer you'll discover that He will replace…
Your anger with compassion
Depression with hope
…because you will come to recognize that He has a plan for your life and that He will work all of it out for good.
Ex. Joseph
Gen. 50:20 “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
So, spend time with the Lord - every time that you're tempted to let your thoughts drift back to the people who are troubling you, or even to your own imperfections…
…commit it to the Lord.
Keep serving the Lord! (vs. 11-12)
Ps. 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me.
Ps. 26:12 My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the LORD.
√ Keep serving the Lord!
Note David's commitment in vs. 11…
" But as for me, I will walk in my integrity"
That is, David's not going to turn and run because someone has falsely accused or attacked him.
Rather, he has determined in his heart that no matter what the consequence he is going to remain faithful to the Lord and do His will!
Remember, Satan's goal is get so upset and consumed with defending yourself that you neglect the work that God has given you to do.
Ex. Nehemiah's work to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem
Sanballat and Geshem…
Tried to get him to meet outside the city
Tried again by false accusation (letter)
Tried to get him to hide in the Temple (by means of a false prophecy)
Nehemiah's response…
"And I said, should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the Temple to save his life? I will not go in!"
He refused to be distracted from the work of God by false accusations, threats, and criticisms. The result was that God blessed his work and they finished the wall by the end of the chapter!
Ap. God will vindicate you!
Note David's confident expectation in vs. 12…
"My foot stands in an even place"
…as contrasted with a "slippery place". That is, David is sure that God will hear his cry for deliverance and that God will plant his feet on solid ground so that his life cannot be shaken.
When you're falsely accused, or harshly criticized, remember to follow David's model in Psalm 26…
Evaluate yourself
Focus on the Lord
Keep serving Jesus
…He will deliver you from all your enemies!
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