Blameless?
I will be careful to lead a blameless life—when will you come to me? – Psalm 101:2 (NIV)
I didn’t care much for Psalm 101 when I turned to it recently for devotional reading. The writer seems self-absorbed, arrogant, and condescending. Who can truly claim to “lead a blameless life” anyway? And who is this psalmist to demand that God will show up? Now!
On the heels of these pompous words, the psalmist seems rather condescending about everyone else. “Whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him I will not endure.” Good luck finding friends.
I often forget to read the titles of psalms first. This one is “Of David.” Or “About David” or just “Davidic.” This psalm is by or for the monarch – a politician.
I know I should pray for candidates and officeholders, but it’s hard to find the right words. Do I have to pray for all of them, even those I consider a grave risk to my country, state, or municipality? Or is this a moment to pull out the psalms of curse? “Get ‘em, God!”
Psalm 101 helps. It helps because David was one of those leaders with an infamously mixed legacy. And Psalm 101 – whether it is a prayer by David or for David – begins by addressing the God of love and justice (verse 1), asking God to be close precisely because of a monarch’s unrivaled power. The psalm prays for blameless leadership and, when such leadership fails (and David’s reign was far from blameless), the psalm prays for truth-telling advisors to hold the king accountable for justice in the land.
That helps me. I can pray that today’s leaders will pray Psalm 101.
And I can pray Psalm 101 for them as I vote, I advocate, I work, and I influence my part of the world.
Prayer
God, make me closer to blameless. And please, please, show up. Preferably, now. Amen.
About the AuthorBob Thompson is a retired UCC Pastor living near Wilmington, North Carolina, and President of Faithful and Welcoming Churches of the UCC.