A reminder about the God upon Whom we wait

May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

for I wait for you.

Psalm 25:21

The final request of Psalm 25 is for God to keep David, to preserve the king of Israel as God also redeems the nation from trouble (Psalm 25:22). And in the middle of this prayer request David commits to waiting on the Lord. Even when we ask what we know it be God’s will, we must still often wait. We may want to ask “why” this is so. But to ask so may betray improper motivations on our part. If we HAVE to know why, we really aren’t waiting well are we! It is the wording of verse 21 that makes me draw the conclusion that needing to know why we wait is not truly waiting. Let me explain what leads me there.

David asks for integrity and uprightness to watch over him. The question becomes: Whose integrity and uprightness is doing the watching? Is it David’s own character so that he earns the favor of God, or is it purely the integrity and uprightness of God Who will provide the preservation? I believe it is God’s character that David longs to preserve him while he waits. Here is why I believe that FROM THE TEXT…

1. David knew that sinners brought shame by their actions, and no person that waits on God is put to shame (Psalm 25:3). Therefore it is God’s character that matters in the waiting. His sinful condition would only shame him.

2. All along in this psalm there are strong appeals for God to do what only He can do. David wants to know God’s ways and paths (Psalm 25:4), God’s truth (Psalm 25:5), God’s mercy (Psalm 25:6), God’s steadfast love and goodness (Psalm 25:7), God’s faithfulness (Psalm 25:10), God’s friendship (Psalm 25:14), God’s grace (Psalm 25:16), and God’s deliverance and rescue (Psalm 25:20). Thus in keeping with the direction of the song, David is looking to God’s integrity (moral strength) and uprightness (moral perfection) to keep him as he waits.

3. David confesses sin all throughout this song. It CANNOT be his own moral character he hopes to preserve him. He doesn’t have any! He is not extolling his own obedience. He is begging for God to forgive, keep and save (see Psalm 25:7, 11, 18). Sinners plead for God’s integrity and righteousness. We have none of our own!

O God,

In my waiting, I throw my soul’s need upon Your holiness, Your perfection, Your goodness. I know with confidence You will not let me down. Forgive me for my own self-pity, for narrowly thinking You owe me something because I have endured “so much”. No, the truth is, even in my troubles, I am often sinning. I need Your righteousness to preserve me! I am at his moment kept in the perfect, loving, omniscient, all-powerful care of my soul’s only Preserver! And in confidence in You, I will wait. May Your integrity and uprightness preserve me!

Amen