Psalm 7:8 — The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.
Who in his right mind would ask God to be judged based on his own righteousness? This isn’t courageous, as though David on his own would have a shot at vindication were his life brought before God for scrutiny. It’s not even a “high risk strategy” - it’s a “no-chance” approach!
So I think that here, David is considering his circumstances - in which other men are accusing him of wickedness but he knows in his heart that in these matters he has acted righteously and in complete integrity (see verses 1-7). Certainly, David knew that no-one still bearing his own sin could stand before the Lord in judgment. This is not a Psalm attributed to David but he knew the truth of it, nevertheless:
Psalm 130:3–4 — If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
But as a believer in Christ, there is a sense in which David (and we) could take the words from Psalm 7:8 on our lips in prayer before God regarding our whole lives and not just specific situations, since Jesus has taken away our sins and the righteousness we now have is not our own “filthy rags righteousness,” but the spotless righteousness of Christ! This is the righteousness according to which we shall be vindicated on the Last Day!
1 Corinthians 1:28–31 — God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Having this righteousness credited to us changes everything for us regarding the outcome on the Day of Judgment:
Romans 8:31–34 — What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
When Paul asks “Who is to condemn?” the answer is “no-one” first, because God has justified us (we wear Christ’s righteousness) but second, because condemnation belongs to Jesus as the appointed Judge, and (as Paul immediately goes on to mention), He is the One who died, was raised and is now at the right hand of God, praying for us! It has to go well with us in Judgment when the Judge is pleading for our acquittal, having Himself satisfied God’s justice and acquired the righteousness in which we are robed before Him!
This truth should (a) comfort us, (b) give us joy in our salvation and (c) be a valuable weapon in our spiritual armory when the Enemy tempts us to self-condemnation!
