Judgment Call
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed. Psalm 25:3
Ashamed – Shame is a double dose of displeasure. It attacks inside and outside. From the Hebrew perspective, shame is both internal and external. It is about my inner distress and my outer humiliation. It can be associated with private guilt and public disgrace, with inner anxiety and outward unwise choices. No matter how it arrives, it is absolutely no fun.
Notice that David sets the context of shame (the Hebrew verb bosh) in the public arena. He asks God not to let his enemies triumph over him (verse 2) in a public display of vindication. He goes on to say that no one who waits on the Lord will experience the discrediting and dishonor that enemies attempt to accomplish. David repeats the thought in verse 25: “Let me not be ashamed, for I sought refuge in You.” A thousand years later, Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “I am not ashamed of the good news of the Messiah.” Jesus used the same idea when he gave a stern warning: “whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed.” All of these point toward public display. We should not be surprised. The Hebrew world comprises the inner person (a unified homogenization of emotions, will and thoughts) and the outer reputation (a person’s name). Shame attached to one affects the other. To be put to shame is to be disgraced before men and God. It is to have your name ruined.
David says that those who wait on the Lord will not be ashamed. Their names will not be dragged in the mud, humiliated and disgraced. But, they are, aren’t they? Christians throughout history, and Jewish followers before them, have endured countless attacks on honor and reputation. They have been slandered, castigated and blamed for all kinds of things. Even God’s own Son endured the outrageousness of the enemy’s slurs. So, what can David possibly mean? How is it that God will not let His faithful be put to shame?
There is only one answer. It’s the eschatological one. Shame is ultimately a verdict placed on a person by God. No amount of human contempt can destroy my reputation before the One Who ultimately decides the matter, but even the slightest turn of God’s face will leave me truly humiliated no matter how much men laud my reputation. If Jesus counts me honorable, no man can assail me. If Jesus does not acknowledge my worth, no man can boost me up. So, David, who is a realist, proclaims that God, Who is our only hope (remember batah – trust), is the only judge of shame, and no shame will ever accrue to those who wait on Him.
Fellow children, let God determine the honor due you. Let His judgment be the one that establishes your value. Wait for Him, and no man’s verdict will finally matter.
