Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous in your sight. (Psalms 143:2)
Psalm 143 expresses a universal truth in verse 2. Here’s what it says, “Enter not into judgement with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.” This is profound because the verse prior David opens the psalm by crying out to God for mercy and in the following verses he asks God to deliver him from his enemies. What David understands that we so often forget is that when we appeal to God for deliverance from evil, one of the things we must acknowledge is the fact that we are ourselves unrighteous. We are unworthy. We too are in need of God’s mercy.
The question is what confidence do we have that when we appeal to God he’ll listen to us if we are unrighteous? The great news is that God is merciful and gracious. David doesn’t ask God to deliver him based on David’s righteous acts or deeds. He says, “In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies.” He appeals to God’s love for his people. He appeals to God’s righteousness. So when you pray to God for deliverance from your enemies remember that God will not act because you’re better. God acts because for those who belong to him, for those who are in Christ, God acts based on his own character and love.