When will we be vindicated?
Text: Matthew
Hosts:
Brian French
Vicki Hitzges
Nathan Norman
Narrator: Kristin Norman
The CrossTalk Podcast is a production of CrossTalk Global, equipping biblical communicators, so every culture hears God’s voice. To find out more, or to support the work of this ministry please visit www.crosstalkglobal.org
Produced by Nathan James Norman/Untold Podcast Production
© 2025 CrossTalk Global
Kristin: Most of us like being right. We want to be known as competent in our jobs, knowledgeable in our hobbies, trustworthy sources of information when we talk. And for those of us who are Christians, we want people to at least respect our beliefs, even if they don't believe them. But throughout the history of the church, Christians have been portrayed in negative light. Sometimes the criticism is justified, but most often it's not. A quick view of church history shows Christians being slandered. We've been called cannibals, atheists, rebels, intolerant, anti science, hypocrites, bigots, and many other names and accusations. These accusations hurt, and naturally we want to be vindicated, to be proven right. When will that happen, though? When should believers expect to be vindicated from ungodly accusations? Today, while Dr. Kent is away teaching with CrossTalk, join Vicki Hitchkiss, Brian French, and Nathan Norman as they discover when believers will experience vindication in Psalm 17. Welcome to Crosstalk, a Christian podcast whose goal is for us to encourage each other to not only increase our knowledge of the Bible, but to take the next step beyond information into transformation. Our goal is to bring the Bible to life, into all our lives. I'm Kristin Norman. Today, Brian French, Vicki Hitskiss, and Nathan Norman take a look at the Psalms. If you have a Bible handy, turn to Psalm 17 as we join their discussion.
Nathan: All right, Vicki and Brian, we have a big topic today. How are believers falsely accused in our modern context? Where do you see that?
Vicki: I hear a lot of broad statements from people that don't believe, say, well, Christians, and then fill in the blank. And I think, I'm a Christian. I don't hold that. I don't believe that.
Brian: I can agree with that because I think that we see a lot of. If I share that I'm a pastor to someone, either people will automatically respond and overshare or the shields will go up and they don't know what to say to me anymore. No, I can't say that in front of you, Pastor. But I think one of the things that really is odd is when people leave a church because you have to say no to them. You have to say no because you can't provide a ministry that they're looking for. Or there's a request that you can't fulfill. And sometimes that comes from someone just knocking on the door and asking for financial assistance or help, and you point them in a different direction and say no, and they'll all of a sudden flip into an. An outrage and say, you're nothing like Jesus. I Thought you loved Jesus. I thought you were a pastor. How come you don't care? And they will storm out or when people, you know, leave because we can't provide a ministry. And we hear afterwards through other Christians sharing, through other Christians sharing to other Christians and finally back to us, that somehow I'm now a bad pastor and I'm nothing like Jesus because I didn't listen to them or I didn't care. And I just said, it's not something we can provide at this time. It seems unfair.
Nathan: Yeah. Yeah, it is hard. Vicki, some of those fill in the blank accusations. Can you think of any off the top of your head?
Vicki: I can't off the top of my head. There's a bunch of them out there. Help me out, you guys.
Nathan: Well, one that comes to mind is hypocrites. All right? Christians are a bunch of hypocrites.
Brian: We're bigots.
Nathan: Bigots.
Brian: We're automatically right wings. And we're not really open. We say we're friendly, but we're really not. We're just interested in people's, you know, personal lives and behaviors, and we're judging them from the outside. Do you remember the cartoon show the Simpsons? Oh, yeah, the neighbors of the Simpsons, the Flanders.
Nathan: Yeah.
Brian: They were Christians, according to the show. And there was a joke on one episode where the wife said, oh, I'm sorry I wasn't around to help you. I was off at a Christian conference learning how to be more judgmental.
Vicki: To be more judgmental.
Brian: Right.
Vicki: Oh, shit.
Brian: Those kinds of things.
Nathan: Yeah. Those digs are pretty hard. And they can be difficult. They can be difficult if they're, as Vicki, you pointed out, en masse. And they just say Christians are so X, Y, and Z. I don't know. There's billions of Christians in the world, so putting blanket statements about an entire group of people really isn't helpful. And it's even more hurtful when it's personal. When you are mischaracterized, like you were saying, Brian, when they make a statement in front of you about all Christians and you happen to be a Christian, when as a Christian, you're trying your best and they use your faith as an attack method, it is hard to be falsely accused. So today we find David calling out to God for vindication from ungodly accusations, accusations that are simply not true. Let's read verses one through five.
Vicki: He says, lord, hear a just cause. Pay attention to my cry. Listen to my prayer from lips free of deceit. Let my vindication come from you. For you see what is right. You have tested my heart. You have examined me at night. Isn't that interesting? You have examined me at night. You have tried me and found nothing evil. I have determined my mouth will not sin concerning what people do. By the words from your lips, I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps are on your paths. My feet have not slipped.
Nathan: Hmm. So what emotions is David invoking in this part of the psalm?
Brian: I got this one. I'm pretty confident he's frustrated, Absolutely frustrated. Hear a just cause. He's God. Let's have some words. I'm upset. How is it that this is happening to me? You and I have a great relationship, and this is my situation. Why?
Nathan: Yeah. Yeah. What else, Vicki? What do you hear, David?
Vicki: Well, I always felt like this. I'm not sure I should, but I feel like sometimes, Lord, I've done this and therefore you should do this.
Nathan: Yeah. Mm. Yeah. This isn't fair. This isn't fair. Here's a just cause which you're a part of here. Absolutely. Yeah. So David calls for justice, and he uses a legal term, vindication. He is being accused of immorality or weakness or being wrong. And he wants God to prove his accusers and maybe the world that he's right. He's just like us. I want to be right and I want everyone to know it. But just like us, it's obviously not over trivial matters because he's begging and he's desperate. And while not perfect, David says he's generally blameless and particularly during this time of accusation, he says he's followed God's word and he's in the right. Brian and Vicki, this isn't necessarily from the psalm, but why do you think this desire for vindication is so strong within us?
Brian: There's nothing like a false accusation that can ruin you, that can linger over you. I don't know that I've experienced this personally for long periods of time, but when there's gossip and slander happening in the church about someone that's untrue, it. It ruins relationships. It ruins friendships to the deep part. I thought you knew me. How dare you? People need to know who I am.
Nathan: Yeah. What about you, Vicki? Why do you think. Why do you think we want to be vindicated?
Vicki: It's terrible to be falsely accused. I can think of a time I was. And I don't even want to tell you what it was because I don't want it out there. And when I heard. And when I heard it, I thought I would never say that and I wouldn't but it was out there. And, oh, it bothers me to this day.
Nathan: It is a terrible thing. I mean, I don't like being accused of things that I am guilty of, first of all.
Vicki: There's plenty enough of that out there.
Nathan: Absolutely. And most of the things you could probably say about me are true. But then when you get falsely accused, like, wait a minute, I didn't do that thing. That's not an area of struggle for me. And it's hard, especially as David is saying here. He's trying to live his life according to God's word and according to God's teaching. And then when you live that way and you're accused of not living that way or that living that way is somehow morally deficient or wrong, it hurts. It's hard. It is extraordinarily hard. I want to be vindicated. I want satisfaction, and I want it today. Vicki, keep reading here for us. In verse six, okay, he says, I.
Vicki: Call on you, God, because you will answer me. Listen closely to me. Hear what I say. Display the wonders of your faithful love, Savior of all who seek refuge from those who rebel against your right hand. Protect me as the pupil of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who treat me violently, my deadly enemies who surround me.
Nathan: Okay, emotions are shifted a little bit. How would you describe his emotions here, guys?
Vicki: They're ramping up, I'd say.
Nathan: Yeah.
Brian: If out of context, if all. We're asking this to happen in a all things are equal type of environment. This sounds like a great worship song. Right? But this. This is a real plea for help. I think there's. He's feeling some. Some desperation, some hurt, and he wants relief from that God. I need you to step in here, and I'm pleading. I'm begging you to do this.
Nathan: Yeah, I love the imagery here, too, because he says, protect me as a pupil of your eye. Right. Like, so you protect your eyes no matter what. You can't help it. It's autonomous. So just protect me like you'd protect your own eyes and hide me in the shadow of your wings. And I think the image is almost like God protecting baby chicks, right? So whether he's a he or a hawk. Right? Just hide me. So the image is, hide me, hide me like a chick. So there's trust, but there's also fear and doubt and feeling unimportant or maybe forgotten by God. In fact, it sounds like David wants God to answer him with the same wonders or miracles God used during the Exodus where he Says in verse seven, display the wonders of your faithful love. So David's listeners would have been looking back at this and saying like, oh, what wonders. Oh, parting the Red Sea. Yes, I am so offended. I want you to vindicate me by parting the Red Sea to show that I'm right and they're wrong. Okay, maybe not parting the Red Sea. I'll settle for the Jordan when they were crossing into the promised land, Separate the Jordan and show that I am right. And he wants God's protection like I just talked about. He sees himself like that helpless little chick. And if you've ever seen them before, they're adorable and they're cute and I'll take my kids to the store when they're in season and you know, cheep, cheep, cheep, they're so cute. And I, of course his dad will say, oh, look at all the little chicken nuggets, look at all the chicken nuggets. And they horribly offended dad. Oh, that's awful. And they get a little offended. And one of my kids gets pretty upset at that joke because they realize how absolutely vulnerable these little creatures are. And David's saying, yeah, I'm a little chick.
Brian: When I was younger and couldn't be employed in a, you know, have a part time job or anything, the way I made money was to get chicks and to raise them and sell the eggs. And then they would, because it was Canada and it was still cold when I got them, they would all run together and huddle up together and we would hang an incandescent bulb, 60 watts, super low to the box so that they could feel the heat from that light and all huddle in, absolutely vulnerable, depending on literal care and staying together for warmth and getting close to that light to survive.
Nathan: Yeah, yeah. So you've, you've probably experienced this more than I. Have you ever seen a protective hen, Brian coming at you? Yes.
Brian: It's horrible when you go to collect the eggs.
Nathan: Oh my word. Those things, they're like little murder creatures, just awful. I've been injured by them. My neighbors had chickens and so whenever they out on vacation, hey, can you go take care of. No problem. It's a chicken. Oh my word. You're there with a broom handle, you know, fighting for your life.
Brian: We like to joke that Canada geese are the real Canadian army because when they have their chicks and they're on the side of the road and someone wants to go see them and those geese, the wings spread and they come like, you have one alternative and it's.
Vicki: Toronto, they'll Take on a motorboat.
Brian: They will. They will come at vehicles, they will come at motorcycles. Motorcycles. They will come in boats, everything.
Nathan: Great image. So David is saying, God, I want you to be like a Canadian goose and go after them. Just murder them. Absolutely. So Brian and Vicki, go back to when you were children. What did you do when you woke up from a nightmare in the middle of the night? What was your reaction?
Vicki: I did two things. One, I thought about it and realized that wasn't real, but I was afraid. So I usually called my mother.
Brian: Yep, same thing. I would call for mom. Mom. I had this dream and she would ask me to tell her about it. And I would tell stories like kids do that have no point and ramble on everywhere. And she'd go get the magic glass of water, give me a hug, kiss on the forehead. That was it. All better.
Nathan: Excellent. Yes. I apparently had night terrors and would sleepwalk. So I was a little more. But when I came to, I was always calling for mom or dad. Right, same thing. And that's what David's doing here. He's calling for his dad. Help me. Help me. You can help me. And it is interesting because the imagery I think he's using, especially when he says, surround me in the shadow of your wings and the protection of your wings, that is the job of a brood. Hence, that's the job of the mother. Protect me like a mother hen protects her chicks. Come on. And then Jesus later on uses this imagery in the Gospels when he looks over Jerusalem and says, jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I'd gather you as a hen gathers her chicks beneath her wings, but you would not have me. Right. It's that same image, that same protective ferocity that David's calling for here. So David had good reason to seek God's ferocious Canadian goose level protection. Those who have slandered him are trying to destroy him. Brian, go ahead and read verse 10.
Brian: They are uncaring. Their mouths speak arrogantly. They advanced against me and now they surround me. They are determined to throw me to the ground. They are like a lion eager to tear. Like a young lion lurking in ambush.
Nathan: Wow. So again, David's just like this little chick. And these lines are going to eat him alive. That's how powerful these accusations are. So much so they've crippled David with fear. He's terrified. So let's bring this a little bit more into our modern era. What kinds of things are Christians afraid to do today? What kind of things terrify us?
Brian: We were meeting with some crosstalk instructors yesterday as part of our Monthly meetings. And we were talking about a passage of scripture. Where does this kind of show up in Scripture? And one of the pastors, one of our instructors, said, you know, where I see this coming out is sharing the gospel, is that people are really afraid that one. They won't know what to say when they have the opportunity to share the gospel with a loved one or that they'll be judged because they don't have a perfect life and that person knows them. And so they lack an incredible amount of confidence and have a high amount of insecurity in just wanting to share the gospel. That's where I see it. And to be truthfully told, I see that in my own life, that when people find out I'm a pastor, what is that going to do? What are they going to think? How are they going to react? What do I tell them? Because I don't want to create barriers, but then how do I share the gospel with them without them feeling judged?
Nathan: Yeah. You know, when I'm stuck on a plane with somebody and they say, so what do you do? I usually respond first I say, it's better for both of us if I don't tell you. And then now they're, like, really interested in what I'm doing. They're like, mafia, CIA. What is this? Right. And then I'm a pastor, and that usually is like, oh, okay, I could see why you'd respond that way. Usually leads to even more awkward conversations. It just ramps it up. Yeah. No, but that's true. Sharing the gospel is terrifying.
Vicki: My dad had a good line when people would ask him what he did, he'd say, I tell people who really want to know how to get to heaven.
Nathan: Oh.
Vicki: And then they'd say, what do you tell him? And he'd say, do you really want to know?
Brian: That's brilliant.
Vicki: Isn't that smart?
Nathan: Stealing that. Another one from Dr. Haddon Robinson.
Brian: And that's Crosstalk today. Thank you so much for joining.
Nathan: That'd be enough. Yeah.
Vicki: I think another thing that scares people is if they are talking to a Christian friend and the friend is living in sin or doing something and they know it and they don't care, it's a lifestyle for them to correct that friend.
Nathan: Yeah. Yeah. That's hard.
Vicki: It is hard.
Nathan: It is hard.
Vicki: It is hard.
Nathan: You don't want to ruin the relationship. You're not trying to crush them. You're trying to help them. Sin is slavery, and sin is damaging to our soul and damaging to our relationship with God. But. But we also know our own Self. And when we get confronted with our own sin, how we. How we will naturally respond?
Brian: Yeah. In. In that light, I think one of the things that Christians are afraid to do, and maybe stereotypically Christian men are afraid to do, is to say, I need help in this area. I need to grow in this area, because I don't want to be perceived as less than something. So how do I gain a skill that I don't have? How do I take a risk that I need to have training in and development in without losing my sense of identity and confidence? I see that a lot personally, that it's difficult for some people to just simply say, I need help. I need prayer. I need to take this step, and I'm not sure what to do. Can you help me?
Nathan: Yeah. Yeah. So David here, he's terrified in the same way that we are terrified for asking for help, sharing the gospel and lovingly confronting people with sin, because we know that can go sideways. I remember I had to professionally confront someone with sin, and they decided to reject that confrontation in the middle of a youth group meeting, very loudly and vulgarly. Just the absolute worst. I mean, she didn't throw a chair at me, but it was close, right? It was really close. And it's terrifying. It's awful. I didn't do anything wrong here. All I asked you is like, hey, I heard this. Let's pray about it for a week, and we'll meet in a week. Right? And it's hard. It's difficult. And so for David, in his terrifying moment, whatever the situation was, maybe he was standing for the Lord and they were calling him all sorts of terrible things because he was doing that. It's more unfair than even that, because not only does David need to be vindicated from these lions who are about to eat him, but the lions are rich. They have money. You can almost feel David's indignation dripping from the page here. Vicki, go ahead and read verse 13.
Vicki: Okay. He says, rise up, Lord. I love the way David talks to the Lord. He's like, you'll do this. Or he's ordering him around, kind of like, rise up, Lord. Confront him. Bring him down with your sword. Save me from the wicked with your hand, Lord. Save me from men, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their bellies with what you have in store. Their sons are satisfied, and they leave their surplus to their children.
Nathan: So it's not only that the lions are falsely accusing him, it's not only that they have more power than him, but they have money. Like, look at the accusation. He says to God, you fill their bellies with what you have in store, their sons are satisfied, and they leave their surplus to their children. Just like God, if you didn't want them to be rich, they wouldn't be rich. But you've allowed them to do this. Come on. And so, just as a reflection, Vicki and Brian, why do jerks have money?
Vicki: Haven't you wondered that before? Because we think God is going to bless us for being blessable. Yeah, but it doesn't always work that way.
Nathan: No, it does not. No. They always seem to have more power and more money than. Than I ever have or ever will.
Brian: Right. It seems grossly unfair that people who would, you know, spend all of their time attacking other people seem to have power and wealth to attack other people. Like, it's. It's not really a motivator, but it feels like might makes right, and in this way, wealth makes opportunity. That. That. No, you can't do this. And don't you know who I am? And off we go. It's. It's. Yeah. Not fun.
Nathan: No, no, it's. I don't know. And David's venting here, but then again, with a lot of these psalms, there's a sudden shift, and he comes to this conclusion in verse 15. Vicki, go ahead and finish it out for us.
Vicki: But I will see your face in righteousness. When I awake, I will be satisfied with your presence.
Nathan: So, yeah, like, really looking at this and digging down deep, I'm looking at it and I'm wondering, hey, is this when I awake? Is he talking about, when I wake up from my nap? I will be satisfied with your presence? And really, I don't think so. And I consulted some scholars, and I'm not terribly familiar with the Hebrew term here and their understanding of what David's talking about. He's saying, at the end of my life, when I'm in your presence, fully in your presence, I will see your face. And righteousness. He's talking about at the end of his life, when he's with God in glory for whatever David understood that to be. We understand that as New Testament believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and that if you're in Christ, you will be in God's presence. And I think that's what David is alluding to here. When I see your face in righteousness, because no one can look upon the face of God and live. When I awake, I will be satisfied with your presence. So David says he will find Complete satisfaction. Not in material things like the ungodly, like the lions. But as he maintains a right relationship with God, his satisfaction will come from him. But as I just said, there's really something odd here. Who can look on God's face and live well? No one who's alive. And what David's talking about when he awakes, it's a euphemism for his body coming back to life in the resurrection of the day the Lord, when Jesus returns again. We understand that better than David did. But the Holy Spirit's given him some sort of insight into this. He's fearful. He is scared. He's terrified. But the possibility of the next life, the reality of the next life, fills him with great comfort. He will be fully satisfied, fully vindicated, fully proven right in the resurrection when the Lord and as we know, when Jesus returns to the earth to make all things right, God will preserve him in this life and will reward him in the next life. And everyone will know that David was correct to follow the Lord. When should believers expect to be vindicated from ungodly accusations? Believers should expect to be vindicated from ungodly accusations when they meet Jesus face to face. We face incredible opposition in this life. But the hope of the resurrection, the new heaven and the new earth, the way life should be, the presence of God walking with Jesus by the shore, holding his hand, speaking with him, should fill us with so much hope and encouragement that we live victoriously and courageously today. Even if we're not fully vindicated in this life, we want to be proven right. I want to be right. I love being right. We want to be vindicated. We want our sense of justice and fairness satisfied in this life. Actually, not just in this life, but right now. We might not be proven right in this life. In this life, we are called to be faithful to God, faithful to Christ, and He will vindicate us at the right time. Little chicks. That's what we are. We are tiny little chicks. Be faithful to Jesus and He will satisfy you.
Kristin: If you are feeling attacked by ungodly neighbors or unchristian acquaintances, will you ever be vindicated? If so, when? The passage we just looked at tells us you will. You will be vindicated in heaven, and your vindication will last for eternity. The crosstalk podcast is a production of crosstalk Global, equipping biblical communicators so every culture hears God's voice. To find out more about this educational nonprofit organization, please visit www.this month, we've launched a new educational cohort group in Southern California. Help us empower the next generation of biblical communicators. All you have to do is click Donate in the show notes and make a donation of any size. You can also support this show by rating it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find it. Be sure to listen next Friday as we continue our discussion in the Word of God and discover how to go deeper in our relationship with God. You won't want to miss it.
Nathan: I do have to leave.
Vicki: Go ahead. I can do this.
Nathan: Sorry.
Vicki: I can do this.
Nathan: Anyways, I'll let you guys go. Brian, thanks for joining us for these four weeks.
Brian: Yeah, this was fun.
Nathan: Six weeks.
Brian: This was fun. And I'm glad to not be doing it anymore. That's a lot of work. It's putting it together. You guys. You guys do a lot of work. Now that I'm in behind the scenes and thinking on the spot and just chatting, it's a lot of work to get this out each and every week, but sure is. I'm glad to help. Anytime you need it, just let me know.
Nathan: Appreciate it. I'll let you guys close it off. God bless you. Love you. I'll see you later.