“The LORD holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of the faithful ones” (Prov 2:7,8).
Having a walk which is upright or blameless is a subject of repeated emphasis in the scriptures and yet a subject not often given stress it deserves in most pulpits. It is by no means the same as sinless, something only the second Person of the Godhead manifested as Jesus of Nazareth during life on earth. To be blameless is to not willfully or deliberately think, speak, or act in a manner known contrary to the revealed will of God. This is captured by the psalmist in prayer, “Who can understand his errors? Cleans me from secret faults. Keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression” (Psalm 19:12,13).
David recognizes there are “secret” or unrecognized sins of which he is unaware because they are beyond his understanding, yet still in need of forgiveness as well as cleansing. And he prays to be kept free of “presumptuous sins” which are sins of which he is aware and yet still commits, presuming there will not be any kind of consequences. He asks that those things known to be against God’s will should not have “dominion” or rule over him such that he would knowingly disobey God and thereby be guilty of intentional or great transgression leading to spiritual death. In the NT, we find Paul encouraging people to live in a “blameless” way by the grace of God extended to them (1 Corinthians 1:4-8). The apostle also writes that he, Silas and Timothy lived “blamelessly” during time spent together with the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
To be “blameless” is never automatic, but nevertheless is possible with the help of God through the power of Holy Spirit. It is those having a heart commitment to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) who find God adding other things such as inward godly motives and desires and thoughts as well as being a shield guarding the course of their lives and protecting ways of the “faithful ones.” Victory is held “in store” for the upright, not only in present life but in the presence of a holy God for future eternity. For such is the promise of our Creator for all who are faithful to honor His ways and precepts.
