In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
—Psalm 71:1–2
The 71st psalm is a shame chiasm. There is shame at the beginning (v. 1), middle (v. 13), and end (v. 20). Shame, shame, shame.
“Let me never be put to shame” (v. 1). This plea is grounded and thus qualified. “In you, O LORD do I take refuge [therefore] let me never be put to shame.” We should never seek immunity from all shame. David is not attempting to use God as a shame forcefield. He is pleading, “As one who has taken refuge in you, let me not be put to shame.”
Shame is a good thing, or rather, in a sinful world, it is a good thing that shame is. We live in a culture that is averse to shame. They want to shame shame. We placard “PRIDE” on things that are shameful. The only thing our culture is comfortable with shaming is that which truly shames the shameful. We could do with a great deal more shame. The shameful should be shameful. Darkness tries to shame the light. It is shame that makes it do so. Darkness shames light from the darkness.
David is not wanting to escape shame in that way. He is wanting to not be shamed as one who has taken refuge in Yahweh. Really, he is asking that God not be shamed. If David is not delivered, then God, in whom he has taken refuge, is shamed.
Thus David may ask God, “In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me (v. 2). God has made promises to David. If David is forsaken and shamed, God is not faithful, meaning, He is not righteous. God’s righteousness here is His covenant faithfulness. This righteous faithfulness will not let David be shamed.
This deliverance from shame will happen when David’s enemies are shamed (v. 13) For this deliverance, David will talk of God’s righteous help all the day long, for his enemies have been put to shame (v. 20). It is a good thing that shame is. Shaming is for salvation.
The shaming of David’s enemies ultimately happens as the Christ who bore shame in the stead of others rises in glory. He was forsaken, but He was forsaken for the sins of others. And so He rises in triumph over His foes. Because He bore shame, we need not bear any, as those who have taken refuge in Him. We should not seek immunity from shame, we should seek deliverance from shame in the shame bearer who is shamed no more.