THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - August 21, 2014 – Day 26 - Psalm 26

My question today is where do you stand? David ends Psalm 26 by stating he stands on level ground. Integrity is his opening and closing standard.

Psalm 26:1
“Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.”

These are bold words David speaks to God and after speaking them he takes it a step further.

Psalm 26:2-3
“Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.
For Your loving kindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.”

Have you ever asked God to put you to the test? I don’t know about you but I would fail miserably. I do not walk always in His truth. Of course the good news of the Gospel is that only one man actually can make this claim and that is Jesus, who is the way, is the truth, and is the life. (John 14:6) We must, as David says, trust in the Lord without wavering. Yet our Christian life is not just about being justified in God’s eyes so we can go to heaven; it is also about living out our lives as a living testament of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to shine His light we need to walk in integrity. David offers some advice on how that can be done.

First of all we need to separate ourselves from wicked people.

Psalm 26:4-5
“I do not sit with deceitful men, Nor will I go with pretenders.
I hate the assembly of evildoers, And I will not sit with the wicked.”

One of the biggest mistakes that new Christians often make is to think that after being born again they can still hang out with their old buddies. This is tough stuff and some of your old friends will cast the aspersion at you that you think yourself better than them. The problem is not that you are too good to hang with them; the problem is you aren’t good enough. Paul nails it down in 1 Corinthians 15:33 saying, “Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." Your growth as a Christian will be hindered if you stay in the same pit you are trying to get out of. But be careful of your attitude here. If you humbly explain that you want to follow Christ instead of the old worldly path, then you can ask your old friends if they would like to join you on a new journey. Most won’t, but it won’t hurt to ask. David speaks about sanctification and subsequent praise for change when we separate from the world.

Psalm 26:6-7
“I shall wash my hands in innocence, And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving And declare all Your wonders.”

What we need to do is turn from relationships with the world and find a church where we can make new friends; friends who will encourage and come alongside us as we grow in Christ.

Psalm 26:8-10
“O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house And the place where Your glory dwells.
Do not take my soul away along with sinners, Nor my life with men of bloodshed,
In whose hands is a wicked scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes.”

David continues to appeal to God for redemption and grace.

Psalm 26:11
“But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; Redeem me, and be gracious to me.”

David makes a conscious decision to walk in integrity. By doing that and then knowing it is only by God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit who teaches us all that we need to know and empowers us to do it,  we can stand on level ground in His great assembly. This is how we bless God just as David did.

Psalm 26:12
“My foot stands on a level place; In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.”