Examining the Heart – Psalm 26

Queen Victoria was in the Highlands, visiting her subjects. She stopped at the cottage of an old woman, sitting for a few moments in an old armchair. When the group left, someone told the woman who her visitor was. She was overtaken by the thought of her esteemed visitor, the honor which was given her and she took up the old armchair and carried it to a spare room, saying, “No one shall ever sit in that chair again, because my queen sat in it.”

How much more sacred should we keep the place in our hearts where our Savior and Master dwells? Let us examine our hearts in light of David’s words from Psalm 26.

CALL FOR JUDGMENT – 26:1-3:

There are four commands/calls on God in these first two verses:

Command #1 – “Vindicate” – “judge” Why?

For I have walked in my integrity. tom means “perfection, purity, innocence.”

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

David’s life was a balance between faith (“trusted”) and works (“walked”) with the right motivation thrown in (“integrity”).

Command #2 – “Prove” – “to test metals by melting; metaph. to examine, put to the test”

Command #3 – “Try” – “to put someone to the test, to give experience, train”

Command #4 – “Test” – “to smelt, to refine (by smelting); to sift”

heart – “kidneys; innermost, most secret part of man”

mind – “heart, one’s inner self; inclination, disposition”

Why? For your steadfast love (he-sed – “loyalty, joint obligation, faithfulness, goodness, graciousness”) is before my eyes,

and I walk in your faithfulness (emet – “firmness, trustworthiness, constancy, duration”)

MY ASSOCIATIONS – 26:4-5:

What I do not do…

Sit with men of falsehood.

Consort with hypocrites

Hate the assembly of evildoers

Sit with the wicked Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:33

MY INTEGRITY – 26:6-7:

I wash my hands in innocence (niqqaywon – “cleanness, whiteness, guiltlessness, purity”)

I go around your altar, O Lord

Proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,

and Telling all your wondrous deeds (pl’ – “to do something wonderful, to be too difficult, to be unusual, miraculous acts”).

CONTRAST BETWEEN HIS LOVE AND WHAT OTHERS LOVE – 26:8-10:

I love the habitation of your house

the place where your glory (kabod – “heaviness, burden, riches, reputation, glory, honor”) dwells.

What is the house of God today? 1 Timothy 3:15. What does it mean to love the house of God? How is that viewed practically speaking? 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.

Command #5 – Do not sweep my soul away with sinners nor my life  with bloodthirsty (dam) men.

in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands. cf. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

LET’S CONCLUDE WITH WORSHIP – 26:11-12:

“But as for me” – let us separate ourselves from the world…

“I shall walk in my integrity”

Command #6 – “redeem me”

Command #7 – “be gracious” to me

My foot stands on level ground Cf. 1 Cor. 10:12.

In the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

When we are redeemed by the grace of God and are made innocent by the blood of Christ, the natural reaction will be blessing/worshiping God.

–Paul Holland