I will bless the LORD!

Strategy of our Study

To understand how crucial worship is.

Worship is restrictive, and set within clear parameters. It’s not giddy or a rushed response to God.

Careful examination is essential in order to worship God with a right heart attitude and consistently with scriptures.

Statement

Understanding worship is of upmost importance in the life of the Christian. Our understand of worship is inescapably tied to our understanding of God. God’s sovereign authority reveals to us the kind of worship God deserves, desires, and demands.

Without such a vision of God’s holiness, true worship is not possible. Worship is not giddy. It does not rush into God’s presence unprepared and insensitive to His majesty. It is not shallow, superficial, or flippant. Worship is life lived in the presence of an infinitely righteous and omnipresent God by one utterly aware of His holiness and consequently overwhelmed with his own unholiness… If you have never worshiped God with a broken and contrite spirit, you’ve never fully worshiped God, because that is the only appropriate response to entering the presence of Holy God. —John MacArthur.

Setting

Genre: Individual Lament, Temple Hymn.

This Psalms is the first in a trilogy, Psalms 26, Psalms 27, Psalms 28, and a common thread woven within the trio is the Sanctuary of God, Psalms 26:8; Psalms 27:4; Psalms 28:2. Worship is the central interest of these Psalms. The form of Psalms 26 is mixed, containing declarations of innocence, prayer and confidence. The underlying theme is the Psalmist desires to worship God in spirit and truth, cf. John 4:24

John 4:24 ESV

24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

David is in this psalm putting himself upon a solemn trial, not by God and his country, but by God and his own conscience, to both which he appeals touching his integrity

Those who live for Jesus in this world will come under attack either by a Christless society, an accusing devil, or a condemning conscious. False charges had been brought against David calling into question his ability to be king, and even his spiritual fitness to enter God’s presence, cf. Psalms 5; Psalms 24. These enemies of David would stop at nothing until David is defeated, discouraged, and brought down.

Structure of Worship

John 4:24 is the frame work of worship.

God is a spirit, the nature of God as Spirit. God is invisible, Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27. The statement is emphatic, man could never comprehend the invisible God unless he revealed himself; scriptures and in the incarnation, John 1:14; 14:9.

Worship is absolutely necessary.

True worship, biblical worship, is that which is done with a proper heart attitude “spirit,” and that which is consistent with the scriptures, “truth.”

“Without the heart it’s not worship, it’s a stage play.” —Stephen Charnock.

Worship being that simple, yet still it is so complex due to the variables that funnel into the worshipers life; Condemning enemy, Critical conscious, and a Christless culture, worship becomes a challenge.

Modern worship has reduced God to a level of being for the benefit and advantage of the individual worshiper. The individual worshipers satisfaction is more essential in worship than God being glorified. Today’s worship sends the message that man was not made for God, but rather, God was made for man.

In the face of such challenges, David goes to the house of God to refocus on God’s glory, to admire God’s majesty, and make a plea for help.

It is clear that true worship, biblical worship is done with integrity, Psalms 26:1, 11. God searches our hearts. He is looking for honesty in public and in private. Character is what you do in the dark, when no one is looking—or better, when only God is looking. Worship should be done with a clear conscious before God, nothing to hide hear, search me, O God!

Supposition

David asks God to vindicate and rescue him if, after examination, the king is found to be blameless of the accusations made by his foes. David makes a plea to God in three essential areas in order to worship in spirit and truth.

Vindication, Psalms 26:1.

Psalm 7:8 ESV

8 The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

David has nothing to hide from God. This is not conceited pride, but humble honesty. David has nothing to hide from God.

“Vindicate,” means “to judge” David is seeking the approval of God! David wants God to peal back the layers, dig around in David’s life, turn the flood lights on God!

What would God find if He investigated our lives?

A life in consistent harmony with convictions and conduct.

A life of unwavering commitment to God, Psalms 26:1 …without wavering.

“No greater injury can be inflicted upon men than to wound their reputation.” —John Calvin

“A reputation takes a lifetime to build but only a moment to lose.” —Andrew Hèrbert.

Character really maters.

There is no substitute for integrity. You will never make for God until you are real with God!

What kind of person can God trust? A person of integrity, purity, and honor.

Does my life reflect the life of Jesus? Ethos, the believability of the individual, am I living my convictions. Am I wearing my faith on my life.

I will never be effective for Jesus with the absence of personal character.

I must maintain character in order to represent Jesus well. This is the starting place for my Christian walk.

CONSISTENCY IS THE CATALYST TO SEEING A DIFFERENCE MADE FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS!

People should notice your godliness over your giftedness. More than people knowing you are human, they must know you are different; you are godly.

Integrity is about God. David pleads for God’s vindication, for God to bless because of a faith and consistent life lived for God’s honor and glory, cf. Romans 2:6-11

Romans 2:6–11 ESV

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

God sees and God will bless.

A true worshiper of God has no problem with God digging around in their life. The scrutiny of God is not an ordeal to endure, but an opportunity for exposure and education.

Examination, Psalms 26:2-10.

Talk is cheap! David says, “don’t take my word for it, look for yourself, make the incision, open up every compartment of my life.” David gives God access to every part of his life.

The examination of God is not precautionary, but it is painful; “test,” refers to the process of melting down metals so the impurities float to the top. God must put me into the fire in order for junk to surface.

Denial is a dangerous element that creeps into the life of the Christian.

Denial is based on lies and not truth.

Denial is “self-protecting” behavior.

Denial is not coming to grips with reality. TO NEGLECT REALITY IS TO NEGATE GROWTH

Only God can make an honest assessment of my life, Psalms 26:3. The Lord’s final assessment of my life is the only one that counts. David is confident about two things when it comes to God scrutiny; 1.) God will be loving in what He finds, “steadfast love is before my eyes.” 2.) God will be honest in what He finds, “I have walked in thy truth.” God is faithful!!!

David has opened up his internal life, and now he pleads with God to open up his external life.

Examine his Social life, Psalms 26:4-5. David refuse to hand out with the wrong people. The company you keep says volumes about your heart.

We naturally gravitate to people who are like us.

Our measure of godliness starts with the people with whom we identify.

Tell me who you like, and I will tell you what you are like. Tell me who you want to be with, and I will tell you who you will be.

Examine his Spiritual life, Psalms 26:6-8. David loves God and loves the people who love God. These people make up David’s associations. He hates evildoers, he will not be linked to falsehood, he refuses to listen to hypocrites, but he will make God’s people his people. When Christians love each other, church becomes a priority! We want to be where God is and where His people are!

We are defined by what we love.

If we love God, we will love being with his people. We will love church!

We will identify with fellow believers, want to be like them, and choose to be with them.

Examine his Personal life, Psalms 26:9-10. David invites God to put the guard rails up so as he would not find himself in the ditch. David is concerned with social degeneracy.

“LORD, IF YOU SEE ME LEANING TOWARD THE WRONG; DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.”

It is God getting in the way of life

Obstructions: A thing that impedes or prevents passage or progress; an obstacle or blockage.Make me stop and think.

David desires for God to keep him right!

Self-Evaluation

What have I actually done for Jesus in my life?

Do I have “TURN-OVER” . in my life?

What am I getting rid of and replacing?

Is there stuff hanging on the shelves of my life, just taking up space, bringing no benefit at all to my life?

What is it that is keeping me from making progress and moving forward, because I refuse to TURN IT OVER?

Where am I coming up short in my life?

There is no account for it anywhere?

Is something or someone robbing me of precious inventory?

What is missing in my life?

Conviction, Psalms 26:11-12.

With God’s help, David was confident of two things:

By the grace of God I will walk in my integrity, Psalms 26:11.

By the grace of God I will not waver in my commitment to God, Psalms 26:12, “My foot stands on level ground,” Psalms 26:1 “without wavering.”

By the grace of God I will continue to praise and bless the name of the LORD, Psalms 26:12.

Resolve, “But as for me…” this is what I determine to do. It is a sharp contrast with Psalms 26:4-5. David has made up his mind to live for God! David will maintain a life that is consistent with proper worship, Psalms 26:12 in the great assembly I will bless the LORD!

David makes an honest statement, concerning his inability to live such a high standard; he cannot live this right. The Psalm cannot be moralized. David may be blameless in some areas, but he is anything but blameless in every area of life.

Psalms 26 cannot be about David, and it cannot be us either. The Psalms holds a standard that no of us can live up to. The blameless integrity of Psalm 26 points to the blameless life of Jesus Christ, the true Man of Integrity.

Psalms 18:23-24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

“Blameless,” is the root word for “integrity,” Psalms 26:1, 11.

The Psalms is not about us trying harder or working harder. It is about realizing that I will never be enough no matter how hard I try! Worship is something that is dependent totally on God. I worship God properly because of my life being in right proximity to Jesus Christ, John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is the Way of worship!

Jesus is the Life of worship!

Jesus is the Truth of worship!

If this Jesus is your Savior, then your feet stand on level ground with him. Your life is joined together with his. His blameless integrity is counted as yours. The Spirit of the true Man of Integrity is within you, helping you to obey. His life is within you. You have nothing to fear.