A Prayer for When You’ve Done Everything Right

Psalm 26

ICC’s Sunday AM service (6/26/21)

I. Introduction

1. Prayer

2. Catch- No one likes to be accused of doing something they did not do

i.

3. Review on the context

i. The Psalms helpfully provide different responses for different situations we have in life. (It is one reason we love that there are so many different Psalms)

ii. They provide a roadmap for how our pryaers should work

iii. Psalm 26 has a lot of similarities with Psalm 25

1. Both begin with declaration of trust in God (25:2; 26:1).

2. Both contain a prayer for redemption (25:22; 26:11).

3. Psalm 25 is a cry for mercy when David had sinned and was betrayed

4. Psalm 27 then builds on how David loves God’s house mentioned here and increases how it provides security

5. It is key in the Psalms then to understand them in their context

a. This keep us from saying David is self-righteous or prideful here, because sin was just expressed previously

b. And we’ll see the hope that should come from being in God’s presence.

II. 4 necessities to pray an innocent prayer

1. Have nothing to hide (1-3)

i. Explanation

1. David asks for testing because he has integrity (1)

a. David acts for Vindication or approval because Integrity matters

Prov 10:9 He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known

b. So David is saying, not that he has a perfect life, but a life marked by honesty

c. But David’s focus is the is not yet about anyone else, as he is only concerned about God’s judgment

i. That is the true test of character

1. Character is what you do in the dark, when no one is looking—or better, when only God is looking[i]

ii. It was the same as Paul’s view

1 Corinthians 4:3–6- But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. ….. It is the Lord who judges me.

iii. Notice, he doesn’t say I have walked without fault, I am just so awesome… his assurance and safety from criticism comes from his trust in God

1. Davd wants to be right with God as he wrote

In Psalm 15:1–2- O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right …

2. He claims to have been trying that

But it is not just himself he looks at, more importantly

1. Have nothing to hide (1-3) 2. David asks for testing because God keeps His promises (2-3)

a. David uses a thorough 3 fold testing

i. Prove, try, and test

ii. This is not just a simple passing test, but it is the process of refining precious metal

1. He asks God to work in his kidney (which we understand to be heart) & his mind/heart

2. He wants the very center of who he is tested for Yahweh.

3. He wants God to remove anything impure he finds there

iii. This is not easy call as according to Encyclopedia Britannica, temperatures up to 750° with lots of physical pushing and hitting is required to remove impurities

b. Pastor James Jonston writes You may be honest and upright at room temperature, but what will happen when he turns up the heat[ii]

c. Why would anyone ask for this kind of painful, penetrating testing?

i. We know this is not self righteous because he doesn’t say… test me God.. I know I will come up pure

ii. Instead, He eyes turn away from himself and towards God

d. David looks to God’s promising keeping love and faithfulness

i. God is not capricious, but keeps his promises to people

ii. And so when tests and finds something lacking, he doesn’t throw someone out saying you failed the test

iii. The goal is to refine and work out the impurities and God doesn’t change

e. A new song by Matt Papa called lovingkindness states

You lift us with a father's hand You shelter us with Your commands What heart could fully comprehend Your mercies endless You lead us through thе shadows deep Where doubts trace еv’ry step it seems But as the darkness breaks, we'll see The morning promise

ii. Illustration

1. The follower of God needs integrity to This GOd

a. Can you finish the scentence, Dr. Livingston, I _____

i. He was a famous explorer to Africa who went missing

ii. Henry Stanley, a reporter for the New York Herald, set out to look for Livingstone and finally found him. He wrote,

b. I went to Africa as prejudiced as the biggest atheist in London. But there came a long time for reflection. Seeing his piety, his gentleness, his zeal, his earnestness, I was converted by him although he had not tried to do it! It was not Livingstone’s preaching which converted me. It was Livingstone’s living!

2. We should seek integrity not just for our own comfort, but also to show others Christ

iii. Application

1. What is your reason to have integrity? To be the same person in public as in private?

a. If it is just the right thing to do you people burn out and find a more urgent right

b. I’ve seen many people make excuses for lying because they need it to survive and have a happy life… it is just necessary

c. Johnston again wrote, “If you are a Christian, integrity is about God. David’s basic motivation is that God will vindicate him and bless him for living a good, upright life” [iii]

2. God will bring something to test you… loss of money, too much money praise… or criticism Like Job, these can be agonizing, but they are used by God to vindicate his people and prove their faithfulness to even Satan himself

3. But christian, when God looks and finds something that you are shocked is there… a dark desire. Don’t despair

a. He will not turn and say, nope, this is asking too much… he will forgive. So run to him with all your sins, confess and ask him to show what you still needs

This life of integrity flows out from the private to the public

2. Have not the wicked in common (4-8)

i. Explanation

1. David hates wicked ways (4-5)

a. What does David not do?

i. Not sitting with the wicked doesn’t mean he refuses to eat with them

ii. But the people you sat down with is the idea of your normal crowd, your group… like who you always sit with at Konoia

b. Who are these wicked men?

i. Their liars… they are hyprocrites who conceal secrets

ii. Their lives are defined by lies and wickedness

iii. We would be wrong to see David as making self-righteous judgments against these people because Derek Kidner points out these are potential allies, or potential enemies, and David has made his choice.

iv. V12 talks about the assembly of all Israel, but this is group of evil people within who would lead Israel towards a wicked path

c. This is good since because God loves, he also hates

i. For God to love something, he must hate what is against it

ii. This is seen in

Isaiah 61:8- For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong

iii. Thus he is angry with the evil

Psalm 11:5 says, “[God’s] soul hates the wicked.”

d. So we should be like God

Psalm 139:21–22- Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

i. The only way to avoid hatred is to be apathetic, simply not to care about anyone or anything

ii. God wants his people consumed with a different love

2. David loves the righteous gathering (6-8)

a. Between the altar the tent of meeting stood a place the priests washed their hands in Exodus 4

b. At the altar, David could offer a thanksgiving offering, not a required offering, but a free will

c. He focuses on his love for God’s house, and thanks God for all the good he has done

Psalm 84:1–2- How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

d. You might wonder how can David love God’s house if the temple isn’t built yet

i. But the tabernacle was called God’s house all the way back in Joshua’s day

Joshua 6:24- And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

ii. This is the tent as the place of worship

e. David loves this place because he loves God.. he loves to be with God’s people, so he doesn’t want to be among the wicked

ii. Illustration

1. And if you love God, there are going to be some things you cannot do

a. If you’re not familiar with Jack Phillips you should be

b. He is a Colorado baker who has been sued 3 times in the last decade going all the way to the supreme court

c. What kind of mistakes has he done? IS he poisoning kids birthday cakes over and over again?

d. In 2012, the state’s Civil Rights Commission cited him for declining to make a custom wedding cake for a same-sex couple in a case that eventually resulted in a Supreme Court ruling in Phillips’ favor in 2018. [iv]

e. While Phillips can rightfully say he never did anything evil to any homosexual or transgender person, his love for God kept him from being able to call certain evil things good.

2. To love God means to avoid what hates him

iii. Application

1. Remember church, The company we keep speaks louder than our words

a. Teenagers… your friends matter.

b. Who are your friends? Who speak to you?

i. For many today, this is not even people you see

ii. But their voices on the internet or media who influence you

iii. If you what to have godly intregity, then you notice carefully who you call your people

c. But, we would have to close ourselves off from the world to avoid bad people. But Jesus has called us to be salt and light in this world[v]

i. I think Paul helps clarify in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 5:10–11 ESV

not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

1. It is the so called christian who live in unrepentant sin and would say, NO.. It’s ok, that are to be avoided

2. But learn about your sinful neighbors, speak with them

3.

2. Yet Paul also said

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

a. So, be careful about those who might influence you.

b. If you feel yourself looking for their praise, be careful

c. Jesus had no trouble associating with sinners because he was not one of them, but you and I start becoming like them too easily

David calls for God’s testing, he loves God’s people over the wicked, but he has a concern

3. Have humility in your call for help (9-11)

i. Explanation

1. David wants to be separate from the blood thirsty

a. This is an amplification of the calls for vindication

b. David says, I’m not like them, so I don’t want to be caught up in the same dust pan as the trash

c. Like a precious ring on the kitchen floor along with all the crumbs and junk… he doesn’t want to end up in the trash

2. Because Jesus does gather up the wicked for judgment

a. There are many examples of this, but turn to Matthew 25 for one of the strongest

b. Jesus judges those who do not love his people

Matthew 25:30–32- And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Matthew 25:45–46- Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

c. David does not want to be part of these people who hands do evil, whose corrupt justice and hurt God’s people

But Notice that David recognizes he could be swept up becuase

3. Redemption is needed

a. This is an important distinction because David has said he hasn’t acted like the wicked.. he has held his intregity

i. But there is an additional commimtnet.. I will keepfollowing God

ii. He’s not like the Asaph in Psalm 73 who saw the wicked prosper for a while and in his sorrow stated

Psalm 73:13- All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.

iii. David knows it’s worth it

4. But David also knows he needs to be redeemed

a. Ransom means to cause the freedom or release of a person from bondage or ownership,

b. This is what the OT sacrifices were for, to pay for their sins

c. The call for grace shows this is not something David deserved, but must be a gift from God

d. David needed mercy because God would not find him blameless

e. Instead, Gpd would find him obeying God’s command of confession and seeking to trust God with the payment for his sins.

ii. Illustration

1. This is not Karma

a. Urban dictionary defines Karma as Getting what you give~if you're mean, you get bad karma~bad things happen. If you're kindly & nice, you'll get good karma~good things will happen. [vi]

2. This is a call for grace

a. Randy Alcorn wrote, “The hardest part about grace – swallowing our pride and saying, “I don’t deserve this any more than that criminal does.””[vii]

iii. Application

1. You may ask, why do I want to have integrity then? Why Do I need grace?

a. And the answer is that sweeping away is coming

b. I know we’re Americans and it’s easy to say no one can tell me what to do

c. The world screams tell your own truth and hate anyone who tries to bring judgment upon you

d. But Jesus christ is powerful enough to shut every mouth and he will condemn those who oppose him with wickedness or with self righteousness

2. But the solution is simple… confession and repentance

a. We confess we are sinners and Jesus had to die to pay the price for our sins

b. Then we turn from our ways and recognize that Jesu sis worthy of being followed because

Matthew 20:28- even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

David knw his god and so he shows us the 4th component

4. Have assurance in God. (12)

i. Explanation

1. David is assured of his place and future

2. He will walk in integrity, he will bless God

a. This means showing God as the origin of all his success[viii]

3. The climax of this Psalm is not on David’s purity or life, but on God

4. He knows that no one who pleads to God goes away rejected

5. So his focus is on God

ii. Illustration

1. Assurance comes from a godward focus, not a self focus

a. Puritan Thomas brooks wisely wrote

b. It may be you have been more earnest and vehement for assurance, and the effects of it, viz., joy, comfort, and peace, than you have been for grace and holiness,

c. . It may be your requests for assurance have been full of life and spirits, when your requests for grace and holiness, for communion with God, and conformity to God, have been lifeless and spiritless.

d. If so, no wonder that assurance is denied you. Assurance makes most for your comfort, but holiness makes most for God’s honour. Man’s holiness is now his greatest happiness, and in heaven man’s greatest happiness will be his perfect holiness.[ix]

iii. Application

1. Notice that this assurance comes in in the assembly or gathering

2. So, Church, can I suggest you sit down and discuss these kinds of testing together?

a. It is so hard to see our own fault

b. We are like Peter, withdrawing from the gentiles becusae of not wishing to offend the jews

c. But often God uses the voices of others people like Paul who said this was going against the gospel to bring to our attention where we need to be refind

d. So, be open with one another and allow them to speak to your weaknesses and encourage your strengths.

3. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to ask someone to give us feedback and then when something negative comes out, we get defensive and attack… if you want to be refind, then you need to be refined

4. And know you are safe to see failures and sins that need you to fightg against, because the level ground is based on grace.. not works

III. Therefore

1. Since we have seen these 4 elements of an innocent prayer

1. Have nothing to hide

2. Have not a common life with the wicked

3. Have humility that you are not good enough

4. Have assurance in God’s goodness

2. We must

1. Be people of integrity who love God

a. There will be times when you will be accused of something you have not done in the slightest

b. So focus on being the same wherever you are

2. And when you find failures, remember, the vindication comes in knowing Christ, the lamb who takes away the sins of the world

IV. Closing prayer

1. Lord, allow us to see our sins as opportunities for you grace

2. And may we have the grace to change.

[i]James A. Johnston, Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41, ed. R. Kent Hughes, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 272. [ii]James A. Johnston, Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41, ed. R. Kent Hughes, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 274. [iii]James A. Johnston, Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41, ed. R. Kent Hughes, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 273. [iv] https://wng.org/roundups/another-day-in-court-for-jack-phillips-1617222602 [v]James A. Johnston, Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41, ed. R. Kent Hughes, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 276. [vi] https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=karma [vii] The Grace and Truth Paradox, 2003, [viii]William Lee Holladay and Ludwig Köhler, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: Brill, 2000), 49. [ix] A Puritan Golden Treasury, compiled by I.D.E. Thomas, by permission of Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 2000, p. 25.