The Power of Integrity
Declare me innocent, O LORD.
For I have acted with integrity.
I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Put me on trial, LORD, and cross examine me.
Test my motives and my heart…
I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites.
I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
And I refuse to join in with the wicked...
I love your sanctuary, LORD, the place where your glorious presence dwells.
Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners....
I live with integrity so redeem me and show me mercy.
Now I stand on solid ground and I will publicly praise the LORD.
Psalm 26:1-12 NLT
For I have acted with integrity.
I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Put me on trial, LORD, and cross examine me.
Test my motives and my heart…
I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites.
I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
And I refuse to join in with the wicked...
I love your sanctuary, LORD, the place where your glorious presence dwells.
Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners....
I live with integrity so redeem me and show me mercy.
Now I stand on solid ground and I will publicly praise the LORD.
Psalm 26:1-12 NLT
Unless one takes time to think carefully about what Scripture says concerning righteousness and integrity, one might be tempted to conclude that David is bragging in this Psalm about his uprightness. But the truth is: All through the Bible, we are encouraged to live holy and righteous lives. Perhaps, the best summary is the admonition: “ You must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16). Sometimes, we tend to assuage our consciences for our unholy conduct by describing others as having “a holier than thou attitude.”
David was a man of many flaws but he was also a man who was quick to repent and submit himself to divine discipline and ask for forgiveness. So David is obviously not talking about a flawless life. He seems to be appealing to God from the perspective of a man whose sins have been forgiven and who has made a decision to shun evil and live with integrity.
Based upon that, he is asking God to cross examine him, test his motives and his heart.
He is asking God not to condemn him along with the wicked.
He feels confident that because he is living his life to please God, he is on solid ground and can publicly praise God. He doesn’t have to hide his worship because he is not a hypocrite.
Lesson: There is something powerful about living a life of integrity. It gives us the grounds to appeal to God to spare us when judgment is being released on the wicked. Integrity enables us to praise God publicly because our praise is backed by a righteous conduct.
Integrity places us on solid ground when we stand to petition God about our needs.
There is power in integrity.
David was a man of many flaws but he was also a man who was quick to repent and submit himself to divine discipline and ask for forgiveness. So David is obviously not talking about a flawless life. He seems to be appealing to God from the perspective of a man whose sins have been forgiven and who has made a decision to shun evil and live with integrity.
Based upon that, he is asking God to cross examine him, test his motives and his heart.
He is asking God not to condemn him along with the wicked.
He feels confident that because he is living his life to please God, he is on solid ground and can publicly praise God. He doesn’t have to hide his worship because he is not a hypocrite.
Lesson: There is something powerful about living a life of integrity. It gives us the grounds to appeal to God to spare us when judgment is being released on the wicked. Integrity enables us to praise God publicly because our praise is backed by a righteous conduct.
Integrity places us on solid ground when we stand to petition God about our needs.
There is power in integrity.
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the reminder that there is power in integrity. Please help me to live in such a way that my praise will be worthy of your great name and not hypocritical in nature. Amen