I will live by the word
Contents
live by the word
Text: Psalm 26:1-12
1. I have walked in my perfection; I have not wavered; I have put my trust in the LORD; judge me, O LORD.
2. Examine me, O LORD, and test me; try my will and my conscience.
3. Your mercy is before my eyes; I will walk in your truth.
4. I do not sit with vain men, nor will I walk with deceitful men.
5. I hate the assembly of evildoers; I will not sit with the wicked.
6. I wash my hands, O LORD, because I am innocent, and go through your altars.
7. I will give thanks and tell of all Your marvels.
8. I love your house, O LORD, and the dwelling place of your glory.
9. Do not take my soul with sinners and my life with murderers
10. Wickedness is in their hands, and their right hands are full of bribes.
11. I will walk in my perfection; redeem me and have mercy on me.
12. My feet stand on level ground; I will bless the LORD from the midst of the crowd.
A Christian conference was held in Chicago, USA. Three people from a Russian church once attended that meeting. The issue of "How can we apologise that the Bible is infallible" was discussed for three days, and three Russian churches said that they did not say anything at all. Finally, when I asked them to share their feelings, they said something like this. “I do not understand why you are holding this meeting for three days.
If you live by the Word, you will automatically know that there are no errors, but what are you skeptical about over such a thing?" Hearing those words, the people who attended the meeting became very silent. Those who want to live by the Word must experience the authority and glory of the Word You will know the power of the Word, Pastor RA Torrey once said, "There are many translations of the Bible, and if there is one of the greatest Bible translations in the world, it is to translate the Bible with my life."
Those who want to live according to the Word will come back to the Word even if they fall for a while. I will hold on to this word and listen to it. You will set your own steps on the Word. Whenever we are shaken, whenever we are weak, we will seek the Lord's help. And his deeds will stand firm on the word.
In this psalm, David offers two prayer topics. First, he prays for a judgment on the righteousness of Jehovah because he has always acted according to his will, and then he asks for protection from wicked sinners. David, who was in trouble, earnestly prayed to him in hope of God's righteous judgment is thought to have been made by reminiscing about the time when David was being persecuted by Saul. And in his confession, he is a type of Christ, in that although he was innocent, he was slandered by others. The main story is also the powerful cry of the righteous who maintains his justice and truth according to the Word of God, even while others commit various sins. Now, focusing on the text, we can learn the correct attitude of the saints toward God through David's appeal for Jehovah's judgment.
Let's read verses 1 and 2 together.
“I have walked in my perfection, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Judge me, O Lord. Examine me, O Lord, and test me, test my will and my conscience.”
David here asserts his own integrity. The standard of perfection is God. Human standards are unreliable. This is because the standards of a person vary according to time, place, and individual situation.
The meaning of this verse is, “O LORD, I have walked perfectly, and I have not been shaken in the power and temptation of the wicked; I have rested in the LORD. You are always in my sight.' At this time, David was in an adversarial relationship with Saul, the supreme ruler of Israel, so he had only God to appeal to. It is in vain that we assert our integrity unless we can prove our integrity and integrity by the word and grace of God. So David is presenting various evidences of his perfection here because he has lived according to the word of God and relied on God as a righteous Judge, so that he is convinced that the wicked who oppose him will not overcome him. could have In this way, God upholds and defends the claims of the righteous. That is why the righteous people who live in this world with faith depend on God and move forward with unwavering steps.
David lived according to the law (the Word) centered on God. And I pray.
“Judge me, O LORD! I have walked in integrity; I have trusted in the LORD and have not been shaken.”
David never wavered in his faith, no matter how unjustly difficult he faced, misunderstood by people, and persecuted. I think this kind of faith is the faith we should imitate. When my body is healthy, my family is peaceful, and my work is going well, I don't think it's difficult to keep the faith. However, it is most important to keep our faith when we are trying to shake the foundation of our faith when we are in a position that is too difficult for our human strength to endure.
The incision of pine tree is not known in the lush summer, but in the winter when white snow falls, and when the leaves of the trees are all gone. Joseph did not only keep his faith when he was in a home where he would receive the love of his parents. Although he was sold into slavery and suffered unspeakable suffering, he kept his faith in the face of temptations that were difficult to bear.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Jabednego kept their faith in the face of threats and threats from King Nebuchadnezzar. If they do not bow down to idols, they are to be thrown into the furnace, but they are prepared to go into the furnace to keep their faith.
“O king, if you throw us into the furnace, the God in whom we trust will deliver us. If not, we cannot bow down to the image you have made.” This is an amazing faith.
Look at Job, he didn't serve God well because he had ten sons and daughters who were good vassals, as Satan said. He did not give up his faith, even though he was in indescribable pain due to the loss of his family and the loss of his ten children in one day, and even his own body was speared. I did not foolishly blame God. I don't have time to give an example like this. In the past, our ancestors of faith kept their faith like this. Even though he entered the martyrdom, he lived with unwavering faith. David was one of those saints. He did not falter even in the midst of difficulties and relied on God.
“He alone is my rock, my salvation and my stronghold; I will not be moved” (Psalm 62:6).
David was a man of God who was loved by God more than anyone else, and he was a man who tried to live according to the law (the Word). But for him, there were too many tests that the average person could not endure. Nevertheless, he is begging me to examine and test him, to test my will and my conscience. Why? Because God purifies us from sin through temptation (Psalm 139:23, 24) because it makes us realize God's love and strengthens our faith. So David is requesting that God not only look at the outside but see through the heart and test the heart of the heart. He prays that if God sees his heart, and if there is anything unclean about him, he will remove all his unclean heart as if he were smelting metal with fire and removing impurities. David knows that only God knows his heart and can cleanse him from his uncleanness.
Dear brothers and sisters, when we are faced with temptation, we must now become saints who reach the stage of mature faith by experiencing God's amazing plan and unchanging love behind the test with gratitude instead of resentment.
Let's look at verse 3.
“Your mercy is before my eyes; I walk in Your truth.”
Standing next to great people doesn't make me great on my own. Being next to someone who is full does not make me full.
David lived not in his own righteousness, but in God's Word and righteousness. He walked perfectly in the righteousness of God. David committed many sins before God, such as adultery and murder. So he took off his unclean and ragged clothes and put on the clothes of God's righteousness that God had made, and lived in God's righteousness.
David said, “Walk in Your truth,” which means that you have walked according to Your law. He tried to live by this law in all things because God's law was intrinsically upright and a rule of right conduct.
Psalm 119 is the most sacred of the psalms, and it is a song about God's law and God's Word.
“Blessed are those who walk in the law of the LORD with perfect conduct. Blessed are those who keep the testimonies of the LORD and seek the LORD with all their heart. Make my way firm, that I may observe Your statutes, for I will not be ashamed when I pay attention to all Your commandments” (Psalm 119:1-6).
“With what can a young man cleanse his conduct? He only obeys your word. I have sought you with all my heart; do not turn away from your commandments. I have put your word in my heart, that I may not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9). - 11)
“I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as in all riches; I will recite your precepts with a small voice, I will pay attention to your ways, I will rejoice in your statutes, and I will not forget your words” (Psalm 119:14-16).
What can a young man purify his conduct? But I will refrain from following Your word. The righteousness of God will be revealed to the world by being cleansed by the blood of the Lord and by putting on the clothes of the righteousness established by the Lord. Looking at the cross that God has set up, we must proclaim it to the world.
“Our God is so righteous!”
The mercy of the Lord is before my eyes, and many people are so engrossed in themselves that they do not know the kindness of God that is before my eyes. The mercy of God is in the death of His only begotten Son. Hold on to the cross and do not waver. Even when his enemies betrayed him and went to accuse him, David was able to stand firm in the Lord and not be shaken. David was in a dire situation with Absalom's pursuit and adversaries accusing him, but he relied on Jehovah to the end, which enabled him to stand steadfastly.
Let's read verses 4 and 5 together.
“I have not sat with vain men, nor will I walk with deceitful men. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.”
One day, a laundry was opened next door to the charcoal seller. The charcoal seller, who had been doing business alone so far, was just glad that a laundry was opened in the neighborhood. So, one day, he went to the laundry and suggested that we do business together with him. However, the owner of Settago just cut it off and refused. Therefore, the charcoal merchant explained the reason