SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Be open before the Lord (vs 1-2)
(2). Remember God’s Loving Faithfulness (vs 3)
(3). Refuse to Listen to Ungodly Advice (vs 4-5)
(4). Keep Your Hands Clean and Your Heart Thankful (vs 6-7)
(5). Be faithful in Public worship (vs 8)
(6). Patiently stand and wait for relief (vs 9-12)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• I like the story of the pastor who received an anonymous letter;
• When he opened it up it just contained a sheet of white paper;
• And written on it in capital letters was the word "FOOL!"
• The next Sunday service when he got to speak the congregation he said,
• "I've gotten many notes without signatures before;
• But this is the first time I got one where someone forgot to write the note;
• And just signed their name!"
• TRANSITION:
• Whether we are in the public arena or simply private individuals;
• None of us like to be criticised;
• None of us like to be wrongly accused;
• None of us like it when we feel we are getting unfair treatment!
This psalm helps us to do right when we feel we’ve been done wrong!
• Now this psalm goes against the normal human response to mistreatment:
• Our natural reaction to unfair treatment is to defend ourselves.
• Other people might give us the advice, “Don’t get mad, get even!”
• Yet this psalm is in contrast to that way of thinking;
• It tells us there is a better way;
• There is a supernatural alternative to our natural reaction.
• If you are here tonight with some deep wounds;
• If you have had to endure mistreatment;
• Let this psalm act as both a warning and a guide;
• A warning because we can easily become bitter, hostile and unpleasant;
• Long term bitterness affects us more than the one we are angry towards:
• Quote: “Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other guy to die.”
• Let this psalm act as both a warning and a guide;
• May it keep us from becoming bitter, hurtful and unpleasant;
• And may it guide us, direct us and shape us as we seek to follow its advice.
Note:
• The theme of this psalm (verse 1):
• David begins with a strong emotional plea,
• N.I.V.:
• “Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered. “
• G.N.B.:
• “Declare me innocent, O Lord, because I do what is right and trust you completely”.
• David was a godly man, while his enemies were godless;
• They are described in this psalm as deceitful, hypocritical and wicked evildoers,
• These malicious men were publicly slandering David;
• Some commentators suggest this psalm occurred;
• When Absalom was trying to seize the throne by spreading lies about his father.
• (2 Samuel chapter 14-15)
So David starts off this psalm with a strong emotional plea:
• He asks God to ‘vindicate’ him;
• He asks God to give him justice and defend his reputation.
• And despite the daily grind of mistreatment he was experiencing;
• David was determined to keep on trusting his Lord;
• And he would not let others trip him up by their false accusations.
• The word translated in verse 1 as “falter” means; “to slip or slide or totter”.
Ill:
• When someone hurts you, you've been robbed.
• Because that's what the enemy does (John chapter 10 verse 10),
• And that person is acting as an agent of the enemy.
• But if you don't forgive, you will continue to be robbed.
• Picture this: Someone comes and knocks on your door in the middle of the night.
• You're sound asleep so you don't hear it.
• But you have a guest,
• And the guest hears it and comes down the stairs and answer the door.
• The visitor says: "I want to rob your house."
• And your house guest says; "Sure come on in."
• And then the house guest goes back to bed, leaving the thief to help himself!
• In the morning, you wake up & find out that the thief has taken all your electrical goods.
• And worse, you find out that your guest is responsible.
• You would of course be angry!
• You night even kick your guest out and end the friendship.
• Now suppose the next night, you're still so angry that you can't sleep.
• And there is another knock at the door.
• This time you go down stairs and you answer the door.
• It is the same thief who says, "I want to rob your house."
• You reply. "Sure come on in."
• Then you go back to bed.
• In the morning, you wake up and find out that the thief has taken all your jewellery.
• Question: who is to blame this time?
• Answer: you are!
• Application:
• If someone hurts you and it's not your fault:
• You know what it is to be hurt;
• After all you have been robbed of your goods, your reputation, your innocence.
• But when you refuse to forgive,
• It is like opening up the door and letting the enemy back in to just keep robbing you,
• And then it becomes your fault.
• That is why David prays in verse 1:
• Do not let me “falter, slip, slide or totter”.
• David is keeping the door shut and the enemy out!
• This psalm shows us how David was able to stay upright;
• While under unfair attacks.
• In fact David mentions six things which kept him (and will keep us);
• From slipping into bitterness and resentment during times of mistreatment.
(1). Be open before the Lord (vs 2).
“Test me, LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind”;
• Notice: that in this verse;
• David asks the Lord to attest to his inner being in three ways:
• “Test me…try me…examine”;
• (a). Test me
• The word in Hebrew means to smelt, refine and test gold and precious metals;
• The idea being to remove the dross and impurities.
• (b).Try me
• The word describes an intensive and rigorous examination;
• So that the real condition of the heart might be exposed
• (c). Examine me
• The word means to scrutinize, to dissect, to pour over carefully and in detail.
• This is one detailed examination of the inner person.
Notice: an important principle in this verse:
• David is using this negative mistreatment;
• As a positive learning experience,
• He will view it as an opportunity for spiritual growth and maturity.
• He tells us that when you are wronged, talk to God about it.
• Ask him specifically to examine your life, your motives and character.
• Ask him to undertake an intensive, in-depth investigation of the condition of your heart.
• Ask him to refine you, melt you, mould you and remove any dross and impurity;
• That this mistreatment has brought to the surface.
• David is using this negative mistreatment as a positive learning experience,
• As an opportunity for spiritual growth and maturity.
Ill:
A familiar nursery rhyme goes:
“Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to look at the Queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you do there?
I frightened a little mouse, under the chair”
• Like that cat, to many Christians sometimes settle for:
• Petty involvements, trivial pursuits--chasing mice;
• When we have the opportunity to spend time with royalty, with the King!
• Instead of being side-tracked by those who would seek him harm;
• David was determined to deepen his relationship with God and grow into maturity
(2). Remember God’s Loving Faithfulness (vs 3).
“for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.”
Ill:
• A family won four free goldfish at the local fair;
• The next day dad went out an aquarium.
• When he saw the price of a new aquarium he was horrified.
• But then he spotted it - right at the back of the pet store.
• A discarded 10-gallon display tank, complete with gravel and filter;
• It was a fraction of the cost of a new tack so he bought it.
• The tank was dirty, full of green mould;
• But a few hours of cleaning and it looked as good as new.
• The four new fish looked great in their new home,
• Well at least for the first day. Then one of the fish died.
• Then the next day a second casualty,
• And by the same evening a third goldfish had gone belly up.
• The dad called in a friend who had kept fish for many years;
• It didn't take him long to discover the problem:
• The dad had washed the tank with soap, an absolute no-no.
• His enthusiastic efforts had destroyed the very lives he was trying to protect.
• TRANSITION:
• Sometimes in our zeal to clean up our own lives or the lives of others,
• We unfortunately use "killer soaps";
• i.e. condemnation, criticism, anger, fits of temper etc.
• We think we're doing right,
• But our harsh, self-righteous treatment is more than they can bear.
Notice:
• When David was wronged;
• He didn’t focus on the wrong that had been done to him;
• But rather he focussed his eyes on God’s loving faithfulness.
• So often when we have been hurt;
• We can easily doubt God’s love and fail to remember his faithfulness?
• We feel alone and insecure and we get depressed and defensive.
• But when you are confident that someone really loves you,
• When you know deep down inside that you are loved,
• Then that knowledge will help to energise you, you will draw strength from them.
• When you are wronged, first, talk to God about it.
• Second, remember God’s loving faithfulness.
(3). Refuse to Listen to Ungodly Advice (vs 4-5)
“I do not sit with the deceitful,
nor do I associate with hypocrites.
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.”
• Question: Why did David say this?
• Answer: Because he knew the kind of advice these people would give.
• i.e. “Why put up with all this. Get your own back. You got your rights!”
Ill:
• Johnny's mother raced into the bedroom when she heard him scream,
• She found his baby sister yanking hard on his hair.
• She carefully unravelled the little girl's grasp and said to little Johnny,
• "It's okay, sweetheart. She didn't really mean it. She doesn't understand that it hurts."
• Almost as soon as she was out of the room, she heard the little girl scream.
• Rushing back in, she asked, "What's wrong?"
• Johnny explained; "She understand now!"
• TRANSITION:
• David knew that the kind of advice the people mentioned in verses 5-6 would give him;
• Would be to get revenge, they would encourage him to “Get your own back”
• David knew that ‘bad company corrupts good morals!’
• (1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 33)
• Getting even often backfires; and it never glorifies God!
• When we are wronged we are vulnerable to take on bad advice:
• We can so easily be influenced by people around us.
• Who will instinctively give us advice based on their own values and experience.
• That is why it is so important whom we spend time with,
• It is so important whom we hang out with.
• Because people will influence us especially when we are vulnerable and hurting.
• So, when you are wronged, talk to God about it,
• Remember God’s loving faithfulness,
• And refuse to listen to ungodly advice.
(4). Keep Your Hands Clean and Your Heart Thankful (vs 6-7).
“I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, LORD,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.”
• Psalms 26, 27 and 28 reveal David’s love for God’s sanctuary;
• (26 verse 6-8 – 27 verses 4-7 – 28 verse 2)
• The English word ‘sanctuary’,
• Comes from the Latin word ‘sanctuarium’, meaning a ‘sacred place’
• Which in David’s day was the tabernacle on Mount Zion.
• Remember that God did not permit David to build a temple (2 Samuel chapter 7);
• Although God did give to him the plans for the temple;
• And David was able to help financially providing materials to construct it.
• (1 Chronicles chapter 22 verses 28-29).
Now in verses 6-7 David uses word pictures familiar to Jews:
• He talks about ‘washing hands’ and ‘staying near the altar’.
• Before a priest approached the altar;
• He would go through a process of purification.
• i.e. Exodus chapter 30 verses 17-21:
• The priests washed his hands and feet in the basin of bronze;
• Before they approached the altar in the tabernacle to minister.
• If they failed to wash then they were struck down and killed by the holy Lord.
David latches on to this important and serious principle in his song of mistreatment;
• And he applies it to his situation.
• David stayed near to his Lord, by making sure his sins were confessed,
• His heart attitude was clean.
• This kept his attitude positive;
• And David was able to give thanks to God in the midst of his mistreatment.
• Because he knew this would bring him closer and more reliant on God.
Ill:
• This is precisely what Jesus promised:
• (Matthew chapter 5 verses 11-12).
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Ill:
• Another good example of this principle occurred in Acts chapter 5:
• When Peter and the other apostles were thrown into prison for proclaiming Jesus.
• After being humiliated, beaten up and condemned by the religious leaders,
• Question: Do you remember what they did?
• Answer: Acts chapter 5 verses 41-42 (Living Bible):
“The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
• For so many people;
• Praise and thanksgiving is usually the first thing to go out the window;
• When you get hit by unfair criticism, undeserved condemnation or ungodly behaviour.
• When it happens, and it will, sooner or later, remember Psalm 26.
• Talk to God about it.
• Remember God’s loving faithfulness.
• Refuse to listen to ungodly advice.
• Keep your hands clean and your heart thankful.
(5). Be faithful in Public worship (vs 8)
“LORD, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells”.
• For David, the Tabernacle was where he could meet with God.
• And be encouraged, refreshed and supported by God’s people.
• David knew the importance of collective public worship.
• When we are struggling and life is tough;
• The temptation is to stay away from God’s people;
• David in this psalm reminds us that the very opposite action is needed.
• Public worship was something essential to him (and it should be to us)
• Let me quote from three other psalms that reinforce this truth.
Example #1: Psalm 27 verse 4:
“The one thing I ask of the LORD—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
delighting in the LORD’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple”.
Example #2: Psalm 65 verse 4:
“What joy for those you choose to bring near,
those who live in your holy courts.
What festivities await us
inside your holy Temple”
Example #3: Psalm 84 verse 10:
“A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked”.
• David knew the importance of collective public worship.
• To David worship was no religious habit, no ritualistic, boring process;
• It was something essential.
Ill:
• Stuart Sacks tells the story of when he was serving as a missionary in Paraguay,
• A Maka Indian named Rafael came to sit on my porch.
• Stuart was eating and went out to see what he wanted.
• Raphael the Maka Indian responded, "Ham, henek met."
• So Stuart again asked him; “What can I could do for you?”
• And once again the answer was: "Ham, henek met."
• Stuart understood the language but he did not understand its significance:
• Raphael the Maka Indian was saying: "I don’t want anything; I have just come near."
• Later on when Stuart shared the incident with another missionary.
• The other missionary explained that it was Rafael’s way of honouring him.
• He really didn’t want anything; he just wanted to sit on his porch.
• He found satisfaction and pleasure just being near to him!
• TRANSITION:
• David knew the importance of collective public worship.
• For David found satisfaction and pleasure;
• Being with God’s people and in God’s presence!
(6). Patiently stand and wait for relief (vs 9-12)
“Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
10 Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
12 Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the LORD”
Ill:
• He was only twenty-five years of age when;
• George Whitefield was hauled before a clerical tribunal.
• His crime was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ outdoors.
• Where he preached to a group of two hundred coal miners in a field.
• George Whitefield was a young Oxford trained cleric;
• Who was also charged with being an “enthusiast” and a Methodist.
• To these charges Whitefield replied;
• “Every Christian must be an ‘enthusiast’ (which means ‘to have God in you’).
• You think that I am going to make you methodically mad.
• So you may breathe out your invectives against me,
• yet Christ knows all; he takes notice of it,
• and I shall leave it to him to plead my cause.”
• TRANSITION:
• George Whitefield must have felt like David did in this psalm
• He was aware that although retaliation may taste sweet initially;
• It always leaves an after taste that is bitter and soon turns sour.
• Retaliation merely incites further retaliation and in the downward spiral,
• We lose our integrity.
In this final section of the psalm:
• David informs us that he was surrounded by those who were full of ‘wicked schemes’;
• Their hands were ‘full of bribes’
• In other words these other people planned and they plotted and they schemed;
• Or they induced, used bribes, they used corrupt ways to get vindicated.
• These ways may be used by others but not by David;
• David disassociated himself from that sort of behaviour;
• And any conduct that might question or threaten his integrity.
• Lose your integrity and you lose everything.
Ill:
• It is said that as the great Michelangelo;
• Painted the magnificent frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.
• Lying on his back for endless hours to finish every detail with great care.
• A friend asked him why he took such pains;
• With figures that would be viewed from a considerable distance.
• "After all," the friend said, "Who will notice whether it is perfect or not?"
• Michelangelo replied; "I will,"
Notice:
• The words translated as, “I am not like that” in verse 11:
• Some versions translate them as, “But as for me”.
• Are emphatic in the Hebrew.
• David is saying as clear as he can;
• That he marches to the beat of another drum.
• He will not act like the majority;
• And with calmness and confidence he says three things in verse 11:
• As for my present course: “I…will walk”
• As for my defence: “Redeem me…be gracious to me”
• As for my inner feelings: “My foot stands”
• And the end result for David is confident assurance:
• “My feet stand on level ground”
• David says confidently; ‘level ground’.
• The word can mean “smooth” or “straight”
• It also conveys the idea of a place with a commanding view, with clear vision.
• Question: Do you get the picture in David’s summary?
• Notice: He is pleased to wait quietly on the Lord for vindication.
• Because he can see things objectively.
• He can see things from God’s perspective.
• He can therefore be an inspiration to others in the congregation.
• Because he can do right even when being done wrong.
In conclusion: And the final application is very simple:
• These six steps are here for you and me too.
• When we patiently wait for the Lord’s deliverance,
• We too can stay calm and wise in the midst of mistreatment.
• We too can count on him to be gracious and to vindicate us at the right time.
• And we too can have the assurance of standing on level ground,
• Of seeing things clearly from his perspective.
• Note: Thanks to Charles Swindoll and his excellent book:
• ‘Living Beyond The Daily Grind’ Book 1 for help with this sermon.
