You Desire Truth

Psalm 51:6 3/4/18 (Create in Me a Clean Heart #6) YOU DESIRE TRUTH

An amateur genealogical researcher discovered that his great-great uncle, Remus Starr, a fellow lacking in character, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription:

Slide: Horse Thief at the gallows pic

“Remus Starr; horse thief; sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887; robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives. Convicted and hanged 1889.”

In a Family History subsequently written by the researcher, (as the story goes) Remus’s picture is cropped so that all that's seen is a head shot. The accompanying biographical sketch is as follows:

“Remus Starr was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1885, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.”

Right? That’s stretching the truth beyond recognition, isn’t it? And why? Why are we so tempted to do that – instead of just letting the truth be the truth? That’s where we’re going today and where David is leading us with this verse of his repentance.

Have you ever heard the expression “The Hard Truth”? Why is the truth sometimes “hard”? Because truth is truth. 2+2=4 regardless of how you feel about it.

Slide: 2+2 = 4 pic

A student might protest and say he would feel a lot better if it were 5, but it isn’t going to do him any good.

Or let’s take chemical formulas for instance. I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but there has been a rising movement against dihydrogen monoxide and there has been considerable discussion recently about the dangers of this chemical

Slide: Danger pic

That Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless and odorless, that Accidental inhalation of DHMO may be fatal. That prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage and so on. But did you know that despite all those warnings…

Slide: Dihydrogen Monoxide deliberately sprayed on organic crops

Dihydrogen Monoxide is still being deliberately sprayed on organic crops?

Slide: Rusty pipe pic

I mean, if dihydrogen Monoxide can rust these pipes, just imagine what it can do to your insides. And so, as a responsible citizen you can begin to get concerned and even begin to warn others about this problem.

Slide: Kool aid pic

For instance, did you realize that Kool-aid contains more DHMO than sugar by volume? Advertising companies are even using cartoon mascots to encourage our kids to consume dihydrogen monoxide. So after learning all of this you might even join the movement to ban this chemical from use in America

Slide: Ban diydrogen monoxide T-shirt

But I’m sorry, in order for you to stay alive, you’re still going to have to drink it.

Slide: H20 pic (and hold up water bottle)

‘cause it’s water… Right? Truth is truth. It’s “hard” because it’s not ever going to change no matter what you feel about it. And what David knew from his experience that just as scientific truth is “hard” and mathematical truth is “hard”, so is the moral truth. God is the one who wrote those other laws, God is the one who stands behind all Law. In fact, it’s been said that’s why God gave us the 10 commandments on stone tablets: so that we could keep them or break them, but we couldn’t bend them. They are hard and fast and when we break them there are consequences. And David was feeling those consequences big time when he wrote these words of confession for himself and for us to use in our worship of the true God:

Slide: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” (Psalms 51:6 NIV)

You know, I’ve given many sermons on truth over the years, Truth with a capital “T”, and there are a lot of ways to objectively look at it, and we’ll do that again together, should the Lord tarry. But this look at truth runs deeper. What David is talking about here is a look deep within yourself for truth. And the truth is that most of us simply don’t like to go there. We don’t like to take an honest look deep inside the “inner parts” of ourselves, because we don’t like what we’ll see.