PSALM 26

PSALM CHAPTER 26

AT ISSUE: 
HOW DOES ONE BECOME RIGHTEOUS ?

Is Anyone Righteous In and Of Themselves ?

1. THE INVITATION. V.1-2.

   A. DAVID ASKS GOD TO JUDGE HIM. WHY ?
—GOD WILL JUDGE ALL, WHETHER THEY ASK FOR IT, OR NOT.
ACTS 17:31.
—CHOICE IS TO JUDGE SELF FIRST, OR LET GOD JUDGE FIRST.
I COR. 11:31.
—DAVID WANTS GUIDANCE. Psalms 139:23
B. DAVID ASKS GOD TO TEST HIS PURPOSES AND MOTIVATES.
—THEY RESULT IN ACTIONS. JER. 17:10.
*BASIS OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST IS NOT YOUR
INTENTS, BUT YOUR ACTIONS. 2 COR. 5:10.

2. DAVID’S CONFIDENCE IN PASSING THE JUDGMENT TIME. V.3.
   A. NOT AS MANY TODAY WHO SUGGEST THAT THEY CANNOT LIVE
FOR THE LORD. PHIL. 4:13.
B. DAVID’S STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE:
—TRUSTING IN THE LORD. V.1 I SHALL NOT SLIDE. 2 PET. 1:10.
—THE LOVINGKINDNESS OF GOD. RESULTS IN PRACTICAL
LIVING FOR GOD. I JOHN 5:3.
—HE HAS WALKED IN THOSE WAYS BEFORE, AND THUS
KNOWS THE POWER OF GODLY LIVING. 2 TIM. 3:5.

3. THE OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. V. 4.
   *NOT “ONLY GOD KNOWS MY HEART” JAS. 2:18, MATT. 7:16,20.
A. JESUS CALLED ATTENTION TO WORKS. Rev. 2:2,9,13,19, 3:1.
B. THE HEART CONDITION COMES OUT. MATT. 15:19.
   C. A MAN IS KNOWN BY HIS WAYS. PROV. 20:11, LUKE 6:44.

4. SEPARATION IS EVIDENCE TO GOD OF A PURE HEART. V. 4.
  A. OUR AFFILIATIONS DO COUNT ! 2 COR. 6:17, EPH. 5:11.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FELLOWSHIP AND WITNESSING:
“FELLOWSHIP” = ENJOYING THE OTHER’S COMPANY,
BEING A PARTY TO THEIR ACTIVITIES AND
CONVERSATION
RIGHT KIND—ACTS 2:42,
WRONG KIND—EPH. 5:11.
“WITNESSING” =SHARING THE DIFFERENCE IN JESUS CHRIST,
AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE ABOVE.
                                             PHIL. 2:15, I JOHN 2:15-16.

5. WHAT GOD FREELY GIVES. V. 7-12.
   A. RIGHTEOUSNESS. IT BECOMES OURS AFTER GOD GIVES IT
TO US. PHIL. 3:9, REV. 19:8
B. FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. V. 8
—REQUIRES REMOVAL FROM FELLOWSHIP IN THE WORLD.
2 COR. 6:14-18, EPH. 5:11.
—REQUIRES WALKING, NOT BASKING IN THE LIGHT. I JOHN. 1:6-7.
C. STABILITY. V. 12. PS. 112:5-9. PS. 62:6, PS. 66:9, IS. 28:16.
WHAT DOES STABILITY MEAN TO GOD ?
NOT MOVED. COL. 1:23, PROV. 12:3
(ROOT NOT MOVED—EPH. 3:17, COL. 2:7).
SAFETY. PROV. 21:31, PS. 4:8.
          ANCHORED. HEB. 6:18-19, PS. 62:6.

6. WHAT DAVID DOES: BLESS THE LORD. REV. 5:12, 13, REV. 7:12.
A. HOW ? WITH ALL THAT IS IN ME. PS. 103:1.
B. ALLOWING HIM TO DO HIS WORKS THROUGH ME. PS. 103:22.
C. HOW OFTEN ? AT ALL TIMES ! PS. 34:1.