Outline
I.A Test Nobody Can Cram For
Like a student dreading the final that decides everything, every soul faces an exam before Christ’s judgment seat. But David does the unthinkable — he invites the examination, not with dread, but with confidence.
II.“Vindicate Me” — Boast or Broken Honesty?
David’s plea to be judged sounds like pride: Lord, look how well I’ve done. Yet he knows his life is “full of holes” — his only boast is the grace that kept his feet on the path.
III.Begging the Holy God to Search You
Who in their right mind asks the perfect Judge to scrutinize their life? David does, because a biased heart will always sugarcoat its sin — and a skewed self-standard leaves people falsely secure, seeing no need for prayer, Scripture, or a Savior.
IV.The Refiner’s Fire Through Word, Saints, and Suffering
God’s examination melts and purifies — through the Word that exposes sin, through brothers who lovingly confront us, and through trials that drive us to Christ’s feet. It hurts, but it conforms us to His image.
V.Exhibits of a Godly Life — None of Them His Own
David presents the evidence: grace kept before his eyes, obedience to truth, separation from the wicked, hands washed clean, thanksgiving for God’s works, and love for God’s dwelling. Every fruit, he insists, grew from grace, not from himself.
VI.The Verdict That Overturns Every Good Work
Here is the pivot: even after parading his integrity, David cries, “Do not gather my soul with sinners… redeem me.” Your best works are filthy rags that cannot earn one passing grade — only the grace of God and the perfect righteousness of Christ can.
VII.Feet on Level Ground, Ready for the Last Day
Resting wholly in grace, David stands firm and unafraid: justified, cleansed, and certain to be vindicated. So believe in Christ now, that when the exam begins He will say, “This one is Mine.”
Bottom line:You cannot pass life’s final exam by your own righteousness — so let God examine you now, and stand on the last day clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reading
Now please turn in your Bibles to Psalm 26. Psalm 26, and we’ll be reading the entire psalm this morning. Once again, listen now to the reading of God’s holy word.
A Psalm of David.
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord. I shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me. Try my mind and my heart. For your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in your truth. I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all your wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place, and the congregations I will bless the Lord.
Opening Prayer
Let’s seek the Lord’s blessing on this, His word.
O gracious God in heaven. We do praise you and thank you for the wonderful truth of your word. And we thank you for this psalm. And we pray that as we consider this this morning, we pray that you would your spirit would give us understanding and insight, that you would help us to see the truth that is here, how we can apply it to our own hearts and our lives and be drawn closer to you all to the praise of your glorious name. And so we pray now, Lord, for your blessing upon your word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Introduction: A Test Nobody Can Cram For
Well, most students don’t really like a test, especially if it is the final exam. Because not only do finals tend to be longer and more comprehensive than a regular test that you might have throughout the semester, but there’s usually a lot riding on the outcome of that final. If you pass the final, well, you can pass the class. But if you fail the final, you may fail the class. And so because of this, many students await that big examination with a certain amount of fear and trembling as the end of the semester approaches.
Well, here in Psalm 26, David is asking for an examination, but not of his knowledge, but of his life and of his manner of living. And he awaits the examination, not with fear and trembling, but actually with confidence and assurance.
Now, we don’t know the historical context in which David wrote this psalm. It’s possible that he was being criticized and mocked by unbelievers for wasting his time, maybe living a godly life, or perhaps he was suffering false accusations about the integrity of himself and the integrity of his faith. Whatever the situation, David calls upon the Lord and pleads to be justified and to be examined.
And although David’s life is likely not near its end, this Psalm 26 does give us a hint about what we can expect and how we can prepare for life’s final exam. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10, And so on the last great day, will all stand before Christ and be examined, giving an account of all that we’ve thought, said, and done in this life.
On Psalm 26, David gives us a glimpse of what a passing exam looks like, challenging us to imitate it through the hard work of study and preparation. But we also discover we can’t pass this test, this examination, on our own. We can’t rely on our own strength or our own good works. We learn in this psalm that we must rely fully upon the grace of God and the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ if we’re going to pass that life’s final exam.
“Vindicate Me” — Boast or Broken Honesty? (verse 1)
Well, David begins in verse one by pleading for God to vindicate or judge him because he has walked in integrity and he has trusted in the Lord without slipping. He wants God to justify him, pronouncing that his way of living is good and right in the sight of the Lord.
Now, as we read this, we may wonder whether David is being proud and boastful. May seem like he’s saying, hey God, look at me, I’m doing a pretty good job, aren’t I? But David knows that his life is full of holes. And the only boast that he has is in the grace of God that’s enabled him to walk in the path of righteousness.
And walk here reminds us of Psalm 1, which lays out the two different paths, the way of the wicked and the way of the godly. And David isn’t boasting, but simply he’s acknowledging that he’s endeavored to faithfully walk on God’s path. And when he calls attention to his integrity, he isn’t claiming perfection, but rather he’s stating that in sincerity of heart, or as he says in other Psalms, with his whole heart, he has pursued the way of the Lord. And this is reinforced by his trusting the Lord without having slipped. His feet have remained on the straight and narrow path.
Friends, as believers in Jesus Christ, this is exactly what we’re called to do. And this, so this should also be our claim. We’re to sincerely follow Christ and to live a godly life, obeying his commands, seeking his glory and honor and trusting in him without wavering.
And though God calls us to be perfect and holy, even as he is perfect and holy, he knows that we won’t attain such perfection in this life. He knows that at times we will slip and fall into sin, even as we know David indeed slipped and fell into great sin. But God still calls us to walk in the manner worthy of our calling with which we’ve been called, to strive for the prize and to persevere to the end with a full-hearted devotion. This is what it means to walk with integrity.
Judgment from God, Not from Man
Another point we should note here is that David seeks vindication and judgment, not from man, but from God. See, David knows that man’s standard is biased and imperfect. But God is true and just. God is fair and balanced, and His judgments are perfect. And though He doesn’t completely ignore the judgments of men, David knows that he could live the most perfect life, and some would still find fault and falsely accuse him, seeking his downfall.
And of course, we know that this is exactly what happened to Jesus, who was truly perfect and faultless, and who alone could boast of walking before the Lord with integrity, without wavering, and without ever slipping off the path. And yet the Jews still found fault. They accused him:
- They said he healed on the Sabbath day, violating the commandments and the traditions.
- He associated with tax collectors and sinners.
- He taught things that were hard to accept.
- He refused to fit into their mold and conform to their man-made traditions.
But Jesus knew that God alone is the judge that counts, and He alone is the one who truly justifies. And this God did for Jesus when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places, as we see in Ephesians 1. And because of that vindication of Christ, we know then that those who are in Christ, who trust in Him, will also be justified before God, before men, and even the angels.
“Examine Me, Prove Me, Try Me” (verse 2)
David strengthens this plea for justification in verse 2, where he calls upon God to examine him, to prove him, and to try his mind and his heart. Now, these three different words, examine, prove, and try, that are used here are all related to the process of purification of precious metals.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Examine | The word used to describe the testing of metals by melting them and examining them for purity. |
| Prove | To be put to the test to ascertain something, whether it be worth, knowledge, or integrity. |
| Try | Literally means to refine and purify. |
Why Beg the Holy God to Search You
Now we may wonder, if David isn’t boasting, well then he must kind of be off his rocker. Who in their right mind would invite the perfect, just, and holy God to scrutinize their lives? Why would David seek such an examination?
Well, there’s a great lesson or a great reason for this, and it’s the same reason that even we ourselves should call upon God to examine and scrutinize our lives as well. You see, the testing and trying of our lives and of our faith is what’s going to draw us closer and closer to the perfect image of Jesus Christ.
Consider this. David makes a claim that he walks with integrity and trust without slipping. Out of the sincerity of his heart, he wants to know, Lord, have I missed something? Or am I just a hypocrite? David knows that because of the remnant of sin that’s in him, that he’s a biased judge. He can easily be tempted to distort the reality of how he’s living, and he can just easily sugarcoat it.
And indeed, we know that people do this sort of thing all the time. They evaluate and judge their own lives, and if they can, and even better, they compare themselves to others. And they say, well, look, I’m better. I’m not perfect, but at least I’m not this bad. And we’ll consider that a little bit even this afternoon.
Such a judgment leads many to believe that they’re all right, just because they don’t think they’re as bad as everyone else, that they have no problems or struggles with sin in their lives. So the consequence is that they don’t see themselves in need to pray, to read the Bible, to go to church, or to trust in Jesus for salvation. They’re left with a false sense of security, because the standard by which they’ve adopted and judged themselves is skewed.
But friends, Jesus gives us these strong words in Matthew 5.
Therefore, you are to be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.
God calls for perfection. If you’re not perfect, well, then you will not pass that final exam. But instead, you let the perfect examiner prove and try you. And he will point out to you where you’re lacking. He will reveal to you your sin so that you might then confess it. He’ll help you to remove any and all obstacles that stand in the way between you and confirmation to the image of Christ.
How the Examination Takes Place
Now, how does such an examination take place? Well, there are several ways.
1. It takes place through knowledge of the Word of God. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7,
I would not have known sin except through the law.
And so if you don’t read, study, and attend to the preaching of God’s Word, well then you will, how will you ever know what is good and right in God’s sight and what he expects of you? How will you know right from wrong, what’s sinful and what’s not, what’s righteous, if you don’t go to the perfect manual that God has given to teach us about what’s right and wrong? So we do this examination through the Scriptures and reading the Scriptures.
2. We also can be tested through the fellowship of the saints. That is being part of the body of Christ. And we have brothers and sisters who care for us and who desire our good. And in love, they will gently appoint us in the right direction. They will even confront us if we fall into sin. They will admonish us and they will encourage us in our faith. That’s how we can be examined. Not just taking our own word for it that we’re doing well, we can check in with others.
3. And of course, we’re tested by God through the various trials, temptations, and difficult times which we may endure, which always ought to drive us to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And so in the midst of this examination, we then have the confidence, as David had here, that the outcome will be for our own good and His glory. David knows he isn’t perfect, and so by praying and asking God to refine me and to purify me, he humbly desires to be drawn closer and closer to the Lord.
Exhibits of a Godly Life (verses 3–8)
David’s made his request known to God as he wants God to examine him and declare him righteous because he’s faithfully sought to live a godly life. But what does that godly life look like? What’s been his walk and his manner of living? Well, in verse three to eight, David states his case before God and presents the evidence and the areas of his life to be examined. But again, we note that David doesn’t do this boastfully, but rather as he presents the integrity and the fruit of his life, he acknowledges at the same time that it’s not his own.
Grace Kept Before His Eyes (verse 3a)
First in verse three, David contends, your loving kindness is before my eyes. Remember, the loving kindness of God is his covenant love, his grace, and his mercy that he bestows upon his people. Remember, David was a shepherd boy, and he now has become king. He knows that not only because of God’s covenant love and grace poured out upon him, that he is where he is. That’s why he’s there, because of God’s grace in his life. And so he keeps God’s covenant love ever before him, to remind him of his own unworthiness, to lead him and to guide him to this greater glory.
The Apostle Paul expresses a similar thought in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 10, he says,
but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored much abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was in me.
The grace and mercy of God’s covenant love has been shown to us, we know most fully, in the person and the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus endured the wrath and curse of God in our place so that we might be reconciled to God, no longer strangers and enemies, but sons and daughters of the living God.
Beloved God, you would do well to keep this great truth before your eyes, believing in it, trusting in it, reminding yourself of it every day and every moment of the day. By grace, you’ve been saved through faith, not of your own works, but through the work of Christ. Take note, because this will be on the final exam.
A Regard for God’s Word (verse 3b)
A second, David’s life has been marked by a regard for God’s word. In the second part of verse three, I have walked in your truth. God’s truth has been graciously revealed to us in his word, the Bible. And for David, this especially meant the laws of God given through Moses. To walk in God’s truth then is to be diligent, to be obedient to God’s laws, to walk in God’s truth and obey his commandments. You must first know them.
Some people attempt to live a godly life but they have no idea what a godly life is because they don’t know the Word of God and what He’s revealed about how we’re to live. And so they create their own standard of godliness that in reality will fall way short of God’s perfect standard. While others at the same time will blatantly denounce God’s truth as fairy tales and they’ll strip it of all authority and influence. And so either out of intent or ignorance, these reject God’s truth.
But we’re called to diligently study the word, to meditate upon it, to hide it in our hearts and obey its commands. For we know in obeying the commands of God, we show our love to him. As Jesus charged, if you love me, keep my commandments. Sincere knowledge of and faithful obedience to the truth of God’s word will be on that final exam.
Separation from the World (verses 4–5)
In verse 4 and 5, David demonstrates his firm commitment to separate himself from the world. Note his conviction, as twice he essentially says, I do not and I will not follow in the way of the wicked. And not only will he not do evil, but neither will he align himself with those who do.
There’s a necessary but challenging line that David is drawing here. It’s challenging because the wicked are all around us, so how can we effectively separate from them? And how do we do this without being prideful and arrogant, giving the impression that we’re better than everyone else? These challenges are what we face when we seek to be in the world, but not of it.
We can’t totally withdraw from the world because Christ has called us to be witnesses and to be beacons of hope in the world. But at the same time, we can’t allow ourselves to be caught up in and influenced by the godlessness that’s all around us. And here’s where knowing the word of God is going to be a great help, to help us be wise and discerning about what is and what isn’t pleasing and acceptable in God’s sight. And there are certain activities that we shouldn’t do, things we shouldn’t say, appearances we shouldn’t imitate, or people we shouldn’t make our closest friends. The principles we glean from the Bible tells us yes to all those.
Paul urges in 1 Corinthians 15,
do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits.
And so friends be warned, how much you’re influenced by the world will be on that final exam.
Cleansing from Sin (verse 6)
In verse 6, David notes that he’ll seek cleansing from sin. I will wash my hands in innocence. Now, there is perhaps in these next few verses an allusion to the ceremony of the tabernacle worship. When the priests would offer up the sacrifice, they would walk around the altar to show that due attention should be given to what was being done, but before the priest could offer the sacrifice, he himself needed to be cleansed. And so there was a washbasin between the altar and the tent, which the priests used for their ritual cleansing.
Well, this is what David is referring to here in Psalm 26, and it shows his desire is to come into the presence of God with clean hands and a pure heart. Now in the Old Testament, the people were cleansed of their sin by trusting in God’s satisfaction through the sacrificial system. And those sacrifices pointed forward, that we know, to what we now enjoy in the New Covenant era, trust in the once for all perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.
We gain cleansing from sin when we confess our sins to God, knowing that when we do, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins because of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us. So in the final exam, God will examine whether or not we’ve been cleansed by Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Praise (verse 7)
A fifth area of examination is whether we’ve given thanks and praise to God by bearing testimony to the works and wonders of His amazing grace. We see this in verse 7. David’s thanksgiving and praise is an acknowledgment that what he’s done and how he’s lived his life is because of what God has done for him, in him, and through him. David doesn’t sing, I will tell of all my wondrous works. But I tell of all your wondrous works. The fruit that David’s born in his life for the glory of God is because of the grace of God upon him.
The same is true as for us. And we ought to give thanks and praise to God for everything in our lives, especially the fruit that we bear for his glory. Jesus says in John 15,
I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.
We ought to be diligent then to praise God for this fruit and bear witness to others of the wonders of God’s grace that he’s worked in our own lives. And so, yes, our testimony will be examined.
Love for God’s Dwelling (verse 8)
Well, final area of examination is found in verse 8, where David proclaims that he loves the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. Well, this, of course, was in the tent where the Ark of the Covenant was. And David loved to be in God’s house because in it he found the very presence of God.
But friends, we know now that the glory and the presence of God isn’t found in some building on some mountain on the Middle East, but it’s found in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who became flesh and dwelt among us, that in him the fullness of the Godhead dwells. And so then to love the place where God’s glory dwells means to love Christ. But if you believe in Christ, well, then his spirit now dwells in you. And so that means that the glory of Christ now dwells in each and every one who calls upon his name in faith.
And so together, we are the body of Christ. And so to love the dwelling place of the Lord also means loving the church, not the building, but the people, your brothers and sisters in Christ. And Christ has called us to love one another, for by this others will know that we are his disciples. But loving one another, by loving another, we show our love for God’s glory. And as with the other areas, how faithfully we love God’s house, God’s people, and God’s glory will be on the final exam.
The Verdict That Overturns Every Good Work (verses 9–11)
And so this is the case that David has made for his life. But even all this he knows would be nothing if it weren’t for his confidence in the grace of God. Verse nine, David makes another plea. Do not gather my soul with sinners.
Again, David isn’t boasting, but he realizes that if all this fruit that he’s born was just of himself, well, then it would be counted as dead and rotten. He acknowledges that if he were to trust and rely in his own works, then he’d be counted as a cheater, that he would be numbered with the wicked and he would fail that exam. So insufficient and worthless are his works in and of themselves. And so he pleads in verse 11, redeem me and be merciful to me. So even with all these good works, David knows that he needs to be redeemed by God. He knows that he needs the grace of God to be poured out upon him in great abundance.
Friends, take a special note of this. The so-called good works that you do will not redeem you. They won’t save you. They won’t secure for you a passing grade on that final exam. As the prophet Isaiah proclaims, our righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s sight. They’re worthless to secure eternal life. It is only by the grace of God that we’re saved.
Now, it’s true that after you profess faith in Christ, God calls us and even enables us to do good works, which Christ has set before us. But friends, those good works don’t maintain your salvation. They don’t keep you saved. No, because even the maintenance of your salvation depends solely upon the all-sufficient grace of God.
Feet on Level Ground (verse 11)
And this is what David understood. And it’s the very thought of God redeeming him and being gracious to him that enables him to gain a firm assurance as he’s going through this examination. Verse 11, but as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Here, David confirms or commits to staying on the same path on which the grace of God has placed him. He doesn’t doubt. He knows that he’ll continue to walk with wholehearted devotion toward God. He’s not going to be perfect. He knows that, but he will walk in the grace of God, resting in that grace to get him through to the end.
And he doesn’t worry about his feet slipping or sliding. For his foot is firmly planted on an even or level place. That is, he’s going to pass the exam. He knows that with confidence, he has assurance that he’s going to be vindicated. He’s going to be justified before his enemies. He’s going to be sanctified, washed and cleansed before God. And he’ll be glorified because of the amazing grace of God at work in his life. For this he has great reason to rejoice and sing, blessing God in worship.
Conclusion: Ready for the Last Day
Brothers and sisters, what about you? Are you ready for life’s final exam? Are you willing to pray even now and ask God to examine you to see if there is any offensive way in you, to refine you and to further conform you to that perfect glorious image of Jesus Christ?
Because if you don’t do that now, then you need to know that God will examine you on the day of judgment. He will examine you. How will he find you on that day? Will you offer up to him your own works of righteousness that are nothing but filthy rags in his sight? Or will he find you resting wholly in His grace and mercy, and the perfect works of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has enabled you to do all these things for His glory.
Friends, the final exam is coming. Believe in Jesus Christ now, and you will not be disappointed on that last great day. And truly, may God alone be glorified, both in you and through you.
Closing Prayer
Let’s pray.
Lord God in heaven, we do rejoice and give thanks for the challenge of your word. And we consider it may be a frightening thing to us to ask you, Lord, to examine us, to purify us, because we know what that means. We know you’re searching eyes, scrutinizing our lives, revealing to us our sin as we study your word. And as we hear the rebukes, the exhortations, the admonishments, the encouragements of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and sometimes those things are not easy to hear. And then also in order to purge and purify us and to conform us to that perfect image, we know that that often sometimes mean bringing difficulties and trials into our lives, even temptations. very difficult things.
But we pray, O God, that you would truly search out our hearts, examine us. We desire to be on that level path as we’re mindful of all that Jesus Christ has done for us, that we might have the assurance and confidence that on that last great day, when we will stand before your glorious presence, And when that examination begins, Christ will stand before us saying, this one is mine. And as he clothes us in his perfect righteous robes, and we pass that exam.
And so we just pray, Father, that you would truly help us to be mindful of these things, that we would seek this examination daily in our lives, that we might be drawn closer to you and closer to that perfect image. And not only that, but that we would be enabled by your grace to do the good works that you call us to do. And that we would truly especially be a witness to those around us not looking down on them, but as those who are where we once were. And so with a great love and compassion toward them, may we reach out to them with the gospel of hope that you give to us through Jesus Christ. Father, we pray that you would richly and abundantly bless that witness, all to the praise of your glorious name. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, amen.