Despite the danger of evil associates, David remained confident that he would not slip, and that he would securely stand in an even place!
v1-3, It is not David’s reputation in the eyes of other people that concerns him but rather God’s reputation that he desires. What does our heart really desire? Read John 3:19-21.
David expressed a desire to be “evaluated” by God from inside himself “kidneys & heart” is a Hebrew phrase of expressing all our inner feelings & even logic. Today we talk about “mind & heart” containing logic & feelings but in ancient times, people spoke of this internal examination as focusing on our kidneys & heart.
Are we brave enough to ask God to evaluate us? Consider 1st Corinthians 11:26-28 and ask ourselves this: Do we really know who’s presence we are in when we are being instructed to examine ourselves?
“God’s Loyalty motivated David’s integrity” Do we really believe God is faithful?
v4-8, David tried to live pure, under the assumption that at least some kind of association with these people was morally wrong. We might say that he took 1st Corinthians 15:33 to heart a thousand years before Paul wrote the words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit: Evil company corrupts good habits. If we considered the possibility of not being able to “appear before God’s altar”, then maybe more of us would make it to worship with God’s people, but instead, church attendance remains small. See Hebrews 10:24-25.
Most of a Christians’ associations in the world begin in this threefold order: 1-Entertainment. 2-Employment. 3-Education. Then when we are grown adults, we have already grown well rooted associations with evil. Consider how evil entertainment can be? Or how school sports is presented as ‘fun’ but quickly turns into the no#1 priority for getting into college? How money from employment can be an object of love? Also, consider lies we are taught in our education by the actions of teachers, which speak louder then their words. The biggest lie we are all told in school is this: “Religion is valuable and good for you, but not important enough to be in your curriculum” , or, “The muslim’s God is the same monotheistic God of the christian”, and also, the lie that says “The theory of evolution is more credible than the theory of creation or the theory of a supreme designer over all the design we see in our universe & biology.
v9-12, Note David’s confident proclamation. Despite the danger to his life, despite the presence of the wicked, (with God helping him) he would walk in his integrity. David’s declaration of his “foot standing in an even place”, may be a reminder of what Jesus taught about building our house on the rock and not sand. Compare Psalm 40:2, Luke 6:48 with Matthew 16:18, and decide who the rock is on which we should stand?
Epaggelia 