This psalm begins and ends with the desire to bring blessing to the covenant God of Israel (יְֽהוָה). David sees a way for this to occur in his life through his integrity, his moral uprightness or righteousness. We find this can only be found in a person who has a right relationship with God and who walks in fellowship with Him.
Due to the topic of this psalm, David’s integrity and God’s grace, many declare that this psalm was written before his failing with Bathsheba. However, the false accusations and the mood of the psalm place it about the time of Absalom’s rebellion with all the false accusations coming against David. This is why it is placed here, in this study, and not prior to 2 Samuel 11.
The words of David, to some, seem proud and boisterous. However, they are no different from his words in Psalm 139.23 where he asks God to search his heart.
Someone once said, “Look at others and be distressed; look at self and be depressed; look at Jesus and you will be blessed.” The thoughts of this anonymous saying present themselves in this psalm. David encourages us to look and examine ourselves (1-5), to focus ourselves on the God of our covenant (6-10), and continue to serve Him (11-12). The only way to truly be blessed is to realize that we are servants of the Most High and serve others in His name. This is true life.
Verses 1-5-Are you living the life God created for you to live? Examine yourself today. Read our study on Psalm 1 for a call to examine your life.
Verses 6-10-When we look at ourselves, we can get depressed. When we look to others, we can get upset or frustrated or proud. When we focus on God, we can walk on water and we can also see the standard to which He has called us. It is not us or our world that is our standard, it is He who created us who is the standard (Romans 3.23).
In verses 3–5, David presents six reasons for his integrity:
- He calls on God’s grace, not his works.
- He basis his daily walk on the truth of God’s Word, not his desires, which only someone indwelt with the Spirit of God can claim.
- He proclaims that he has not joined in with others whose purpose is to walk away from God.
- He refuses to walk with those who have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3.1-5).
- He does not gather together with those who seek to do evil. The congregation he seeks is where he can serve God by serving others.
- He refuses to commune with those who propose wickedness. He knows he sits at God’s table (see our study of Psalm 23).
How do you measure up to these six reasons?
Verses 11-12-God calls us, knows us, will conform us ultimately into the image of His Son; He called us, He made us righteous, and He will bring it to completion (Romans 8.28-30 and Philippians 1.6). It is all about Him, not us. He has chosen to use His body, the church, as the chosen instrument to help our conformity to His image through the work of the Holy Spirit. Are you involving yourself in the local congregation? Are you actively praising God by serving others there? If not, you are not walking in integrity. This is the heart of this psalm, David’s desire to worship God with God’s people (6-8). David knew in order to do this he needed to be a man in right relationship with God and in fellowship with Him. Jesus stated this in Matthew 5.23-24.
Have God examine your heart today.