David: A Walk In Integrity

Temple Baptist Church - 2-19-2012

Psalm 26

Introduction:


A. In this Psalm, David speaks of his integrity in verses 1 and 11. He associates integrity with how he acts around sin and interacts with sinners. It is integrity that causes God’s man to stand in an even place.

B. Integrity is a state or quality of being entire or whole; an undivided or unbroken state. For example, “the integrity of the oil tanker’s hull is intact.” It means there are no breaches or cracks. It is still sound and complete. A man or woman of integrity is a person who is morally sound without any compromises or “cracks” in their character where the world can leak in and corrupt their principles.

C. Character is developed, it is not inherent! You can be born into the richest, most influential family in the world and have no character. This truth has been established in many born into rich or royal families. Children are born in innocence but they are also born in sin! They do not have to learn sinfulness as that is bred into their “natural man.”

D. Children must be trained to do right. A child can be trained to do right and still resent it so there must be a time in their lives when they choose to do good because it is right. Battles with the flesh and circumstances in this world develop either character or a lack of it. Character or integrity is a personal choice.

E. Therefore, Integrity is rooted in your private life; integrity is reflected in your personal life; integrity is reinforced in your professional life; then integrity is revealed in your public life. Integrity is not rooted in the public life: it is only revealed there! Integrity is not rooted in our professional life. It is only reinforced there. Those with little integrity will eventually be exposed publicly. If we have integrity it is reinforced in our everyday professional dealings where we beat out its principles on the anvil of personal experience.

F. Integrity is that part of you that lives in close communion and fellowship with the Lord himself. When we root our integrity with Him alone, then just as natural as water running downhill, our integrity will be reflected to those in our personal world with whom we love and live, reinforced in our professional world with those with whom we work and play and revealed in the public world for the glory of God.

G. David purposed in his heart to “walk in integrity” and spent his life developing it. The Psalms reveal some areas of David’s integrity:


1. David learned to place his life in God’s hands - Psalms 3:2-4 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. (3) But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. (4) I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. (Life is hard at best and bad things happen to good people. We can control certain aspects of our lives but there are some things that we cannot control.)
Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

2. David learned to follow his Shepherd - Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (The Lord knows the path ahead; desires only the best for His children; and will lead us in the paths of His choosing.)


3. David learned that it paid to live righteously - Psalms 15:1-2 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. (“What goes around comes around” is a reality. You may pay a price for doing right now but payday will come at a later time.)


4. David learned the benefit of fervent prayer - Psalms 5:2-3 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. (3) My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. (Call unto me! The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much! You may not get what you want the way you want when you want but God will answer in His time and His way!)

5. David learned the value of the God’s of Word - Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. (God’s Word is the “root” from which we grow; it is the foundation upon which we build; and the rock on which we stand! It is more important than our necessary food. Heeding it builds character.)

6. A man after God’s own heart pants after the Lord - Psalms 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; (Speaking of Christ, the New Testament says “who is our life!” He is more than our Lord and Saviour, He is our Life! Without Him we become nothing; with Him all things are possible and life is worth living.)

7. David learned to love the house of the Lord - Psalms 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. (God instituted the local church for several purposes: the mission of reaching a lost world for Christ; the mission of teaching God’s Word and raising our children for Christ; and to meet the manifold needs of His children. We are family and we are friends. In the house of the Lord, we both encourage and are encouraged.)
Psalms 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Psalms 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

8. David learned to trust the Lord patiently in troubles - Psalms 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. (2) He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (3) And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. (God loves His children and will take care of them in the best possible ways. As we do not always rush in and remove every problem for our children, He allows us to grow through our troubles because tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, and experience hope.)
Psalms 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.