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Today’s readings are taken from Psalms 26, 40, 58, 61, 62, and 64. They take us on a journey from surrender to God to a place where we see the benefits of confidently trusting in Him. 

Psalm 26 had me asking, “Can I truly say what David said in verses 1 and 2”?

“… I have waked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.”

To walk in integrity before the Lord requires complete surrender. “Walking” in this context speaks of action—not just thought or intention.

In Psalm 40 the author revealed the kind of offering God truly desires—not sacrifices or rituals, but faith that leads to our proclamation of His goodness. David declared in verses 9–10,

“I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation... I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness.”

When God delivers us, we are not to keep that deliverance a secret. We’re to share His goodness which becomes a form of, or adds to, public worship. Even when David admits in verse 17,

“I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me”

he is recognizing that a position of dependence on God is not weakness—it’s strength of character being developed by the Father as He forms us into His people who see the value of relationship with Him as being the most important treasure. THAT's PUBLIC WORSHIP!

Psalm 58 turns our attention to justice. In verse 11 David writes, 

“Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.” 

We rejoice that God will one day set all right because He is just. But even as we long for that we should also desire His mercy to be poured out on as many as possible—including those who are considered our enemies. Enemies become family when Jesus is in the mix.

In Psalm 61, verse 2, we’re given a metaphor that appears throughout Scripture in the form of a cry that every weary heart shouts, 

“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

God is our Rock—the church’s foundation, our refuge, and our strength. One of my favorite “rock” passages is from Daniel 2, where we see this Rock in the Old Testament as Christ Himself, the uncut stone that crushes the kingdoms of the world and establishes God’s eternal reign.

In Psalm 62 we’re reminded where not to set our hope in verse 10,

“If riches increase, set not your heart on them.”

God may bless us with riches, but our joy is not found in wealth—it’s found in the Provider. God is our Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, not just materially but spiritually.

And finally this morning in Psalm 64 we’re given assurance of God’s protection. Though there is no single Hebrew word for “Protector,” His names throughout Scripture reveal His nature:

  • Jehovah Nissi – The Lord is my Banner
  • Jehovah Sabaoth – The Lord of Hosts
  • Jehovah Rohi – The Lord is my Shepherd
  • Jehovah Magan – The Lord is my Shield

When reading verse 7,

“God shoots His arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly…”

I pictured the Lord, my Banner—Jehovah Nissi—spreading the covering of His kingdom over me like a victorious standard. I saw the Lord of Hosts—Jehovah Sabaoth—rising in His incomparable might to defend His people. I envisioned my Shepherd—Jehovah Rohi—ensuring that not one of His own was left behind. And I saw my Lord, my Shield—Jehovah Magen—standing between me and every foe, rendering the enemy powerless before Him.

Takeaway: To walk in integrity is to live in submission to the will and rule of God. To trust Him as our Rock, Provider, and Protector. Let your steps today, your words, and your heart declare what David wrote in Psalm 40:17, 

"The Lord takes thought for me; He is my help and my deliverer."