We have been reading through the Psalms these last weeks of summer and now into the autumn. Today will be our last sermon for this season in the book of Psalms. And our text this morning is what was read to us earlier, Psalm 26. Psalm 26, and I will review the whole of it, but I want to speak in particular about how David was able to pray such a prayer that turned into a song. How is it that he could be so bold to say what he said? Scott pointed that out to us, and maybe you noticed when you read, vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. Those are pretty bold words, right? In other words, I'm not to blame. Vindicate me. Psalm 26, I think, is a familiar situation to all of us here. As you read, you see that David is in a rather tough spot. He is not comfortable. In fact, he's suffering through it. Life for this man, for the king, has not been easy. Challenges are coming at him from different directions. And now he's sitting there and he's wondering, what have I done to deserve this? Have you ever said that to God? What have I done to deserve this? Maybe you have said, Lord, I certainly do deserve this. And then you just kick yourself again and again and again. I was just talking to a fella who does just that. He cannot embrace the forgiveness of God. And whereas God forgives him, he doesn't forgive himself. And he knows nothing of the love of God. He told me that he is trying to learn, trying to accept it, but he's finding it very hard. David is a man who's quite aware of the love of God. And he's able to embrace the love of God, participate in the love of God. Look at what he says in verse three. Here David takes this love of God, he uses it as a handle. He runs to God and he grabs that handle, that lever, and he holds on to it, knowing that it is the love of God that allows him to speak the way he's speaking. Look at what he says, verse three. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. Your steadfast love is right in front, I see it. Your loving kindness is right there, right in front of me, and I walk in it. Like walking in the rain, you can't help but get drenched. You can't help but get wet when you're walking in the rain. So he walks in the love of God and he can't help but be drenched by that love. Psalm 26 reveals the heart of Israel's king. It's obvious that this man has looked into the mirror of his own soul And he has closely analyzed his walk with God. Look at what we see there. Verse four, he has contemplated his attitude. He says, Lord, I avoid evil. In fact, verse five, he says, I hate evildoers. He has also considered his actions, how he's been living, what he's been doing. And in verse six, he says, Lord, I am innocent. David has considered also his appetites. He has pondered what brings pleasure to him. And so at verses seven and eight, he is thankful to God and he worships God. And the worship of God is actually David's delight. Can you say that? That I actually find great pleasure in worshiping God. Now many of us could say I find a lot of peace in worshipping God. I find a lot of rest in worshipping God. It's become a part of my routine because I need it. But let me ask you this. Do you find delight in worshipping God? David does. In fact he says it is my pleasure to be in the house of God. Can you say that? In our context, it would be, I find pleasure being in church. And his analysis of himself has brought about a very particular confidence that most Christians are reluctant to have. It has also brought to him a fearlessness. He is fearless and willing to place himself under the microscope of God's evaluation. He is willing to expose himself fully. He said, God, take a very close look at me. And he does so joyfully and without any reservation whatsoever. Look at what he says at verse two. He says, prove me, O Lord, and try me. Place me under the microscope. Test my heart and my mind. These are astoundingly bold words. Can you say this? Can you echo these words, these sentiments, fearlessly? Lord, look at me very closely. I'm not afraid of what you're going to find. Now, how is it, how is it that David could be so bold and approach God's throne this way? Look at what he says, verse one. Vindicate me, O Lord. I have led a blameless life. Wow. Look at verse 11. He says, redeem me and be merciful to me. Well, how does he do this? How is he so able to look at himself and say, Lord, I'm okay if you look really close at my heart? How is it that he can come so boldly before God? Well, here's the answer. You'll notice here that the entire psalm is grounded in David's focus on God's steadfast love. Steadfast meaning it doesn't change. It doesn't grow lesser. And it cannot grow greater because it is already as great as it can be. The song we just sang. If all the oceans of the world were ink, and all the stalks in this land were quills to write with, And the skies were scrolled to write on. As big as the skies are, we still would not be able to write about all of the love of God. David knew that. I think that sometimes, often, we merely sing about it. The immensity of God's love for you, Christian. God's not even asking you to love yourself so much. He's saying, I love you to this degree. And that's a good question. Why? Because of grace. Grace. Now notice that David is not saying that he is sinless. When he says that he's innocent, he's not saying, I have never sinned or I do not sin. In fact, in verse 11, he says, be gracious to me. Only a sinner needs grace. So he knows himself. He's quite aware of who he is and what he does and what he should not do, but he does do. So he's not saying I am sinless. He is saying, however, I am innocent because God is forgiving. God is gracious. And so he's able to come before God with this deep boldness because he understands the love of God far beyond what we do. The love of God makes him bold and allows him to come before the Lord without fear, willingly, willingly. What we see here David doing is affirming that the whole intent of his life is to do the will of God. He's not saying I'm perfect, therefore you have to be good to me, God. You have to love me because look at me, I'm very lovable. Now, he is saying, Lord, I know you love me despite who I am, but please understand that the entire intent of my life is to know you and enjoy you forever, to serve you, oh God. That's my intent. In other words, my life is pointed towards the cross of Jesus Christ. That is to say that the goal of this man was to know God and serve God And that is what he constantly presses toward. Now, we know he failed. We read about it in the scriptures. We know that because he was human, there were times in which he didn't just slip up. He really botched it. However, he's able to come before the Lord so boldly because he says, Lord, I know you love me and it is my goal in life to know you and serve you. My life is geared towards you. You first, you alone, you always. That's my intent. And Lord, I confess that at times I lose my focus. At times I am detoured by my own passions. But God's grace brings me back and Lord, you know my heart. I want to know you and I want to serve you. And as David grew older, it became more and more his practice. Two things come about as a result of knowing this love for God and navigating towards Christ, towards God, ongoingly. Two things I'll point out to you. One is this. God's deep love allows David to approach the holy throne of God boldly. I know I've said that, but I want to emphasize it again. He's able to approach the throne of God boldly. Why? Because he has experienced God's loving kindness. Look at verse three. He says, I walk in your faithfulness. He trusts as a result in God's unchanging love. In fact, he treasures the love of God. And so God's loving kindness permits David to come to him willingly, without fear, boldly. It's like a child who understands a mother's love. And he always runs back to her lap. Because mom loves me. No matter who I am, no matter what I've done, my mother loves me. And so David knows God to be his loving father. And so he's able to approach God. He does so without fear. Here's a second result of this love of God and David's determination to know and participate in the love of God. Not only does he trust God because of God's overwhelming love, but notice the same unchanging love has also generated a passion in David for God and the things of God. So it's not that I just appreciate your love, Jesus, but your love has actually built up in me, generated up in me, in my heart, in the deepest elements of my soul, a love for you and a love for what is of you, for the things of God. Look at what we read at verse 8. I love the habitation of your house, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells. In our context, I love your church, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells. You see, the love of God generated a love for God. and for the things of God. Now, why do I point it out to you? Well, because it's part of God's revealed truth. And as part of God's revealed truth, I want you to know what is possible and even necessary in you. I'm not just pointing out this so that you can say, wow, David, pretty neat guy. I can't wait to meet him in heaven. I wish I was more like him. Well, my friends wish no more because you can be and you ought to be. that you would know God's love so much, but so much, that in turn, you would fall in love with God, with Christ, and the things of God. David was a living witness of the attraction of God's steadfast love, and a living witness of how that same divine love propels the believer to live properly before God. It's like a moth to a light bulb. The moth just can't help it. It's getting hotter, but I'm still going to keep going, right? I was speaking at a Bible study recently, and I used that very illustration. And the guy said, yeah, but the moth dies. So that's true. Every illustration has its limits, doesn't it? However, in Christ, moth, the closer you get to Christ, the more life you have, the more you live. The closer you get to that ever attractive love of God, the more you want to drink from the love of God. God's loving kindness is also extended to each and every single one of us. So my friends, we can each participate in his steadfast love. A love that never changes, Never ceases. Doesn't need to increase because it is at its max already. A love that will never decrease no matter who you become or what you do. The love of God is yours. Do you believe that? I suppose intellectually it's easy to accept but I know many people who in their hearts emotionally they cannot accept that. But listen carefully. The love of God will not change towards you because you're less lovable tomorrow. An unchanging, steadfast love. Through Jesus Christ in you, you can have fellowship in this steadfast love. And so this morning what I want to do is share with you four very basic points, but very important points, very much overlooked points, on how to participate in the love of God that we see David doing just that, participating, experiencing, knowing the love of God. And my four points come from a pastor from A day's gone by from the 19th century from Bath, England. His name is William Jay, and you've heard me quote him many times before. If you come across anything that Pastor William Jay wrote, I recommend you read it. It will only do you good. I enjoy reading him. My wife reads him all the time, and she sends me portions to read as well, and I never regret taking the time to read it. Now, I've already made two points for you, right? God's love allows us to boldly approach the throne of grace, and number two, God's love generates a passion for God and the things of God. But here are four points on how we can participate in the love of God, so that we will better know the love of God, so that we'll be better able to respond to the love of God, so that we can echo the words of David in Psalm 26. This is the first point. If you want to participate in the love of God, actively think about God's unchanging love. Well, you're doing that right now, but outside of this hour here, you need to find time in which you will actively, intentionally think about the love of God. Our minds are continuously active, no question about it, and we are bombarded with words, with sounds, with images, 24-7. The airwaves battle for our attention. Our children cry for our attention. Our bosses require our attention. Podcasts advertise themselves as being the leading, best way in which you're going to receive the analysis on whatever topic it is you're looking to learn about. You've got to listen to me. And I find myself listening. And I say, hmm. That wasn't as good as I thought. But you see, I spent quite a bit of time listening to find out whether or not it was really the best analysis. You see, there's numerous things that are clamoring for my attention. My emails never stop. Whenever I think I've caught up, I discover that there's another 20 waiting. And that's why it's so important that we discipline our thoughts. and that we purpose within ourselves to meditate on God and his love. You actually have to stop and think about the love of God, to purposely set aside time to meditate on the depth of God's loving kindness. A friend of mine goes to the park to do it. Another goes to his office to do it. I have one friend who actually sets aside retreat days in which he'll set aside the entire day to be by himself to contemplate the love of God, lest he forgets. You might have to find a quiet time. You might have to create a quiet time and a quiet place where you can actually sit down and think about the love of God. Otherwise, you're going to forget it. You see, because the love of God is not this emotional cloud that comes over you and you feel so loved. No, no. You actually have to read about it, and you have to think about it, and you have to pray about it in order to know the love of God. It will be there, but you won't even see it if you don't pause to think about it. The love of God is reigning in you right now. Children of Christ. But you may not feel very loved, why? Because you haven't really thought about it yet today. You need to think about it. David said in Psalm 139.17, How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God, how vast is the sum of them. And we need to simply stop, pause, think about the truths of God, namely His love. So friends, discipline yourself, set aside a time and a place. And I will say at first it will most likely be difficult, but with practice comes routine. It will become easier and easier. Eventually it will become an essential part of your daily routine. I need to think about the love of God because it just fills my soul. It changes my outlook. It lifts up my depression. It gets me through that office day. The love of God. Contemplate the loving kindness of God as it's described here in God's Word. Contemplate how you have witnessed in your very own life the love of God in the past. Think about it. How has God displayed his love to you in the past? Think about history, how God has displayed his love to others in church history or just in world history. Think about God's love as you read the Bible and again and again and again it's promised to you. He's assured you of his love and as you spend time thinking about it, you'll discover that God really does love you. Think about all the times God has shown you his love, and then begin to see the quality of his love, and begin to see the depth of his love. And soon, you're going to realize the timeliness of God's love in your life, that at just the right time, God displayed his love to you. We live in a loveless world, don't we? It's such a loveless culture. Certainly we, even when we do love, it's often not expressed. So contemplate the love of God. Think about it. Psalm 107 verse 43 says, whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord. If you're wise. You know the reverse though, right? If you're foolish, you won't. That's number one. Actively set aside a time to meditate on God's steadfast love. Here's number two. In order to keep the love of God clear in your focus, number two, allow God's love to be your source of encouragement. Very similar, yes, I know, but nonetheless, specific here. Let the love of God be the means by which you find encouragement. We look for encouragement in so many different ways. We like it when people hit that like button. Oh, look how many likes I got. Let the love of God hit that button. Let the love of God be your source of encouragement. When the world seems to be against you, what should you do? Remember God's loving kindness. When promises seem to be unfulfilled, remember the timeliness of God's loving kindness. When sin guilts you and plagues your conscience and a sense of unworthiness comes over you, When you are beaten by your imperfections, remember the depth of God's love to you. Let me read of God's love for you. In Romans chapter 8, beginning of verse 38 in your New Testament, Romans 8, reads this way. For I am sure, not I think, not I wonder, not I've been told, Paul writes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Are you beginning to feel loved? God's love will be an ointment to your wounds. Now, notice that in God's love, he doesn't call on us to rationalize our sin. Well, you know, I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't done this first. Or, you know, my boss made me do it. You know, there's so many things we can do to rationalize our sin. God is not saying that. He's not saying, well, I'm going to diminish your sin so that you'll feel more loved. He does not dismiss our wrongs as if they were no big deal. He doesn't sweep our imperfections under the carpet. No, this is what God's love does. God's love actually transcends our sins. It transcends the pain of our wounds and imperfections. And it is God's love that will thrust us to a place where we actually then want to love him and want to serve him more. One of my favorite verses in the scriptures, Matthew chapter 12, verse 20. A bruised reed he, God will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not stuff out. Ever seen a candle? It looks like it's gonna go out, it's flickering. And so what do you do? You blow it out. Have you ever felt like that flickering candle? I'm about to get blown out. I can't do this. Life is too hard. God doesn't come and say, enough with you. No, his love, his love will actually cause the flame to rise and burn better. bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out till he thrusts or leads justice to victory. You know at times God's love comes to us in a form of discipline. I thank him even if his love is in a form of discipline. Because he loves you, he would correct you. And he does so for your own good, for his glory, but you're good. What good father would not discipline an erring child? That's what God does. He's a good father. So make the knowledge of God your source, the knowledge of God's love, your source of encouragement. Which means you have to contemplate it, you have to meditate on it. Let that love grow in you, let that love encourage you. When you're down and out, remember this, my God's love is as deep, as deep as it needs to be. So deep it cannot get any deeper. And let that be your courage. Let that get you through the day. Because if God loves you, who can be against you? It doesn't matter. You say, well, a lot of people could still be against me. But it doesn't matter. Why? Because God loves you. Number three, if you want to participate in the love of God, use God's love as a means of exciting you to praise him. Use the love of God as a means by which you will now be encouraged, excited, compelled to praise him. You know, too much of a good thing often makes us complacent, doesn't it? Complacent means that I am self-satisfied. I don't want any more of it. Sometimes we become complacent. Sometimes we just become apathetic. In other words, I'm just not interested. I don't care about that stuff. Sometimes too much of a good thing makes us complacent and apathetic. I know that there's a Brazilian dessert that my wife makes occasionally for me. She knows I love it. It's called Pudim de Leite Condensado. Can you say that? It's a mouthful, isn't it? Pudim de Leite Condensado. It's condensed milk pudding. Otherwise known in Spanish, that was Portuguese, in Spanish, known as fun. Much easier, right? The Spanish is much easier, F-L-A-N. Have you had fun before? Many of you have. It's a custard. I love it. My wife makes it better than my mother. Oh, yeesh. But the truth is, as soon as she makes it, I dive into it. But what I've noticed of late is that in the refrigerator will sit a little piece, that last piece, for a week or so, until she gets rid of it. And why is it? Because too much of a good thing makes us complacent, and we're just not interested in it anymore. And so my wife waits a few months before she makes it again, and I jump at it as if I've only had it once before in my life. Well, so it is with the love of God. We are so used to it, but so used to it. It's always there. We're like, ah, I've had some of that before. I'm not interested in it right now. Those who are long in the faith tend to grow accustomed and familiar with participating in the love of God and they become complacent towards the love of God. In other words, we just don't appreciate it like we used to. It happens in marriages too. But certainly it happens in our relationship with our God. Too often we are like the ten lepers who were all healed by Jesus Christ. You recall. How many came back to say thank you and worship Christ? Just one. One out of 10. Just one out of 10. Only one realized the love of God. The others were like, I'm sure he's loving. Thanks. I got to go. I really appreciate it, but I got to go. This one came back, fell on his knees, and worshiped God because of the love of God, the love of Christ. God's love is so common in our lives that we rarely even notice it. And for that reason, we rarely worship Him because of it. My friends, I think, I think that if we all had a better understanding of the depth of God's love this morning, the roof would be blown out when we sang. It didn't sound that way. And because we don't remember that God loves us so much, and we've forgotten how unworthy we are, of his love. The love of God is so dimly remembered by us. Jay writes, nothing can impress us when it is out of our minds and thoughts. Isn't that the truth? You can't be impressed by something you don't think about. And when we don't think about God's love, well we're honestly not impressed by it. Maybe we need to think more. We so infrequently consider the love and mercy of God, for that matter, that when there is no occasion to lift up our arms and plead to God, we don't even think of his love. We don't even think of his mercy, unless there's a problem. And then we wonder, Lord, why do I have problems? Well, could it be, could it be that the reason we have problems is that so God will say, well, you should be worshiping me. And the only time you worship me is when there are problems. The only time you think of me and you appreciate my mercy and my love and my grace is when you have problems. Friends, it's like we're saying, Lord, lay it on me so that I'll remember you. Give me problems because it's the only time I really actually want to worship you. So wonder no more. It will cause us to worship. Well, then good. Though it never feels good. You see, David loved the house of God because it was a means by which he could worship God along with the others. He said, you, you too? You know the love of God like I do? Let's worship together. We need, my friends, to be constantly vigilant and consistently versed in the power of God's love, in the privilege of God's love, in the pleasure of God's love, and the frequency of God's love. Don't forget those four. We need to constantly be thinking of the power of His love, the privilege of His love, the pleasure of His love, and the frequency of His love, and then, in return, worship Him for it. God's love should push you to worship Him. Remember what we studied back a few weeks ago in Psalm 103, verses 1 and 2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being. Praise His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Again, Jay writes, we inscribe our affections on a rock, like a tombstone, right? We write the dearest things about people on a rock. And why do we put it on a rock? Because it's going to be there for decades and centuries, lest that person be forgotten. We write of our affections in monuments etched in a stone so that that person will be remembered. He writes, we inscribe our affections on a rock so that they will never be forgotten. But we write of God's loving mercy in the sand of the seashore. And the first wave of trouble washes them away. My friends, this is what we should do. we should write about our afflictions in the sand, and etch the words of God's love on the canvas of our hearts, so that when time passes, we will forget our afflictions, but we will not forget the love of God. And as a result, we will worship him. You will know what else to do but worship him. Lord, how can I worship you more? Here's number four, last one. God's love should cause us to worship him. And last, God's love should allow us, allow us, compel us to use God as our example for imitation. Allow God's love to be your example which you will imitate. The imitators of me as I am of Christ, that's what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11. Follow me, he said, as I follow the example of Christ. In short, look at what we see here in that little phrase. Paul repeats it several times in the scriptures. In short, he's saying the Christian is to follow the example of God, the example of Jesus Christ. It's not so much Paul saying, follow me. He is saying, follow me to the extent that I follow Christ. Therefore, you are following Christ. Follow the example of Christ. And what is the example of Christ? Love. We cannot be like God in his amoral attributes or in his non-communicable attributes. In other words, we cannot be like God in the sense that God is omnipotent or omniscient or omnipresent. In fact, I think that's one of the reasons why these Marvel movies do so well at the box office, because they are larger-than-life heroes who resemble God in his non-communicable attributes. But we are not called to be concerned with being great like God. That was Eve's problem. She wanted to be great like God. That's not what we're called to be. We are called to imitate Him so that we will revere Him. Don't be great like God. Imitate God so that you will worship God. So that you will revere God. So that you will reflect him to others and God would be glorified. He doesn't want you to be great. He wants you to be like him. So that he would receive glory. So, listen, we cannot be omnipotent. We're not omniscient. But we can imitate his moral attributes. We can be kind. We can be holy, at least holier. We can be just. We can be good. We can be forgiving. And look, we can be loving. Just as he is loving. In this sense, we are then imitators of Jesus Christ. In Luke chapter 6, Jesus Christ said, but I tell you who hear me. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. What is Christ saying? He is saying this is what I do. This is what you should do. Love like I love you. Love to the degree that I have loved you. Ephesians 4.32, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as Christ God forgave you. Imitate Jesus Christ. God is love. And we cannot equal him, but happiness comes to those who resemble him. Unity comes to a church that strives to imitate him. Peace comes to those who follow his example. So there you have it, my friends. Four ways to participate in the love of God. One, actively think about God's unchanging love. Number two, allow God's love to be your source of encouragement. Number three, use God's love as a means of exciting you to praise him. And number four, allow God's love to be your example, which you will imitate. And that's why David is able to close the psalm with verse 12. Look at what he says at verse 12. My foot stands on level ground in the great assembly. I will bless. I will praise the Lord. My foot stands on level ground. I am safe. I am stable. Why? Because of the love of God. because of the love of God. He wants to participate in it. I pray my hope for you as pastor is that you will too. Let me pray. Our Lord and Savior, we thank you for your unchanging love. A love that never ceases. A love that does not have to grow. A love that has taken each one of your children to itself so that you would be not only our God and our King, our Savior, but the one who loves us with deepest and greatest love. And for that we thank you. Amen.