David's Love and David's Fear

Let's turn again to Psalm 26.

And we read verse 8 and the beginning of verse 9.

! Psalm 26, verse 8.

Psalms 26:8

O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.

Do not sweep my soul away with sinners.

Now this psalm is very much a psalm of devotion where David is making very clear where his heart lies.

David shows very clearly what he loves and what he hates.

He hates the congregation, the gathering of evil people, of sinners, of those who don't know the Lord, don't want the Lord.

And he shows very clearly that he loves to be in God's house with those who worship the Lord, those who are like-minded with himself.

And our choices will very often reveal where our heart lies.

The choices that we make in life as we go about life very often will indicate to us just what our heart is really about.

And so we find that in Psalm 26, 27 and 28, David is really highlighting, it's a theme that runs through the three psalms, his love of God's sanctuary.

Now as we know, God's house at this time, in David's time, was still the tabernacle.

And you remember how David had, he was saying, it's not right that I'm living in this beautiful palace.

And God's, it's being worshipped in a tent.

And so it was in his heart and his mind to build a temple for the Lord.

Now the Lord was very pleased with David's desire.

But he communicated to David, while your desire is a good one, I'm not going to let you build it.

Because you've been a man of blood.

Because your hands are red with blood.

But David had been a warrior most of his days.

But God said to him, though the desire is right, your son, who will be a man of peace, and that was Solomon, your son will build a temple for me.

So David devoted so much of his time after that towards planning as much as he could,

and of gathering as much wealth as he could for the building of the temple.

Now David is very aware in this psalm that God is the one who proves us and tests us.

He tells us that in verse 2.

That God is the one who searches our heart.

He knows absolutely everything about us.

Our motives, our desires, our inclinations.

Why we do what we do.

Our every thought, our every word, our every action.

And David is, knowing that God knows that about him, is pleading before God his integrity of life and heart.

Now we know that David was an incredibly faithful servant of God.

The life of David, as you read it, is a life that was devoted to God and served God and praised God.

Of course, David fell spectacularly.

He fell terribly.

And we know about that.

But the main thrust of David's life, the main way his life was guided,

was in order to serve the Lord and to follow the Lord all his days.

That is very, very clear in David's life.

Now David is aware that not everybody that comes to God's house comes to worship God in spirit and in truth.

That there are hypocrites.

That there are those who use religion, as it were, as a cloak to hide, to cover their evil doings.

They're hypocrites.

And David was wise enough and discerning enough to know who they were.

And he didn't want to keep company with them.

He wanted to keep company with God's people, not with the hypocrites.

And that's why he says in verse 4,

I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.

I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

So David's life was a life that tried to keep from the evil company

and a life that enjoyed being with the fellowship of God's people.

And we find that in David, in fact, his walking, we find that in verses 1 and 3.

He says, I have walked in my integrity.

And he says, I walk in your faithfulness.

And then again, we find, as we saw in verse 4, that he does not sit with the hypocrites.

And we find that his foot stands on level ground in verse 13.

So we see that whether David is sitting or standing or walking,

that his life is a life of dedication to the Lord.

And what an example to you and to me as well,

that in all that we're about, in our getting up, in our sitting, in our standing, and in our walking,

God was always at the forefront of everything that he did.

And I'm sure we can all identify when David says that he loves God's house.

And I'm sure most of you here would say the same.

I love God's house.

I'm sure many of you would have to say there was a day when you didn't particularly love God's house.

There might be some of you here, I don't know,

that it wasn't your practice for a long time to go to God's house.

There might be others of you, and you've been in God's house all your life,

from the time you were a little child.

And often, thinking back before coming to faith,

sometimes we went grudgingly to church.

Sometimes we went out of a sense of duty,

because we thought we'd better.

Sometimes we went because maybe we enjoyed to a certain extent.

But it wasn't our real heart.

And sometimes we went thinking that God owed us something.

You know, there were times, maybe way back,

when you thought, you know, if I go to church,

maybe God will do something for me.

We're trying to bargain with God a wee bit.

So there were various reasons why we might have gone to church.

But then a day came when that changed.

Because that day came when we began to see

that we were sinners in the hand of an angry God.

But the wonderful thing was that side by side with this discovery

was the fact that this angry God had actually made provision

for us as sinners in his Son, Jesus Christ.

And God enabled us, by his grace,

to come to Jesus and to receive Jesus as Savior.

And everything changed.

And tonight, if it's possible that you're still here

and you haven't come to accept Jesus as Savior,

I would plead with you to do so.

Because time is running out.

And we've got to remember, as we sang or read here,

I love the habitation of your house,

the place where your glory dwells.

It's an amazing thought.

That the person of Jesus Christ in the Spirit

that is glorious here,

he has promised to be where his people gather together.

It's a wonderful privilege.

And it's a place above all places in the face of the earth

where we're able to meet with the Lord

and to call upon the Lord.

And every time we gather like this,

it's another opportunity to seek the Lord.

Please do, if you've never done so before,

and ask him to open your eyes

and to open your ears to hear,

your eyes to see,

and your heart to believe.

But the thing is that when we come to faith,

our love is born in our heart right away.

You think back.

Remember when you were converted?

Our love for God

and for all the things of God,

his house, his day, his people,

his word, everything.

You've got this love in your heart

for all that God is

and all the things of God.

Because love, love was born there.

When a baby is born into a family,

there is an intense love in the heart of the parents

for that little baby.

But there is also,

although the little baby cannot understand,

it's far too young to analyze or understand

in any shape or form,

there is also an intense love

in the heart of the baby for the parents.

And as time goes on,

they're able to discern the presence,

the touch.

They're able to discern

that their parents are there

and they nestle in and they love.

And so it is in the Christian life.

There is this growing love,

this growing persuasion

of God's love towards us.

And we love everything

that belongs to him.

And that's why the unbeliever

cannot understand what happens

when a person is converted.

Because maybe,

for some of you,

you think back

and the Christian life

was not your way.

You might have had respect for it,

you might have thought about it,

but it wasn't your way.

You lived for this world

and what this world would give

until this time

that you came to faith.

And your friends

couldn't understand

why

you didn't join with him

at the weekend

the way you used to.

That the fun,

the liveliness

that was part and partial

of your life

over the weekend,

you looked forward

to the weekends,

remember these days?

It shifted.

Your heart shifted.

And so they cannot understand

why you're caught up

in this life,

this church life,

which to them

is boring and dull.

But the fact is,

it's where your heart is.

It's not that somebody

says to you,

now this is what

you've got to do.

It's a natural response

in your heart.

It's what you want to do.

It's where the Lord is

and you want to be

where the Lord is.

So this is the way

that it works.

And so

we find that

as Christians

you will stand up

for the Lord.

That's what David did.

He was a kind,

he always stood up

for the Lord.

If somebody was to trample

on your father

or mother's name

and put it into the dirt

and pour scorn on it,

you would,

you would,

you would be so upset.

You would stand up

for your,

for your,

for your father,

for your mother's name.

And so it is

when we become Christians

that we stand up

for the things

of the Lord.

I'm not ashamed

to own my Lord

or to defend his cause.

Stand up,

stand up for Jesus.

We know

that that's the natural response

that goes on

within our heart.

And so

it is all

because of love.

And so

we love God's house

and that's what

the psalmist

is telling us

because

it's a place of worship.

When you and I

came here tonight,

what was it

that we came to do?

Now I know

that we would say,

well,

I want to meet

with the Lord

and I want to get

something for my soul.

And that's quite

a natural

response

and that's fine.

That's what

we should do.

But if that's all

that we do

when we come

to God's house,

then we're coming

missing

what is integral

to being here.

Because we've come

to the place

where the glory

of God dwells.

and as we heard

this morning,

praise

is vital.

It's not just

about what we

can get,

but it's what

we can give.

Because we've come

to God's house

to give Him

worship,

to adore Him,

to reverence Him,

to give to Him

what is His due.

And it's

a wonderful

privilege

that we have.

love.

And so if

somebody comes

away saying,

oh, you know,

I went to church

and I got

absolutely nothing,

then you have

to see there's

something wrong.

Because wherever

we render

praise and

thanksgiving to

God,

it is inevitable

that blessing

will follow

into our soul.

If it doesn't,

we have to

question

whether we've

come in the

right spirit.

Have we come

with the right

attitude?

Have we come

in order to

praise?

Not just to get,

but to give.

That's always

how we come

to God's house.

And again,

we come to

God's house

because it's

a place of

prayer.

As Scripture

tells us,

my house

shall be

called a

house of

prayer.

And of

course,

we know

prayer is

the heartbeat

of the

Christian life.

As we heard

today,

so much

eloquently

about prayer,

but we know

we pray

for ourselves,

we pray

for our

families,

we pray

for our

neighbors,

we pray

for the

congregation,

we pray

for the

church at

large,

we pray

for the

global

spread of

the gospel,

we pray

for our

rulers and

all in

authority over

us,

we pray

for all

these

things.

And

surely we

should love

God's

house,

because as

it says in

Scripture,

it's a place

where prayer

is want

to be made.

Surely we

want to be

where prayer

is being

made.

And again,

we love

God's house

because we

come to the

place where

we meet

with family,

with new

brothers and

new sisters

in the

Lord.

It's one of

the things

when you

become a

Christian,

you realize

you're entering

into a big

family,

a family of

new brothers

and new

sisters,

and we

learn from

one another.

We're

encouraged by

one another,

sometimes even

rebuked by

one another,

but it's

always,

or should

be,

in love.

And again,

God's house

is a place

of God's

word.

And great

things are

done through

God's word.

When we

come to

God's

house,

as we

said,

we want

to be

nourished,

we want

to be

fed,

we want

to be

built up.

It is a

place,

as I said

earlier on,

where faith

begins.

Faith,

we're told,

comes by

hearing,

and hearing

by the

word of

God.

And

wherever

the word

is preached,

wherever

the word

is read,

then it's

always an

opportunity

for God

to speak

through that

word into

a patient

soul.

It could

be the

reading of

the psalm,

the singing

of the

psalm,

the reading

of scripture,

the preaching

of the

word,

but it's

a word,

it's a

word,

and we

pray that

the word

will do

its good.

God

said,

my word

will not

return to

me void.

And so,

this is a

place where

God's word

is at

work.

It's a

place where

God's word

affects our

souls.

We're

taught,

you look

back over

your life,

you were

taught many

things in

here.

You were

reminded of

many things

in here.

As we

know,

teaching,

a teacher

knows that

teaching isn't

simply about

teaching something

new all the

time.

time.

If you

start to

teach

something,

there is

no way

the whole

class are

going to

grasp right

away what

you've taught

in one

go.

A lot of

teaching

involves

repetition

and reminding.

And so it

is under

God's word.

We don't

remember

everything we've

been taught.

And even

things we do

remember,

often we need

to be told

it again

and again

because while

it's there,

it's not

having any

impact on

our lives.

We're living

as if we

never heard

it at all.

And so it's

important for

us to be

under the

word,

to be taught

from the

word,

and to be

reminded

again and

again of

what the

word is

actually

saying to

us.

And God's

house is a

place of

comfort.

Many a

time,

I'm sure

we've come

in here and

we felt

very low,

broken,

grieved,

sad.

And yet,

when we've

come in,

a change

has taken

place because

God is at

work.

And through

his spirit,

he's,

through the

word,

it's reaching

into our

hearts,

it's touching

us.

And so a

healing begins,

a healing

process has

started.

It's also a

place of

refuge.

Many a

time we've

come in

here and

we might

feel anxious,

are vulnerable,

are unsure.

And we're

looking out

into a

future that

we're filled

with anxiety

about it,

but we

come into

God's

house.

And through

the reading

or the

singing,

God brings

his word to

bear upon

your situation

and you're

strengthened by

it.

Sometimes

when we

come to

God's

house,

we're

rebuked

by the

word.

God

brings

before us

through his

word.

What we

need to

hear brings

before us

our sin.

Sin that

we know

about but

have

dismissed.

Sin that

is

unconfessed.

Sin we're

ignorant of.

Many a

time under

God's

word we've

been brought

face to

face with

this.

And God

rebukes us.

That's

necessary.

Now there's

many other

things we could

say about

God's house

and love for

God's house,

but there's

one other

thing I'm

going to

say.

It's

not just

David who

loves God's

house,

not just

us who

loves God's

house.

God loves

his house.

God loves

this house

and all the

other places

of worship,

of worship

in spirit

and in truth

in Stornoway

far more than

any other

home in

Stornoway.

God loves

the gates

of Zion.

We sang it.

God loves

the gates

of Zion.

That is

speaking about

his dwelling

place, his

sanctuary, more

than all the

dwellings of

Jacob, all

the houses of

Israel that

were dotted

all over.

The one

place that

God loved

above all

was his

place.

So we've

always got to

remember that

God puts a

high place

upon the

place where

we gather

together, the

place where

his honor

and the

place where

his glory

is.

But then

we find the

psalmist taking

a complete

change of

direction and

he says,

do not sweep

my soul

away with

sinners.

Do not sweep

my soul

away with

sinners.

That is kind

of gathering

up what is

to be thrown

away.

gathering away

what is to

be just

got rid

of.

Now you

and I

know that

there's a

gathering of

souls going

on all

the time,

every day

and every

night.

Death is

never silent.

One after

another,

after another,

after another

is being taken

out of this

world.

There's this

constant

movement from

time into

eternity.

eternity.

And it's

a very,

very solemn

thing.

But we

know that

there are

only two

destinies.

The Bible

makes it

very clear

that every

soul that

departs this

world will

either go to

heaven or

go to

hell.

Nowhere else.

There's no

total annihilation,

there's no

purgatory,

there's nothing

else.

either to

heaven or

to hell.

And each

is gathered

to his own

place.

And the

Lord is in

complete control

of that

gathering.

He makes

no mistakes.

God knows

who are

his.

He says

that in

his word,

I know

my own.

He knows

everyone that

belongs to

him.

But he also

knows everyone

that doesn't.

There are

no errors

with the

Lord.

This is

the Lord's

prerogative.

He's in

control of

this.

The church

has no

say in

where a

soul goes.

The

Kirk

session can

admit into

membership,

that's what

the Kirk

session does,

but the

Kirk

session can

never admit

any soul

into glory.

That is

the Lord's

work.

And that

is why

David is

here saying,

sweep

not my

soul

away with

sinners.

Because

David has

a full

knowledge

of what

sin is,

how sinners

live,

and what

their end

is going

to be.

And so

David is

coming there

from God's

house and

enjoying the

fullness of

his sanctuary,

having seen,

yes,

the hypocrites,

and he's

saying,

Lord,

do not sweep

away my

soul with

sinners.

church.

Now,

some people

are surprised

at this

prayer,

and they

say,

well,

why is

David making

a prayer

like this?

But you

know what?

I'm sure

everyone who

loves the

Lord has

prayed this

prayer or

something very

similar to

it.

If you're a

Christian,

I'm perfectly

sure that

you have

prayed,

if you

didn't pray

these exact

words,

you prayed

words which

were very,

very similar

to it.

So why

does David

pray this?

Why do

you and

I pray

something like

this?

Well,

is it not

for the

fear that

we've been

deceived?

Not that

God has

deceived us.

Not that

the offer

of salvation

deceives us.

Not that

the work of

Christ deceives

us.

But that

we have

deceived

ourselves

into thinking

that we're

something we're

not.

Christians

when actually

we aren't.

And that's

why we

would pray

a prayer

like that.

So what

causes us

to think

like that?

How is it

that if you've

been following

the Lord

for many,

many years

that you

find yourself

exactly

here?

Well,

there are

many things

I'm just

going to

suggest to.

One is

the discovery

of our

own heart

where all

we get

glimpses of

the sheer

corruption

and the

vile

thoughts,

everything that

goes on

within our

heart.

And we

thought

years ago

that by the

time we

reached this

stage

that we

would be

so holy

in lifestyle,

so Christ-like

that we

would have

grown so

much.

And yet

we get a

glimpse in

and we

say,

oh,

woe is

me,

for I'm

undone.

Oh,

wretched man

that I

am.

And so

there is

this

ongoing

discovery

of what

we're

really

like.

But side

by side

with that,

there is

also the

temptations

from Satan.

Now,

it's very

hard to

distinguish

sometimes

the

difference

between

our sin

and Satan's

temptation.

temptation.

But there

is a

difference.

Because all

of a sudden

Satan will

come to

us and

he'll try

and deceive

us.

And he'll

say,

you're not

really a

Christian.

You're not

a Christian

because of

this or

because of

that.

And sometimes

he'll get

us for a

while.

And we

believe it

and it

disturbs us.

It really

affects us

deeply.

And so we

have this

fear.

What if I

come short?

I'm sure

there aren't

too many.

I know

some

Christians

who have

been blessed

with wonderful

assurance all

their days.

But a lot

of Christians

sometimes fear,

what if I

come short?

What if

at the end

of the day

I don't

make it?

Well,

see this

prayer.

I believe

that this

prayer can

only be

prayed by

the godly,

by the

Christian.

It's

prayed by

David

genuinely,

sincerely.

This is a

Christian's

prayer.

You see,

the world

lives its

own and

the world

lives its

own way.

The Christian

lives their

own and

the Christian

lives his

and her

own way.

The Lord

is building

up his

church.

But despite

all the faults

and failings

that we have,

we love each

other and we

want to be

part of each

other.

But you

know,

if you're

tonight a

Christian,

there's

nothing that

fills you

with more

dread than

that you

be lost,

that your

soul would

be swept

away.

But there's

more than

that.

There's a

longing in

your heart,

isn't there?

For when you

will be rid

of sin

altogether.

Now,

there's the

big difference

between the

Christian and

the non-Christian.

the non-Christian

doesn't long

for sin to

be removed.

They might

long for

certain sins

to be removed.

They might

long for

quite a lot

of sins

to be removed.

But sin

in general

is more

attractive to

them than

Jesus Christ.

Because by

living,

by becoming

a Christian,

your whole

future,

as you see

it,

your whole

longing,

is for

the day

when you

will be

in a

sinless

environment,

completely

sinless

yourself,

serving a

sinless

saviour

forever and

ever,

in his

immediate

presence.

And only

the Christian

wants that.

Those who

don't love

the Lord

cannot love

that.

And the

reason I

say that

is because

right here

and right

now,

a person

who isn't

a Christian

would say,

I don't

think I

could live

that kind

of life

where my

life is

lived in

service to

the Lord.

I want to

live my

own life.

Well,

if that's

how it is

here,

how do you

think it

would be

intensified

a thousand

fold in

glory?

You see,

you can

understand very

clearly tonight

where you

really are.

Where are

your desires?

Where are

your longings?

Are you

somebody who

says,

I long

for the

return of

Jesus?

I long

for the

day when

I will be

forever with

him.

Or are you

saying tonight,

oh, don't

come tonight,

Lord.

I'm not

ready.

Well, do

you know,

if you're

actually saying

that, you're

not in a

good place,

but you

are.

You're

recognizing

your need.

And your

need is

such that

you need

Jesus right

now.

Because as

we said,

our days

are flying

by.

There are

no second

chances.

Once we

breathe or

last, it's

over.

The destiny

is finalized.

So you

make sure

that Jesus

tonight,

before you

go to here,

ask him that

Jesus will

become your

Lord and

your Savior.

And your

heart will

change, your

desires will

change.

And you

will also

pray that

prayer,

do not

sweep me

away with

sinners,

and long

to be in

the presence

of Christ

forever.

Let us

pray.

O Lord,

our God,

we give

thanks for

what your

word teaches

us.

We give

thanks that

your house

is the

house where

your glory

is displayed.

Your house

is the place

that you

love.

We pray

that we

may love

it too.

and we

pray,

Lord,

that you

will not

sweep away

any here

tonight into

the lostness

of eternity,

but that we

will all be

gathered,

gathered

together in

the glory of

Emmanuel's land.

Have mercy

upon us,

we pray.

Cleanse us

from our

every sin.

In Jesus'

name we

ask all.

Amen.

We're going

to conclude

singing in

Psalm 84.

The 84th

Psalm,

this is from

the Scottish

Psalter,

Psalm 84,

I'm going

to sing

verses 1

to 3,

double

verse 3.

Page

338,

How lovely

is thy

dwelling place,

O Lord

of hosts

to me,

the tabernacles

of thy

grace,

how pleasant

Lord they

be,

my thirsty

soul longs

vehemently,

yea,

faints thy

courts to

see,

my very

heart and

flesh cry

out,

O living

God,

for thee.

Behold,

the sparrow

finds out

an house

wherein to

rest,

the swallow

also for

herself hath

purchased a

nest,

even thine

own altars

where she

save her

young ones

forth may

bring,

O thou

almighty

Lord of

hosts,

who art

my God

and King.

The

June

Thompson

Hawker,

Psalm 84,

1 to

the double

verse 3.

How lovely

is thy

dwelling

place.

How lovely

is thy

dwelling

place,

O Lord,

of those

to me.

The

tabernacles

of thy

gates,

how pleasant

Lord may

be.

My

thirsty

soul

of

swimming

and

live,

it

pains

like

wars

to see.

By

many

heart

and

flesh

I

am,

O living

God,

for thee.

behold,

the

shadow

findeth

out

and

knows

when to

rest.

The

swallow

also

for

herself

hath

purchased

said and

rest.

In

thy

known

altars

where

she

saved,

our

young

ones

forth

may

bring.

O

thou

almighty

Lord

of

hosts

who

art

thy

God

and

King.

Now may

the grace,

mercy and

peace of

God the

Father,

Son and

Holy Spirit

rest and

abide upon

each one of

you now

and forever

more.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.