SEARCH ME, O GOD

This Psalm was written by David. Commenting on these verses, the great preacher C. H. Spurgeon said this:

“Verse 23. He [wants] God himself [to] search him, and search him thoroughly, till every point of his being is known, and read, and understood… He challenges the fullest investigation, the innermost search: he had need be a true man who can put himself deliberately into such a crucible. Yet we may each one desire such searching; for it would be a terrible calamity to us for sin to remain in our hearts unknown and undiscovered. "Try me, and know my thoughts." Exercise any and every test upon me. By fire and by water let me be examined. Read not alone the desires of my heart, but the fugitive thoughts of my head. Know with all penetrating knowledge all that is or has been in the chambers of my mind. What a mercy that there is one being who can know us to perfection! He is intimately at home with us. He is graciously inclined towards us, and is willing to bend his omniscience to serve the end of our sanctification. Let us pray as David did, and let us be as honest as he. We cannot hide our sin: salvation lies the other way, in a plain discovery of evil, and an [effective] severance from it.

Verse 24. "And see if there be any wicked way in me." See whether there be in my heart, or in my life, any evil habit unknown to myself. If there be such an evil way, take me from it, take it from me. No matter how [precious] the wrong may have become, nor how deeply prejudiced I may have been in its favour, be pleased to deliver me [from it] altogether, effectually, and at once, that I may tolerate nothing which is contrary to thy mind. As I hate the wicked in their way, so would I hate every wicked way in myself. "And lead me in the way everlasting." If thou hast introduced me already to the good old way, be pleased to keep me in it, and conduct me further and further along it. It is a way which thou hast set up of old, it is based upon everlasting principles, and it is the way in which immortal spirits will gladly run for ever and ever. There will be no end to it world without end. It lasts for ever, and they who are in it last for ever. Conduct me into it, O Lord, and conduct me throughout the whole length of it. By thy providence, by thy word, by thy grace, and by thy Spirit, lead me evermore.”

David was asking for God to do a complete and deep search through his heart. “Go through me,” said David to God. Test me. Know me. See if there is any sin in me that I have not found. In verse 13 of this Psalm David had prayed, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins.” David asked God to hold him back from sins that David was not aware of, that he was doing without really knowing it. David was asking, “See if there is anything sinful in me” so he could turn from it. David wanted a thorough and deep going-through of himself, with nothing excused or held back. One preacher said that David was asking for “a complete overhaul.”

Then David asked God to lead him “in the way everlasting.” One preacher put it this way:

“1. The evil way. [It is] naturally in us; may be of different kinds; must be removed; removal needs Divine help.

2. The everlasting way. There is [only] one, we need leading in it. It is the good old way, it does not come to an end, it leads to blessedness without end.”

Why don’t you pray like David did? Some people pray this every morning.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Do you really want God to go through you like that? Maybe you don’t. Maybe there are some things you’d rather God didn’t look at.

Today I will apply these verses in three ways: to the Christian, to the church, and to the lost sinner.

I. First, the application to a Christian.

In another sermon I asked you to examine yourself. Take a look at yourself. Now, Do you really want God to examine you? Good question. Or do you want God to leave you alone and not look at you, or at least not deeply?

Is there anything that keeps you from enjoying God completely? Why not look at yourself? Why not ask God to go through you, thoroughly and deeply? And keep on asking until He does.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Then would you turn away from any sin He shows you? Would you follow Him in the way everlasting?

If you obey the Psalm, you will become a better and stronger Christian.

II. Second, the application to a church.

If a church will really and deeply pray these verses, God may answer in wonderful ways.

I don’t mean just running through the words. That’s the wrong way to do it, not only for a church but also for an individual, for you yourself. I mean pray it for real.

This will make the church better. And God may even send a revival to that church. That is God’s business to do this, not yours or mine. But God will certainly hear the prayer if it is offered sincerely, in earnest. He will make the church better, more holy, and stronger.

III. Third, the application to a lost sinner.

Some of you here today are lost sinners. You are sitting here, but you have not trusted Jesus. You are not born again. You are not a new creation in Christ. You have not had what the Bible calls a conversion.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

These verses can’t speak to you in quite the same way as they speak to a Christian. If you are honest about it, you must admit that your heart is bad. Your thoughts are bad. There really are wicked ways in you. And you are not following in the way everlasting.

So what can you do? I asked you to examine yourself. Take a look at yourself. Now ask God, as sincerely as you can, to take His own look at you. Ask him to look at your heart. Ask him to know your thoughts. Ask him to point out any wicked way in you. If you pray this truly, God will answer you.

You won’t like what God shows you. You do have sin in your heart, and in your thoughts. You do have wicked ways in you.

Most people don’t like to pray this way, because it would make them FEEL BAD. But if you do pray this, God will show you your sin, and you will feel bad. That is the way you should fee.

Modern psychology tells you to not feel bad, and to always feel good. They say you should have high self-esteem. But they are wrong.

In fact the best thing you can do is to feel bad about yourself. You should have LOW self-esteem. One woman said she was “disgusted” with herself. She was saved soon after.

This is the way it SHOULD be. The Holy Spirit is here to “reprove the world of sin” (John 16:8). He wants you to feel bad about yourself. Shouldn’t you?

Then what do you do? The verses end with a prayer to “lead me in the way everlasting.” And what do they say to YOU? And what is the way everlasting anyway? Jesus said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Jesus IS the way. He said so! What is the way everlasting for you? It is JESUS. HE is the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus died on the Cross to pay for your sin. He shed His Blood to wash your sin away. Go to Him. Trust Him. He is the way, and He is the ONLY way.

There is no point in going on the way you are. That’s the wrong way. Turn to Jesus and trust Him. That is the right way. That is the only way.

Do you feel bad about your sin? Do you feel bad about yourself? You should. Do you feel that God will not accept you for yourself? No, He won’t. Not without Jesus He won’t.

But with Jesus, God will accept you. All your sins, of any kind, will be forgiven. They will be covered and washed away.

The Psalm says, “Lead me in the way everlasting.” Well, Jesus IS the way everlasting. Go to Jesus. Trust Him. Then later you live the Christian life and follow Him. That, too, is the way everlasting.

This message is quite simple. But your need and your answer is also very simple. You need JESUS. And JESUS is your answer. Trust Him and you will be saved forever. Amen.