Psalm 139:23-24 

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! 

 If you’ve not read all of Psalm 139, I recommend you do so before you read what I’ve hacked out below. It’s not only the context for what I have to say, its also a gloriously beautiful section of scripture that stirs the soul. 

After pondering the greatness of God and the grace He’d poured out on David’s life, David responds with the verses above. He asks God to do three things: to search him – to know him – to try (test) him. He asks God to do this because he recognizes that God is his greatest ally, his ultimate resource, and his perfect guide as he ventures toward the world to come. 

After pondering the majesty of God David wants to be refined, sifted, made better, purer, more holy. He wants his life to reflect the God that he’s come to know so well. 

In today’s sermon (it IS a Sunday, you know), I’ll be speaking about this beautiful passage of scripture and asking you to assess your heart as compared to the heart of David. Are you ready for God to search you, to show you what He finds, and to lead you in a better path? 

You may think that’s a “no brainer” that you can easily answer, but I can assure you, most human beings have trouble giving up control to that degree. It’s easy to talk (or sing) about giving it all to Jesus, but when it comes down to it, we are stubborn, self-protective creatures – even toward God. 

Prepare yourself to worship Him today. Anticipate seeing Him in all the glory that Psalm 139 expresses. And ready yourself to be engaged by His Spirit as He asks you to let Him search you, know you, and try you – for His glory and your good. 

-Pastor Carey