Psalms 139:23-24 (NASBStr)
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Those who mean to do good work in this life and to live righteous before God (and, hence, man) must be willing to state the above in sincerity to God. Those who wish to walk with God in sincerity must confess their exposure to God (the entire of Psalm 139 and specifically this portion). We often find ourselves doing "window" work in our lives - observing all those outside the window of our lives and judging how they live. The Psalmist, here, concentrates, rather, on "mirror" work. He closed the window to the outside world and looks at the reflection starring back at him. The entire Psalm is about God's omniscience and omnipresence. As he draws the song to an end he makes these theological terms practical and essential for living. He asks God to do what God is already doing. He need not ask. God examines us, without our pleas to do so. Yet, the prayer to implore God is for the Psalmist, not for God. He is acknowledging God's activity of observance in his life and humbly asks God to expose him. Today's society is about diminish, deny and deflect your faults, not expose. But, the writer knows if he wants to be on the "everlasting way" that entrance ramp is in self-confession and humble admittance of the obvious - he is not pure. In 1 John 1:9 we are told that if we confess our sins to God that God is faithful and just to forgive. Perhaps the above Psalm is where John was reading or thinking when he penned those words. When we ask God to search us and try us we can be assured we will come forth as gold - Just ask Job (Job 23:10).
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