Psalm 15:2 - Speaking the Truth in Your Heart

Todaywe are focusing on verse 2 of Psalm 15, where David is answering the questionhe asked in verse 1: “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwellin Your holy hill?” In other words, who is able to experience and enjoycontinuous intimate communion and fellowship with the LORD God Almighty? Thenhe answers the question in verse 2: “He who walks uprightly, and worksrighteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.” First,we are walking uprightly, and we are working righteousness. We are doing rightthings. We are thinking about right things. Then David says something sopowerful, and I believe it is literally key to our walk in the Christian life: “Andspeaks the truth in his heart.” To experience true fellowship with theLORD, it is essential that we not only thinks about truth, and not only hastruth in our heart, but that we speaks the truth. We walk and live in thattruth. Thatis why in Second, and Third John—those books where John is writing tobelievers—he says that one of his greatest joys is to hear that his childrenwalk in the truth. Now what does this mean: “speaks the truth in his heart”? Asa matter of fact, in Psalm 51, where David is repenting of his terrible sin ofadultery and murder, he says this in verse 6: “Behold, You desire truth inthe inward parts.” Godwants us to think about the truth, talk about the truth, listen to the truth,and let the truth guide our decisions. You see, I am convinced the battle ofthe ages is the lie versus the truth—the lie versus the truth. I have oftenthought that when people come and say, “Pastor Mike, what should I do aboutthis?” or “I’m having a problem and I don’t know how to handle this,” one of mymain objectives as I sit there, listen to them, and begin to share counsel issimply this: I need to tell them the truth—the truth that comes from the Wordof God. The reason they are confused or in trouble is because they have been listeningto, and “speaking” the lie in their mind and heart. RememberGod’s Word is Truth. Jesus said in John 17:17: “Sanctify them through Thytruth. Thy word is truth.” Not only that, remember Pilate asked thequestion in John chapter 18:38: “What is truth?” Interestingly, justbefore Pilate asked that question, Jesus had said: “For this cause I wasborn, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witnessto the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Then Pilateasked the question, “What is truth?”—while Truth Himself was standingright in front of him, and he was missing it. Myfriend, Jesus is truth. John 14:6 says: “I am the way, the truth, and thelife. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” On the other hand, the devilis a liar. In John 8:44, Jesus said: “You are of your father the devil, andthe lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, andabode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie,he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Inthe very beginning, Satan lied to Eve. We are either believing the lies of theevil one as we make choices and decisions in life, or we are listening to thetruth of God’s Word. That is why we must let mercy and truth come into ourhearts. Proverbs 3:3 tells us: “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bindthem around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, our hearts.” Becauseas we listen to the truth, speak the truth in our hearts, and make ourdecisions based on truth rather than the lies of the evil one, my friend, itmakes all the difference in the world in our daily walk. That is why John wouldsay to those precious disciples in Second and Third John: “I rejoicedgreatly that I found thy children walking in truth.” We walk uprightly. We workrighteousness. And we speak the truth in our hearts—in our innermost being. Welet that truth live within us. Are you letting that truth live in you today? Itrust you are.