Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within… The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God. 51:6,17
You have probably heard it said that “who you really are is who you are when no one is looking.” This is the theme that David is getting at in this Psalm. David knew that God looked on the inside and that He cared more about what was in the heart than He did about outward appearance. After all, this is the very thing that God told Samuel when he anointed him to be the King. God was looking for a man after His own heart and He encouraged Samuel to not judge by outward appearance.
Outward appearances are important. There are many places in the bible where we are encouraged to be good witnesses and to live in such a way that we don’t cause others to stumble. Our lives are to be “above reproach to outsiders,” and we are to try to and live in a way so that our lives have “no appearance of evil.” Yet, outward appearances can also be deceiving. We have all known people who are one way on the outside, but in reality, they are hypocrites who are not what they appear to be. Outward righteousness is important as long as outward righteousness is the true reflection of your inward life.
God sees everything and He sees inside of you; He knows your thoughts your motives and your hidden secrets. David makes it clear that God wants integrity in our inner selves. God wants us to not just be righteous and faithful before others but He wants us to be righteous and faithful before Him. What pleases God is not our outward expressions of righteousness or “sacrifices.” What pleases God is a heart that is broken before Him and a spirit that is humbled in His presence. God knows you are not perfect, and He sees all your flaws. What God wants is someone who loves Him so much that they strive to be true, real, and full of integrity even when no one else knows sees but Jesus. We serve an audience of one (God) and He is the one we must please in everything. If you are real in your inner self before Him, then what is seen on the outside will be real as well.
