Psalms 26

1 Lord, defend me because I have lived an innocent life. I have trusted the Lord and never doubted.
2 Lord, try me and test me; look closely into my heart and mind.
3 I see your love, and I live by your truth.
4 I do not spend time with liars, nor do I make friends with those who hide their sin.
5 I hate the company of evil people, and I won't sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands to show I am innocent, and I come to your altar, Lord.
7 I raise my voice in praise and tell of all the miracles you have done.
8 Lord, I love the Temple where you live, where your glory is.
9 Do not kill me with those sinners or take my life with those murderers.
10 Evil is in their hands, and they do wrong for money.
11 But I have lived an innocent life, so save me and have mercy on me.
12 I stand in a safe place. Lord, I praise you in the great meeting. Of David.

Psalms 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

David, in this psalm, appeals to God touching his integrity.

- David here, by the Spirit of prophecy, speaks of himself as a type of Christ, of whom what he here says of his spotless innocence was fully and eminently true, and of Christ only, and to Him we may apply it. We are complete in him. The man that walks in his integrity, yet trusting wholly in the grace of God, is in a state of acceptance, according to the covenant of which Jesus was the Mediator, in virtue of his spotless obedience even unto death. This man desires to have his inmost soul searched and proved by the Lord. He is aware of the deceitfulness of his own heart; he desires to detect and mortify every sin; and he longs to be satisfied of his being a true believer, and to practise the holy commands of God. Great care to avoid bad company, is both a good evidence of our integrity, and a good means to keep us in it. Hypocrites and dissemblers may be found attending on God's ordinances; but it is a good sign of sincerity, if we attend upon them, as the psalmist here tells us he did, in the exercise of repentance and conscientious obedience. He feels his ground firm under him; and, as he delights in blessing the Lord with his congregations on earth, he trusts that shortly he shall join the great assembly in heaven, in singing praises to God and to the Lamb for evermore.

Chapter Summary

Psalm of David. The occasion of this psalm seems to be the quarrel between Saul and David, the former listening to calumnies and reproaches cast upon the latter, and persecuting him in a violent manner. The argument of it is the same, in a great measure, with the seventh psalm, and is an appeal made to God, the Judge of the whole earth, by the psalmist, for his innocence and integrity; Theodoret thinks it was written by David when he fled from Saul.

Psalms 26 Commentaries

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.