Reflections on Psalms 26

 Psalms 26(Contemporary English Version)

1. (By David.) Show that I am right, LORD! I stay true to myself, and I have trusted you without doubting.
   
2. Test my thoughts and find out what I am like.
   
3. I never forget your kindness, and I am always faithful to you.
   
4. I don't spend my time with worthless liars
   
5. or go with evil crowds.
   
6. I wash my hands, LORD, to show my innocence, and I worship at your altar,
   
7. while gratefully singing about your wonders.
   
8. I love the temple where you live, and where your glory shines.
   
9. Don't sweep me away, as you do sinners. Don't punish me with death as you do those people who are brutal
   
10. or full of meanness or who bribe others.
    
11. I stay true to myself. Be kind and rescue me.
    
12. Now I stand on solid ground! And when your people meet, I will praise you, LORD.

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David placed himself at God's mercy to be his just judge. People certainly could not be trusted to be /just when judging one's character. Attacks on his character David had experienced in abundance and such an occurrence might be the occasion of this psalm. Thus David turned to the Lord to "vindicate" him and to "test" him. "Try me;" he said to God. "Examine my heart and mind." In so doing, David was certain God would find that His "faithful love is before my eyes, and I live by Your truth." (26:3) Furthermore, God would find that he does "not sit with the worthless or associate with hypocrites." (26:4) This may have been the accusation made against him by his accusers.

In God's testing of David He would find that, "I hate a crowd of evildoers, and I do not sit with the wicked." Instead of hanging out with evildoers, David says, "I love the house where You (the Lord) dwell, the place where Your glory resides." (26:5, 8) Upon finding these things to be true of David, David made his appeal to God that He not "destroy me along with sinners, or my life along with men of bloodshed." (26:9) Instead of destroying him along with evildoers, David asks that God "redeem me and be gracious to me." (26:11) In turn, David says, "I will praise the LORD in the assemblies." (26:12)