THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

XXVI. A Prayer For And The Assurances Of Vindication From The Lord

(Psalm 26:1-12)

I. Introduction

A. A sense of guilt due to actual sin is a wholesome thing, for it warns the sinner of his need to repent before the Lord, but false guilt laid on one by another or by one's own conscience is very destructive.

B. David offered a prayer for God's vindication of a false charge against him, and he coupled this request with assurances that he was innocent.

C. We view that passage of Psalm 26:1-12 for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. A Prayer For And The Assurances Of Vindication From The Lord, Psalm 26:1-12.

A. Part of verse one in this psalm comprises the introductory notes in the English Bible (Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 995), so we stay with the numbering system in the English Bible.

B. We thus translate Psalm 26:1-12 as follows:

1. "Vindicate (shapat, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 1047-1048) me, O Jahweh, because I (em. pr.) have walked in my integrity (tom, Ibid., p. 1070); and in Jahweh have I relied (batah, Ibid., p. 105) without tottering, shaking [wavering] (ma'ad, Ibid., p. 588)," Psalm 26:1.

2. "Examine me, O Jahweh, and put me to the test (nasah, Ibid., p. 650 [Piel stem = intensive], smelt (sarap, Ibid., p. 864) my seat of affections (kilyah, lit. "kidneys," Ibid., p. 480) and my heart [mind]," Psalm 26:2.

3. "For Your loyal love (hesed, Ibid., Kittel; H. A. W., Theol. Wrdbk. of the O. T., 1980, v. I, p. 305-307) is conspicuously (neged, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 617-618) before my eyes, and I walk about [live] (halak, Ibid., p. 235-236; Hithpael stem = intensive reflexive) in Your truth," Psalm 26:3.

4. "I do not sit with worthless men, nor with those who conceal themselves [hypocrites] ('alam, Ibid., p. 761) do I go [associate]," Psalm 26:4.

5. "I abhore the company, congregation (qahal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 874) of evil doers, and with the wicked I do not sit," Psalm 26:5.

6. "I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O Jahweh," Psalm 26:6.

7. "To proclaim aloud Your praise and to tell of all of Your extraordinary deeds," Psalm 26:7.

8. "O Jahweh, I love the habitation (ma'on, Ibid., p. 732-733) of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells," Psalm 26:8.

9. "Do not gather up [as in a harvest of judgment] ('asap, Ibid., Kittel, p. 996; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 62-63) my life principle together with sinners, and my life with men of bloodshed," Psalm 26:9.

10. "In whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hand is full of bribes," Psalm 26:10.

11. "But I (emph. pron.) in my integrity walk; redeem me and be gracious unto me," Psalm 26:11.

12. "My foot stands on level ground; in the congregations I will bless Jahweh," Psalm 26:12.

C. As David was calling upon the Lord to vindicate him of some charge of wrong, be it a charge from others or even of his own conscience, he exampled steps one can take to discern true from false guilt (as follows):

1. David asked God thoroughly to examine, to test and even to smelt his seat of emotions and mind to discover and so reveal to him any wrong that he might have done that he might repent of it, Psalm 26:2.

2. Upon exposing his entire being this way to an infinitely omniscient, righteous God, David was assured that he would be vindicated since (a) he had walked in his integrity before God (v. 1a), (b) he had relied on the Lord in a life of unwavering faith (v. 1b), (c) he had kept God's grace and His Word's truth right before his eyes that he might know the right path to take in life as Israel's king (v. 3; cf. Deut. 17:18-20), (d) he did not associate with morally worthless men, hypocrites, evil doers or the wicked (v. 4-5) (e) so that he innocently went about God's altar proclaiming praises of His wonderful deeds (v. 6-7) and he (f) loved God's fellowship in the temple (v. 8). These evidences gave David confidence that God would not judge him as guilty, but vindicate him that he might relax and worship the Lord with the godly, v. 9-12.

Lesson: David asked God to vindicate him of some false charge, expecting the Lord to answer him due to evidences of his alignment with God's righteousness as revealed in His Word and as seen in its application to David's walk.

Application: May we like David so fully align our lives with God's revealed truth that we can be sure of being vindicated of false charges of guilt, be they charges of false guilt laid against us by others or even by ourselves.