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Psalm Twenty-six

 

Psalm 26 Outline of Contents

A Prayer for Divine Scrutiny and Redemption (v.1~12)

New King James Version (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.

 

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 26

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.

 

Psalm 26:1  Vindicate me O Lord For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip.
   YLT 
1By David. Judge me O Jehovah for I in mine integrity have walked And in Jehovah I have trusted I slide not.

Judge me O Lord .... Meaning not that God would enter into judgment with him in respect to the justification of his person in his sight which he knew was not by his own righteousness and integrity but by the righteousness of God; but his view is to the justification of his cause before men; and particularly to the difference between Saul and him; and entreats that God would interpose take his cause in hand judge between them and vindicate him;

for I have walked in mine integrity; or "perfection"F15בתמי "in perfectione mea" Pagninus Montanus Vatablus; so the Targum Ainsworth. not that he thought himself free from sin; this would be contrary to the complaints confessions and petitions frequently made by him; but that in the affair with which he was accused of seeking Saul's harm 1 Samuel 24:9; he was quite innocent: by his "integrity" he means the purity of his intentions and designs; the uprightness of his conduct the simplicity and sincerity of his conduct towards all men and especially his fidelity to his prince; but though he knew nothing by himself and could not charge himself with any wrong action in this respect and therefore ought to be acquitted before men; yet he did not expect hereby to be justified in the sight of God;

I have trusted also in the Lord; not in himself in the sincerity of his heart and the uprightness of his life; nor did he trust to the goodness of his cause; but he committed it to the Lord who judgeth righteously; and trusted in him that he should not be ashamed and confounded: this shows from whence his integrity sprung even from faith unfeigned; for where that is true and genuine there are works of righteousness and integrity of life;

therefore I shall not slide; these words may be connected with the former thus; "I have trusted also in the Lord that I shall not slide"F16לא אמעד "me non vacillaturum" Junius & Tremellius Piscator. ; that is shall not fail in judgment or lose the cause; but shall stand and carry it and not be confounded or condemned. Our version supplies the word "therefore" making these words to be an inference from the former that because he trusted in the Lord therefore he should not slide slip and fall; not but that true believers may not only have their feet well nigh slipped but altogether; yea fall and that sometimes into great sins to the breaking of their bones; but then they shall not totally and finally fall; for they stand by faith and are kept through it by the power of God. The words may be considered as a prayer "let me not slide"F17"Ne nutare me patiaris" Gejerus. ; being sensible of his own weakness and of the necessity of being upheld in his uprightness and in the ways of the Lord by him that his footsteps might not slip; for though he walked in his uprightness he was not self-sufficient and self-confident but dependent on the Lord.

 

Psalm 26:2  2 Examine me O Lord and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
   YLT 
2Try me O Jehovah and prove me Purified [are] my reins and my heart.

Examine me O Lord .... His cause his integrity and trust in the Lord as silver and gold are examined by the touchstone the word of God which is the standard of faith and practice;

and prove me; or "tempt me"F18נסני "tenta me" Pagninus Montanus Junius & Tremellius &c. ; as Abraham was tempted by the Lord; and his faith in him and fear of him and love to him were proved to be true and genuine;

try my reins and my heart; the thoughts desires and affections of it as gold and silver are tried in the furnace; and so God sometimes tries the faith and patience of his people by afflictive providences; and this examination probation and trial are made by him not for his own sake who knows the hearts and ways of all men; but for the sake of others to make known either to themselves or others the truth of grace that is in them and the uprightness of their hearts and ways; and it was on this account the psalmist desired to pass under such an examination.

 

Psalm 26:3  3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes And I have walked in Your truth.
   YLT 
3For Thy kindness [is] before mine eyes And I have walked habitually in Thy truth.

For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes .... The special lovingkindness of God shown in the choice of him in Christ in the provision of a Saviour for him and in the effectual calling of him; which lovingkindness is unmerited free and sovereign is from everlasting and to everlasting; it is better than life excellent beyond expression and marvellous: and this may be said to be "before his eyes"; because it was now in sight; he had a comfortable view of interest in it and was persuaded nothing should separate him from it; it was upon his heart shed abroad in it and he was affected with it; it was in his mind and in his thoughts and they were employed about it; he had it in remembrance and was comfortably refreshed with it: and this he mentions as the reason of his laying his cause before the Lord as the ground of his trust in him and why he desired to be examined proved and tried by him;

and I have walked in thy truth; by faith in Christ who is the truth of all promises prophecies types and figures; in the word of truth by abiding by it and walking according to it; and in the truth of worship in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord; and to walk herein he used himself to and was constant in as the wordF19התהלכתי "ambulavi indesinenter et sedulo" Gejerus; so Junius & Tremellius Piscator. signifies: and nothing more engages to walk on in Christ as he has been received and to walk as becomes his Gospel and in all holy conversation and godliness than the love of God manifested to the soul; this being set continually before our eyes encourages faith and hope and influences a holy life and cheerful obedience to the will of God.

 

Psalm 26:4  4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
   YLT 
4I have not sat with vain men And with dissemblers I enter not.

Verse 4

I have not sat with vain persons .... Or "men of vanity"F20עם מתי שוא "cum hominibus vanitatis" Gejerus Michaelis. ; who are full of it; who are addicted to the vanities of the world; who pursue the riches honours pleasures and profits of it; which is no other than walking in a vain show: whose thoughts words and actions are vain; who are vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind and walk in the vanity of it; who take the name of God in vain and whose common discourse is foolish frothy light and empty; and who are men of a vain conversation and are rash imprudent and deceitful: men of bad principles may very well go by this name who are vain and unruly talkers and whose doctrines are doctrines of vanity and no other than vain babbling; and also men guilty of idolatrous practices who observe lying vanities and worship them and lift up their souls unto them; with such vain men in any of these senses the psalmist would have nothing to do; he would not keep company with them nor have any communion consultation and conversation with them; it may be he may have some respect to the men that were about Saul to whom such a character agreed; or he may say this and what follows to remove a calumny cast upon him and his friends; as if they that were with him were such men as here described and in Psalm 26:5;

neither will I go in with dissemblers: or "hidden" or "unknown" personsF21עם נעלמים "cum occultis" Vatablus Michaelis; "absconditis" Gejerus; so Ainsworth. who lie in private lurking places to murder the innocent or secretly take away the good names and characters of men and it is not known who they are; or who commit sin secretly; go into secret places to do their works in the dark and hide themselves to do evil; as the Targum Jarchi Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil; or who cover themselves with lying and flattering words that it is not known what their real intentions be; they speak one thing and mean another; are an assembly of treacherous men: such are all deceitful workers who lie in wait to deceive and walk in craftiness; and hypocrites who have the form of religion but are strangers to the power of it; and who are to be turned away from and avoided; the houses assemblies cabals and company of such are to be shunned; see Genesis 49:6; or such as are "signed" or "marked"; that is infamous personsF23Vide Schultens de def. Hod. ling. Heb. s. 188. .

 

Psalm 26:5  5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers And will not sit with the wicked.

   YLT  5I have hated the assembly of evil doers And with the wicked I sit not.

I have hated the congregation of evildoers .... That do harm to the persons characters or properties of men; and who meet together in bodies to consult and form schemes to do mischief and have their assemblies to encourage each other in it; these their works and actions the psalmist hated though not their persons; and showed his displicency at them and dislike and disapprobation of them by absenting from them; see Jeremiah 15:17;

and will not sit with the wicked; ungodly and unrighteous men sons of Belial; for with such what fellowship and concord can there be? 2 Corinthians 6:14; the wordF24רשע "significat inquietum esse ceu patet ex" Isa. xlviii. 22. Gejerus. signifies restless and uneasy persons who cannot rest unless they do mischief; are like the troubled sea continually casting up mire and dirt Isaiah 57:20; now by all this the psalmist means not that good men should have no manner of conversation with the men of the world: for then as the apostle says we must needs go out of the world 1 Corinthians 5:9. Conversation in civil things in matters of trade and business is lawful; though all unnecessary conversation in things of civil life is to be shunned; no more should be had than what natural relation and the business of life require; but all conversation in things criminal is to be avoided; company is not to be kept with them so as to join them in anything sinful; this is to harden them in their evil ways and it brings into danger and into disgrace: a man is known and is judged of by the company that he keeps; and evil communications corrupt good manners.

 

Psalm 26:6  6 I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar O Lord
   YLT 
6I wash in innocency my hands And I compass Thine altar O Jehovah.

I will wash my hands in innocency .... The Vulgate Latin version renders it "among innocent persons"; men of a holy harmless life and conversation; with these he determined to converse in common and not with such as before described; or the sense is that he would wash his hands in token of his innocence integrity and uprightness he had before spoke of and of his having nothing to do with such evil men as now mentioned; see Deuteronomy 21:6; "hands" are the instrument of action and to "wash" them may design the performance of good works Job 9:30; and to do this "in innocency" or "purity" may signify the performance of them from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned; and particularly may have some respect to the lifting up of holy hands in prayer to God previous to public worship; there seems to be an allusion to the priests washing their hands before they offered sacrifice Exodus 30:19;

so will I compass thine altar O Lord; frequent the house of God where the altar was and constantly attend the worship and ordinances of God; the work of the altar being put for the whole of divine service; the altar of burnt offering is here meant which was a type of Christ; see Hebrews 13:10; reference is had to the priests at the altar who used to go round it when they laid the sacrifice on the altar and bound it to the horns of it at the four corners and there sprinkled and poured out the blood; compare Psalm 43:4; in order to which they washed their hands as before; and in later times it was usual with the HeathensF25"----pura cum veste venito et manibus puris sumite fontis aquam nunc lavabo ut rem divinam faciam" Tibull. l. 2. eleg. 1. Plantus in Aullular. Act. 3. Sc. 6. Vide Homer. Odyss 12. v. 336 337. to wash their hands before divine service.

 

Psalm 26:7  7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving And tell of all Your wondrous works.
   YLT 
7To sound with a voice of confession And to recount all Thy wonders.

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving .... Or "cause to hear with the voice of confession"F26בקול תודה "voce confessionis" Montanus Cocceius Gejerus Michaelis; so Ainsworth. : the meaning is that the view of the psalmist in compassing the altar of God in the manner he proposed was not to offer upon it any slain beast; but to offer the sacrifices of praise upon that altar which sanctifies the gift and from whence they come with acceptance to God; even for all mercies both temporal and spiritual and that with a confession and acknowledgment of sin and unworthiness; all this is agreeable to the will of God; it is well pleasing in his sight what glorifies him and is but our reasonable service;

and tell of all thy wondrous works; of creation and providence; and especially of grace and redemption; this is the business of saints in God's house below and will be their employment in heaven to all eternity. Jarchi on the place says that this song of praise has in it what relates to future times to Gog to the days of the Messiah and to the world to come.

 

Psalm 26:8  8 Lord I have loved the habitation of Your house And the place where Your glory dwells.

   YLT  8Jehovah I have loved the habitation of Thy house And the place of the tabernacle of Thine honour.

Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house .... Meaning the tabernacle for as yet the temple was not built; which was an habitation for the saints where they chose to dwell and reckoned it their happiness and was the habitation of the Lord himself: the sanctuary was built for that purpose; and between the cherubim over the mercy seat he took up his residence; hence it follows

and the place where thine honour dwelleth: or "glory"F1כבוכך "gloria tua" Musculus Piscator; "tabernaculum gloriae tuae" Junius & Tremellius Cocceius Gejerus; so Ainsworth. : when the tabernacle was set up the glory of the Lord filled it as it did the temple when it was dedicated Exodus 40:35. The psalmist expresses his love to this place in opposition to the congregation of evildoers which he hated Psalm 26:5; and to remove a calumny from him that being among the Philistines and at a distance from the house of God his affections were alienated from it; whereas it was his greatest concern that he was debarred the privileges of it; see Psalm 42:1; besides he had showed his great regard to it by his constant attendance before his exile as he did after it Psalm 42:3; and it was out of pure love to the worship of God and with real pleasure and delight that he did attend; and not through custom and in mere form Psalm 122:1. The Lord's house is loved by his people because of his word and ordinances which are ministered there and because of his presence in it: or else what was typified by the tabernacle in here designed; either the tabernacle of Christ's human nature called the true tabernacle Hebrews 8:2; in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells; which the Son of God the brightness of his Father's glory inhabits; and in the redemption and salvation wrought out in it the glory of all the divine attributes is displayed; and Christ incarnate is the mercy seat from which God communes with his people and is their way of access unto him and whereby they have fellowship with him; and who is loved by the saints sincerely above all creatures and things and in the most ardent and affectionate manner: or heaven itself of which the tabernacle was a figure Hebrews 9:24; which is the habitation of the holiness and glory of God and in which are many mansions or dwelling places for his people; and is the continuing city they seek the heavenly and better country they are desirous of and where their hearts and affections are; because there their God their Saviour and their treasure be; which sense seems to be confirmed by what follows.

 

Psalm 26:9  9 Do not gather my soul with sinners Nor my life with bloodthirsty men
   YLT 
9Do not gather with sinners my soul And with men of blood my life

Gather not my soul with sinners .... Profligate and abandoned ones such as are notoriously profane and who live and die impenitent ones; otherwise all men are sinners: the sense is either that he desires that he might not by any means be brought into the company of such persons be joined unto them and have a conversation with them which would be uncomfortable dishonourable and dangerous; or that God would not destroy him with them; and that he might not die the death of the wicked nor be gathered with them at death: death is often expressed by a man's being gathered to his people and to his fathers; see 2 Kings 22:20; the body is gathered to the grave the soul returns to God that gave it and has its place assigned by him; the souls of the righteous are gathered into heaven Christ's garner; the souls of the wicked into hell; the psalmist deprecates being gathered with them;

nor my life with bloody men; that thirst after blood lie in wait for it shed it and are drunk with it as the antichristian party; these God abhors and detests; nor shall they live out half their days and their end is miserable.

 

Psalm 26:10  10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme And whose right hand is full of bribes.

   YLT  10In whose hand [is] a wicked device And their right hand [is] full of bribes.

In whose hands is mischief .... Every abominable wickedness; as idolatry adultery murder &c. the word signifies and is sometimes used for mischief conceived in the mind artificially devised and contrived there; here mischief committed the hand being the instrument of action and intends whatever is prejudicial to the person character and properties of men;

and their right hand is full of bribes; whereby the eyes of judges are blinded the words of the righteous perverted men's persons respected and judgment wrested Deuteronomy 16:19.

 

Psalm 26:11  11 But as for me I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me.
   YLT 
11And I in mine integrity I walk Redeem me and favour me.

But as for me I will walk in mine integrity .... In which he had hitherto walked Psalm 26:1; or it may express his faith that after he was gathered by death he should walk in uprightness and righteousness in purity and perfection with Christ in white and behold the face of God in righteousness; see Isaiah 57:1;

redeem me; from the vain conversation of the wicked from all troubles and out of the hands of all enemies;

and be merciful unto me; who was now in distress being persecuted by Saul and at a distance from the house of God: this shows that mercy is the source and spring of redemption both temporal and spiritual; and that the psalmist did not trust in and depend upon his present upright walk and conversation but in redemption by Christ and upon the mercy of God in Christ.

 

Psalm 26:12  12 My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the Lord.

   YLT  12My foot hath stood in uprightness In assemblies I bless Jehovah!

My foot standeth in an even place .... Or "in a plain"F2במישור "in plano" Musculus Junius & Tremellius Piscator Cocceius Michaelis; "in planitie" Gejerus. ; in a sure place; on Christ the sure foundation and who is the plain way and path to eternal life; see Psalm 27:11; or in the ways and worship of God prescribed by his word; and so denotes steadfastness and continuance in them;

in the congregations will I bless the Lord; in the assemblies of the saints in the churches of Christ below and in the great congregation above in the general assembly and church of the firstborn; where it is the work of saints now and will be hereafter to praise the Lord for all his mercies temporal and spiritual.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible