Psalm 26

Psa 26:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "OF DAVID".

HISTORICAL SETTING: Poss 1Sa 20; 21 -- thus:
Vv 4,5. David's avoidance of the feasts at Saul's court.
Vv 6-8. His refuge and brief rest at the sanctuary at Nob (cp Psa 27:4).
Vv 9,10. A ct with evil bloodthirsty Doeg.

But the element of lying (1Sa 20:28,29; 21:2,13) shows a David at a spiritually low ebb which does not harmonize too well with this psalm's consistent closeness to God -- unless it was composed, in retrospect of these incidents, a considerable time later. So an alternative is to read the psalm against the background of David's later days, when the main troubles of his reign were over. Vv 9,10 then have special ref to such as Joab, and the remarkable priestly passage (vv 6-8) either looks back to the time when David himself was a Melchizedek priest (2Sa 6:12-19), or looks forward to the temple in Zion for which he was already making elaborate preparations. On more than one occasion and in quite a few psalms David knew that his own experiences prefigured those of the great Son of David who was promised. Here every v fits the Messiah, vv 6-8 in his Melchizedek priesthood and the rest in the days of his flesh. Note esp the unselfconscious declarations of integrity and innocence (vv 1a, 2a, 6a, 11a); yet there is a known need for redemption and mercy (v 11) such as befits only a son of Adam.

VINDICATE ME, O LORD: The man who lives a truly God-centered life can afford to disregard the judgment of both friends and enemies. So the righteous Hezekiah appealed to God on the basis of his own integrity: 2Ki 20:3.

BLAMELESS LIFE: v 11; Psa 25:21; Job 1:1. Used of David in 1Ki 9:4. If the earlier suggested historical context is correct, then David is saying, 'I have not coveted the crown of Saul.'

WITHOUT WAVERING: "I shall not slide" (AV). Cp the "even place" of v 12. LXX has sw as 2Th 2:2; Mat 11:7.

Psa 26:2

TRY: "Prove me" (AV): sw Gen 22:1: God testing Abraham.

EXAMINE MY HEART: "Examine" (AV), as a refiner of metal; "try by fire" (LXX). "Try my reins" (AV), as though the sacrifice were speaking to the priest! (See Lev 3:4; 4:9; etc -- sw). In his great redemptive work, Jesus was both priest and sacrifice! And altar (Heb 13:10) and "mercy-seat" (Rom 3:25). And his flesh was also the "veil" of the Most Holy (Heb 10:20). In fact, Jesus was the "temple" (Joh 2:19-21)!

Psa 26:3

I WALK: Not "sat" (v 4), nor "stood" (v 12). Here is a sustained response to Psa 1:1. Also see Heb 11:4,5 and Gen 5:24: Enoch walking with God.

Psa 26:4

DECEITFUL MEN: He did meet with "vain persons" (AV) (LXX: a Sanhedrin of worthlessness), as in Luk 7:36; 11:37; 14:1, yet in spirit he was always separate from them -- ie he did not "sit" (Psa 1:1) with them! Thus he exemplified the true separateness of the dedicated disciple (2Co 6:17).

HYPOCRITES: "Dissemblers" (AV). "Dark designers"; hypocrites, secret plotters. From rt "hidden, concealed". "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2Ti 3:5).

Psa 26:5

Christ hated the depravity and willfulness of these men, yet always he sought to save them from it.

Psa 26:6

Vv 6-8: Every phrase here describes a priest on duty at altar and temple -- true esp of the greater than David.

I WASH MY HANDS: As a priest on duty (Exo 30:18-21; 40:30-32). Psa 27:4 also suggests a king-priest: note Jam 4:8; 1Ti 2:8. Also, this is a sym gesture of innocence (Deu 21:6,7; and -- in a sad parody of the form -- Pilate in Mat 27:24!).

AND GO ABOUT YOUR ALTAR: According to Jewish tradition, this was done with palm branches at the Feast of Tabernacles. Only one with clean hands may stand in the holy place: Psa 24:3,4. Only one who is reconciled to his brother may offer a gift at the altar: Mat 5:23,24; cp Mar 11:25.

Psa 26:7

Jesus at the Feasts of the Lord and joining in the praise of God in temple psalms -- an aspect of his worship not common contemplated!

Psa 26:8

I LOVE THE HOUSE WHERE YOU LIVE, O LORD: Hence Christ's drastic purifying of it, on two distinct occasions: (1) Joh 2:12-22; (2) Mat 21:12-17; Mar 11:15-19; Luk 19:45-48.

THE HOUSE WHERE YOU LIVE: Mentioned also in Psa 17, 18, 29; cp also Psa 23:6. David loved the house of God because of (but not instead of) Him who dwelt there. Those who love God's house rather than God are idolaters.

THE PLACE WHERE YOUR GLORY DWELLS: Here every word identifies the Holy of Holies: "Place" (maqom) means a holy place or sanctuary (cp Psa 24:3). "Glory" is kabod. And "dwells" is mishkan, tabernacle (suggesting the Shekinah Glory). In David's life these words were hardly applicable before 2Sa 6, when the Ark was brought to Zion. (Was the tabernacle itself also brought to Zion, to be housed in the Temple -- ie the Most Holy place -- when it was built?)

Psa 26:9

See Lesson, Double negative, Hebrew.

DO NOT TAKE AWAY MY SOUL ALONG WITH SINNERS: "Gather not my soul with sinners" (AV). The verb normally means 'gather for destruction', as in Mat 13:30 (the tares out of the wheat); sw Heb 11:31 (perished). Ct Psa 27:10.

Psa 26:10

WHOSE RIGHT HANDS ARE FULL OF BRIBES: Pilate (cp Mic 7:3; WGos 750). The hand that was supposed to be "consecrated", or filled with the offerings of their holy office (Exo 28:41, mg; Psa 29:9, mg), was instead filled with filthy lucre! "By bribes they are consecrated to wickedness." Ct the law concerning bribes in Exo 23:8; Deu 16:19.

Psa 26:12

MY FEET STAND ON LEVEL GROUND: A place of security, where there is no danger of falling: cp Psa 27:11; 40:2.

THE GREAT ASSEMBLY: "Congregations" (AV), but here prob an intensive plural. The congregation of the redeemed (Psa 22:25; 40:9; 68:26; 89:5).