Psalm 26

1 Ein Psalm Davids. HERR, schaffe mir Recht; denn ich bin unschuldig! Ich hoffe auf den HERRN; darum werde ich nicht fallen.

2 Prüfe mich, HERR, und versuche mich; läutere meine Nieren und mein Herz.

3 Denn deine Güte ist vor meinen Augen, und ich wandle in deiner Wahrheit.

4 Ich sitze nicht bei den eitlen Leuten und habe nicht Gemeinschaft mit den Falschen.

5 Ich hasse die Versammlung der Boshaften und sitze nicht bei den Gottlosen.

6 Ich wasche meine Hände in Unschuld und halte mich, HERR, zu deinem Altar,

7 da man hört die Stimme des Dankens, und da man predigt alle deine Wunder.

8 HERR, ich habe lieb die Stätte deines Hauses und den Ort, da deine Ehre wohnt.

9 Raffe meine Seele nicht hin mit den Sündern noch mein Leben mit den Blutdürstigen,

10 welche mit böser Tücke umgehen und nehmen gern Geschenke.

11 Ich aber wandle unschuldig. Erlöse mich und sei mir gnädig!

12 Mein Fuß geht richtig. Ich will dich loben, HERR, in den Versammlungen.

Psalm 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.