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The Prayer of a Good Person
Psalm 26.1-8
Good News Translation (GNT)
"HEBREW TITLE:
By David"
1 Declare me innocent, O Lord, because I do what is right
and trust you completely.
2 Examine me and test me, Lord; judge my desires
and thoughts.
3 Your constant love is my guide; your faithfulness always
leads me. (a)
4 I do not keep company with worthless people; I have
nothing to do with hypocrites.
5 I hate the company of the evil and avoid the wicked.
6 Lord, I wash my hands to show that I am innocent and
march in worship around your altar.
7 I sing a hymn of thanksgiving and tell of all your
wonderful deeds.
8 I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where
your glory dwells.
Footnotes
Psalm 26:3 your faithfulness always leads me;
or I live in loyalty to you.
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Commentary taken from 'word-on-the-web'
supplied by Scripture Union
'I live in loyalty to you'.
The indignant tone of this psalm suggests
that the psalmist has been accused of committing
some offence of which he declares himself innocent before God.
Who exactly is confronting him isn't clear,
but we know that David lived through
any number of difficult circumstances.
From the effects of Saul's jealousy
not long after his anointing
as the second king of Israel
right through to the end of his reign
and the troubles he had with his son Absalom,
he had to contend with
the type of people described here.
He is adamant that he has never
courted the company of such people;
he also vigorously defends the way
he lives and the reality of his faith,
using the ritual of hand-washing
and a declaration of security in God
to support himself.
He also invites God to examine his thoughts and feelings,
and prays to be saved
from the situation he's in.
Turning to God in the face of antagonism
or opposition is exactly the right thing to do.
When we have an experience of negative criticism,
or things are said about a situation (or ourselves)
that are untrue,
or facts are manipulated against us
(the list could go on!),
there's a tremendous temptation to want to
justify ourselves in the sight of all concerned,
to refute the accusations,
to expose to public view the lies of those who confront us.
This wasn't the psalmist's way.
He turned to God for vindication;
he wanted God to bring about his redemption.
Jumping up and down with self-righteous indignation
in defence of our reputation -
even when we're in the right -
doesn't honour God,
and our behaviour should place
God's honour higher than our own.
Easier said than done?
Yes. Difficult to live with adverse public opinion?
Yes. Trust in the Lord?
Always.
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