Psalm 26

Commonplace –

“I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works” (Psalm 26:6-7).

Psalm 26 is a ‘mark the day’ song, in which David has had a good day. Among the psalms, this type of psalm is not often seen, but it is important. It is a day of victory, when we may stand and say “Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide” (v.1). Yet, this is not a boastful psalm centered on David’s accomplishment, but it is a psalm of praise to God for his leading along the paths of righteousness. It is a psalm to which we daily aspire. In it we see the following framework:

David begins by asking God to:

1. judge him. (v.1)
2. examine him. (v.2)
3. prove him. (v.2)
4. try his reins. (v.2)
5. try his heart. (v.2)

He is able to ask God to do these things, because he has committed himself to the Lord’s leading. He lists what he has done and has not done in order to have a good day.

He has

1. walked in his integrity. (v.1)
2. trusted in the Lord. (v.1)
3. kept the Lord’s lovingkindness before his eyes. (v.3)
4. walked in the Lord’s truth. (v.3)
5. hated the congregation of evildoers. (v.5)
6. loved the Lord’s house. (v.8)

He has not

1. sat with vain persons. (v.4)
2. gone in with dissemblers. (v.4)
3. sat with the wicked. (v.5)

By following the Lord, he is able to stand in innocence and on an even foot before the altar of the Lord, where he may give thanks, tell of God’s “wondrous works”, and bless the Lord.

He petitions the Lord

1. not to put his soul in the company of sinners. (v.9)
2. not to put his life with bloody men, who are full of mischief and bribes. (v.10)
3. to redeem him. (v.11)
4. be merciful to him. (v.11)

Matthew Henry notes the following in his summary:

“In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, what we must be and do that we may have the favour of God, and comfort in our own consciences, and comfort ourselves with it, as David does, if we can say that in any measure we have, through grace, answered to these characters” (266).

Works Cited

Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 26.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

© 2025 Angela Hormberg