An Innocent s Plea for Vindication. Psalm 26:1-12

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1 1 Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell An Innocent s Plea for Vindication Psalm 26:1-12

2 2 Text: Psalm 26:1-12, An Innocent s Plea for Vindication 1. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. 2. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3. for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. 4. I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; 5. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. 6. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD, 7. proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. 8. I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. 9. Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, 10. in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes. 11. But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me. 12. My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD. (NIV) Introduction: I. For the possible meanings of the phrase, of David in the title, see the introduction to Psalm 19.

3 3 A. There is a strong possibility that Psalm 26 is by David, perhaps after he brought the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:12-13) and before his horrific personal sin with Bathsheba and against her husband Uriah (2 Sam ) Samuel 6:12, 13, Now King David was told, "The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God." So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. (NIV) 2. 2 Samuel 11:1-27, In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance

4 4 to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house. When David was told, "Uriah did not go home," he asked him, "Haven't you just come from a distance? Why didn't you go home?" Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!" Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. At David's invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master's servants; he did not go home. In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die." So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. Joab sent David a full account of the battle. He instructed the messenger: "When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, the king's anger may flare up, and he may ask you, 'Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? Who killed Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn't a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?' If he asks you this, then say to him, 'Also, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.' " The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to

5 5 say. The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance to the city gate. Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king's men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead." David told the messenger, "Say this to Joab: 'Don't let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.' Say this to encourage Joab." When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD. (NIV) 3. 2 Samuel 12:1-31, The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him." David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from

6 6 the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.' " Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die." After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate." David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he

7 7 asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead." Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me." So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. 30 He took the crown from the head of their king its weight was a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones and it was placed on David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. He did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem. (NIV)

8 8 B. The historical setting and authorship, however, are uncertain. II. Lament, petition, and protestation of innocence mingle in Psalm 26 as in Psalm 25. A. The flow of thought is much smoother here since the acrostic form of Psalm 25 is absent in this passage. B. Just as Psalm 25 is best classified as a wisdom psalm, and sub classified as a confessional psalm, so Psalm 26 is best classified as a wisdom psalm, and sub classified as a psalm of innocence. III. This outline enhances the reader s recognition of integrity as the central controlling theme of the psalm. A. With some slight editing, the headings for three of the sections of the commentary used here are borrowed from The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Commentary: Assertion of Integrity Psalm 26:1-3, Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. (NIV) I. The structure is progressive parallelism with the second line stating the reason for the confident petition of the first line. A. Vindicate is a law term used in the courts.

9 It refers to being found not guilty of a charge or charges brought against one. 2. It has no connotation of sinlessness. B. Blameless is here a synonym of innocence (6a). C. Both terms suggest a sincere effort to live right. 1. His trust in God rather than himself is the source of his confidence. 2. His unwavering trust is centered in the Lord. 3. He has not turned to the Lord only in times of crises. 4. Rather, trust is a characteristic part of his entire life. II. In Psalm 26:2, his plea for God to test and try him indicates that he wants God s discerning approval, not merely his own. A. The apostle Paul once said, My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me (1 Cor. 4:4, NIV). B. The word test (bachan) is from a word that means to purify, as to refine metal (Zech. 13:9). 1. Zechariah 13:9, This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"(NIV) 2. The purpose of refining is to remove the impurities.

10 Hence, the psalmist desires that his heart be pure according to God s standard. C. Heart refers to the emotions, and mind to the intellect. 1. The religion of the Bible is not wholly emotional. 2. Emotions are to be balanced with acceptance of God s truth. Psalm 26:3, for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. (NIV) I. The word for shows that verses two and three belong together, and they have the same construction as the two lines of verse 1. II. Love (chesedh) employs a special word used some 130 or more times in the Psalms. A. His love leads to a continual walk (life) that is in keeping with God s truth. III. Attitudes have their consequences, whether good or bad. A. God s love is seen in His action, and the psalmist s reaction is seen in his active practice of divine truth. B. Assertions are useless without demonstration. IV. Hence, the psalmist next offers proof of his assertions.

11 11 Proof of Integrity Psalm 26:4-8, I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. (NIV) Psalm 26:4, I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; (NIV) Note: Verses four and five have to do with secular assembly, while verses 6-8 have to do with religious assembly. I. Verse 4 is structured in synonymous parallelism of the similar type. A. Deceitful men and hypocrites are similar in meaning. 1. A hypocrite is one who pretends to be something that he is not. 2. He may deceive people into thinking that he is pious, but he wears his religion on his sleeve as a façade. 3. The psalmist refuses to sit with or consort with them. B. The word consort means to make harmony. 1. He will not pretend to agree with these people in order to keep a false peace, for that would compromise his integrity.

12 12 Psalm 26:5, I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. (NIV) I. He not only will not consort with these deceitful hypocrites; he abhors the thought of doing so. A. They are evildoers and wicked, so he refuses to sit with them in their assembly. Psalm 26:6-7, I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. (NIV) I. These two verses comprise a single sentence. A. It is not likely that verse 6 refers to some kind of religious ritual. 1. No evidence is found in Scripture to indicate such. 2. He likely uses this phrase as a symbol of the fact that he brings clean hands and a pure heart to the worship assembly. 3. He proclaims his integrity before the assembly not to manifest prideful piety but in order to share his loyalty to God in life and worship for the salutary benefit it may have on others. 4. The focus of his praise is God s wonderful deeds. Psalm 26:8, I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. (NIV)

13 13 I. In contrast to his abhorrence of the assembly of wicked people, he loves the house where God lives. A. God promised to be symbolically with the Israelites at the tabernacle (Ex. 25:22; 30:6, 36; Num. 17:4) and later at the temple, but he actually lives above the highest heaven (1 Kings 8:27). 1. Exodus 25:22, There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. (NIV) 2. Exodus 30:6, 36, Put the altar in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony where I will meet with you. Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. (NIV) 3. Numbers 17:4, Place them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you. (NIV) 4. 1 Kings 8:27, "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! (NIV) B. God s glory is the visible manifestation of His holiness. Prayer for the Reward of Integrity Psalm 26:9-11, Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes,

14 14 whose right hands are full of bribes. But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me. (NIV) Psalm 26:9, 10, Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes. (NIV) I. Verses 9 and 10 contain a single sentence. A. In verse 9, soul and life are synonyms. B. Sinners and bloodthirsty men form word pairs, the latter defining the kind of sinners under consideration. II. They are out for his life. A. He prays that God not allow them to cut short his life without cause. B. In verse 10 he describes their plots as wicked schemes promoted by means of bribes. Psalm 26:11, But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me. (NIV) I. In contrast to the nefarious schemes of his wicked enemies, he is blameless (cf. v. 1). A. The petition redeem me and be merciful to me shows that he is not claiming sinless perfection; he only claims faithfulness. Summary Conclusion Psalm 26:12, My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD. (NIV)

15 15 I. The psalmist concludes by summarizing two of the major themes of the psalm. A. In the first line he reiterates his claim for integrity, and in the second his desire to publicly praise the Lord. B. He reiterates his claim to integrity with the phrase level ground. 1. Level translates mishor, which is elsewhere rendered integrity. II. He realizes that it is a great opportunity to share his relationship with God with others for their edification. Application: I. Worship is affective and pleasing to God only when it is verified by a life that imitates the character of God.

16 16 Questions Psalm 26:1-2 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. For what did the psalmist pray? 2. Why did the psalmist believe God should answer his prayers? 3. Who wrote Psalm 26? At what stage in life did he write this psalm? 4., and of mingle in as in. 5. The central theme of Psalm 26 is. is a used in the and refers to being

17 17 of a but is not a synonym of. is a synonym of. 6. Both and suggest a to. is a part of his. 7. The psalmist pled for God to and him because he wanted s. Text mean to or the purpose of which is to remove. 8. refers to the and to the. The religion of the Bible is not wholly. are to be balanced with of s, 9. is used times or more in the Psalms. have their, whether or. s is seen in his, and the s reaction is seen in his of. are without. 10. How did the pslamist seek to prove his integrity? 11. The psalmist the of, but he the where lives.

18 The psalmist prays that God not allow his enemies to his. he describes their plots as. 13. Specify two major themes of Psalm is and to only when it is by a that the of. 15. It is a to share our with with others for their.

In the Bible. 2 Samuel 11-12:15 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king s men and the whole Israelite

In the Bible. 2 Samuel 11-12:15 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.