King David sought a momentary sexual experience by committing adultery with a married woman. Then, he sought a momentary feeling of satisfaction by murdering the woman’s husband. But when God appeared to him and said, “David, you have sinned,” David repented. How was it that David could sink so low into sin – committing the two biggest sins (in our eyes) – but not lose his faith? He tells us in Psalm 26. When we examine the psalm, we will not see a heart wrapped up in sex or wrapped up in revenge. We see a heart wrapped up in God.
WALK IN INTEGRITY – 26:1:
This word “integrity” means “wholeness.” It is the word used to refer to animal sacrifices that were perfect animals, perfect specimens of animals. David says that’s the way he lived.
Through all the ups and downs in David’s life, he did not waver from his trust in God. God would not waver in His steadfast love for David. That’s how we stay faithful to God: “Believe in God; believe also in Me” (John 14:1).
LIVE AN “OPEN-BOOK” LIFE – 26:2:
Examine, try, and test are all synonyms for a single idea. The word translated “mind” in the NASV is the word for “kidneys.” It means the deepest part of your organ system. David wants God to examine, try, and test the deepest part of David, his hidden thoughts, hidden motivations, hidden desires, hidden agendas. Fundamentally, David wants to do one thing: what pleases God.
The Hebrew writer points out that the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, is able to examine, try, and test us (Heb. 4:12). We need to approach the word of God, as a mirror James tells us in James 1:23-25, and we need to fix whatever it is in our lives that God’s mirror tells us is wrong. We need to live an “open-book” life.
WALK IN GOD’S TRUTHFULNESS – 26:3:
David kept God’s “lovingkindness” (NASV), His “loyalty to His promises”, always before his eyes. When David went about his life, the lovingkindness of God was right in front of his face. He walked in God’s truth, God’s faithfulness.
Both “lovingkindness” and “faithfulness” are language from the covenant. God is loyal and God is faithful. David did not believe that God would save him in his sin; he had to repent. But he trusted God would save him from his sin. That’s the loyalty and faithfulness of God.
Here’s a promise from the NT that keeps Christians walking in God’s truthfulness: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
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LIVE AN HONEST LIFE – 26:4:
“Deceitful” can also be translated “worthless” or “vanity,” even “wickedness” or “evil.” “Pretenders” are people who hide what they are doing. They hide their agenda, their ambitions, their motivations. They are like chameleons and change who they are, depending on who they are around.
But Jesus wants us to live an honest life. Be transparent. Don’t be hypocritical. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for being hypocrites on a regular basis, especially Matthew 23. The word “hypocrite” is used 18 times in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH THE EVIL – 26:5:
The word “wicked” is a synonym for the word “evil” and David says he will not “sit” with the wicked. David would watch his companions and make sure that they did not have a more powerful, negative, influence over him. Paul tells Christians in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 to “not be bound together with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
LIVE IN INNOCENCE – 26:6:
David is reflecting on that basin of water in which the priests washed their hands before they entered the tabernacle or temple. “Innocence” is another word for “purity.” David wants to be pure in order to worship God in purity.
We live in a culture that wants us to look more like the culture. The culture nudges us away from Jesus Christ. Jesus is our standard. Our culture wants us to look more like it and less like Jesus Christ. But the Hebrew writer challenges us: “Let us draw near with a sincere heart (a life of innocence) in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (10:22).
We will look at the rest of Psalm 26 tomorrow.
Paul Holland
