“A Psalm of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my INTEGRITY, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my mind and my heart…. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked…. Do not take my soul away along with sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed.” (Psa 26:0-2, 5, 9).
In this passage, King David invites the LORD to examine his heart, expressing his deep pursuit of personal integrity. A desire for integrity is a repeated theme in Book I of the Psalter (see Psa 7:8; 15:2; 18:23, 25, 32; 19:13; 25:21; 26:1, 11; 37:18; 41:12). David desires to be like the blessed man of Psalm 1, who “walks” (Psa 26:1, 3, 11), “stands” (Psa 26:12), and “sits” (Psa 26:4-5) in the right places.
As part of this pursuit, David pleads with the LORD to keep him from following the counsel of the wicked (Psa 26:4-5, 9-10). He also affirms his love for the house of the LORD, the one place on earth where God’s glory dwells in perfect holiness and purity (Psa 26:6-7).
David desires to be like the blessed man of Psalm 1, who “walks”, “stands”, and “sits” in the right places.
How much we need the courage to pray David’s prayer today, when we spend countless hours scrolling through feeds of fake news and conspiracy theories, and when our love for “going it alone” replaces a love for celebrating God’s presence with the community of believers.
Let us dare to pray this prayer again and again, asking that God would give us the heart of King David:
“But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on a level place; in the congregations I shall bless the LORD” (Psa 26:11-12).
