Psalms 26:1

Psalms 26:1 says, A Psalm of David.  After being identified as a Psalm of David, verse one says, Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.  David asked God to judge him, and then said that God knew he had sinned but also that he had trusted in the LORD.   God will one day judge us, whether we ask Him to or not, and we are all guilty of sin, so our only hope is to put our faih and trust in the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Verse two adds, Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.  David then asked God to examine his heart.  It is not enough for us to pronounce ourselves innocent, but we need to continually ask God to examine our life to see if there are any sinful thoughts or actions in our life.  Verse three continues, For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.  David said God's lovingkindness, His mercy, was before his eyes, and that he had walked by God's truth. Because of God's lovingkindness, or mercy, toward us, we should walk guided by His truth.  Verse four states, I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.  Though we are told to go into all the world to share the gospel, this does not mean that we are to sit with those we witness to all the time.  Verse five adds, I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.  David said he hated the congregation of the wicked and would not sit with them.   Again, we are to hate the sins of people and to witness to them about Jesus Christ, but we are not to make congregating with them a way of life.  Verse six declares, I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:  David pronounced his innocence before God and his right to come to God's altar.  David's innocence came from his faith in God and God's mercy and not from his own goodness.  The only way we can stand innocent before God is by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Verse seven adds, That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.  David said that he would tell the world of all of God's wondrous works in his life, and so should we as Christians.  Verse eight continues, LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.  David said he had loved being in God's house  where God's honor dwelt.  We should love being in God's house today, but when we are gathered in His house, all that we do there should honor Him.  Of course, anywhere that we are as Christians should be God's house for us and we should honor Him in all that we do.  Verse nine says, Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:  David asked that his soul not be gathered with sinners.  David had proclaimed his innocence because of God's grace to him and his faith in the LORD, and asked that he not be sentenced to the same fate as the sinners who had not put their faith in the LORD.  We are all sinners, but if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will not be judged with those who don't.  By our faith in Jesus Christ, we are pronounced innocent.  Verse ten adds, In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.  David then spoke of some of the actions of the sinful men.  Their hands were full of mischief and bribes.  There will always be sinful people in the world, but as Christians we must not be a part of them.  Verse eleven declares, But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.  David said that he would walk in his integrity, but at the same time asked God to redeem him and be merciful to him.  We cannot save ourselves by our own integrity, but can only be saved by the mercy of God, which we must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord to obtain.  Verse twelve adds, My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.  David said he stood on the even ground of God and would bless the LORD in the congregation.  When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He leads us on the even ground and keeps us from stumbling, and for this we should always give Him the praise.