On Psalm 26

Summer Psalms - On Psalm 26

July 27, 2022

Pray for Illumination - Heavenly Father, help me to know your ways; teach me your paths and lead me into your truth. Amen.

Read Psalm 26

… I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. Psalms 26:3 

If someone were to say to me on a Sunday morning, “… I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered” (vs 1), I would probably have to bite my tongue a bit and assume they're being sarcastic or delusional!  However, I don’t believe David is either in his writing here.  Interwoven in this seeming self-confidence are clear expression of his complete dependence on God’s unfailing love, faithfulness, and mercy.  As I read this Psalm more closely, I hear the words of someone who whole-heartedly belongs to God and wants no other associations to define him.  David ends this Psalm with a definitive statement:

My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.  Psalm 26:12

I am reminded of a beautiful hymn titled "On Christ, the Solid Rock I Stand", written by a cabinet maker who wrote these faith-filled words while he was walking to work (he would later become a pastor) :

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to hear more people today express a whole-hearted commitment to Jesus, both with words and their lives.  Today, take the words of the Psalm and hymn and use them to guide your prayer. Ask God to take your whole heart and life.  Hold nothing back and lean deeply into God’s faithfulness today.