Overview
It appears that an ungodly and affluent group had come into prominence and were trying to slander King David. In his usual manner, David took the matter to the Lord in prayer, as recorded in Psalm 26. David did not claim to be perfect or sinless, for in many other psalms he admited to guilt and asked forgiveness (e.g. Psalm 25); rather, he plead innocent to the charges laid against him. The "sinister scheme" caused him alarm, and it seems he feared for his life and prayed that God would not allow him to die in the company of bloodthirsty sinners (26:9-10). He cried out to the Lord for vindication, and since he had no hidden sin in his life, he was confident to ask God to "examine", "prove", and "try" his mind and heart (26:2).
David was sure of his integrity, which he proceeds to explain. The integrity for the believer includes: in the positive sense, keeping one's eyes on (meditating upon) the lovingkindness (mercy, grace) of God, and walking in God's truth (obedient to His Word); and in the negative sense, not having fellowship with the wicked, not going into the House of God with hypocrites, and not attending places where evildoers are assembled (26:3-5), for if these wrong things were done, the believer might soon be dragged down with them through their influence.
To be worthy to go before the Most Holy and Righteous God, one must be washed with innocence. The outward sign of the washing of hands symbolizes inner washing and purity (26:6). Inward cleanliness is what the Lord requires of those in His presence (see 24:3,4). David expressed his love for communion with God in His house (the tabernacle), where David would go to praise the Lord with thanksgiving hymns and give Him honour and glory by telling of His "wondrous works" (26:7).
Though others around him had succumbed to temptation and had slipped (such as making and accepting bribes, 26:10), David confidently proclaims, "I shall not slip" (26:1) and strongly asserts, "But as for me, I will walk in my integrity" (26:11). His assurance is based upon his trust in God, for God is merciful and just. Therefore, he asks God to redeem him. He declares with faith that his foot stands "in an even place" on the solid ground of the Word of God; therefore, he will not stumble but will live to again bless the Lord in the congregation.
David's serenity in the Lord, expressed in Psalm 27, is also based upon His trust in God. In essence, his words are: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). From experience, David could describe the Lord as his "light", "salvation", and "the strength of [his] life" (27:1; cf. John 8:12; Isaiah 12:2); therefore, David had nothing to fear. It is likely that the circumstances surrounding the writing of this psalm was when Absalom and his army had rebelled against his father, David, and encamped against him for battle (27:3; 2 Samuel 17:26; 18:11-6). They forced David to leave Jerusalem, and while he was encamped at Mahanaim, east of the Jordan, he must have longed to return to Jerusalem, so he could once again go into the House of the Lord to behold His glory and be protected within the Holy Place of His presence (27:4-5). David exhibits total confidence that once again he will be honoured and enabled to go and worship the Lord in His tabernacle at Jerusalem (27:6).
Suddenly, there is a drastic change in David's tone (27:7-14). Possibly time had elapsed and he had become anxious for the Lord's deliverance, although he never doubted God's care for him and still declared complete trust in God. He knew that unlike family members, God would never forsake him, and so he had faith that God would answer his prayers, and he would live to once again receive of His blessings (27:13). The psalmist closed by giving himself some good advice. Until the time of God's deliverance, he resolved not to lose hope nor worry but to be patient and "wait on the Lord" (cf. Isaiah 40:29,31).
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