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Psalm 26

A Psalm of David.

Judge me, O Lord,
    for I have walked in my integrity.
I have trusted in the Lord;
    I will not slip.
Examine me, O Lord, and test me;
    try my affections and my heart.
For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
    and I have walked in Your truth.

I have not sat with the worthless,
    nor will I go with hypocrites.
I have hated the congregation of evildoers,
    and will not sit with the wicked.
I will wash my hands in innocence;
    thus I will go around Your altar, O Lord,
that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
    and tell of all Your wondrous works.
Lord, I have loved the refuge of Your house,
    and the place where Your honor dwells.
Do not gather my soul with sinners,
    nor my life with murderers,
10 in whose hands is wickedness,
    and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
    redeem me and be gracious to me.

12 My foot stands in an even place;
    with the congregations I will bless the Lord.

A Prayer for Vindication

Of David.[a]

26 Judge me, O Yahweh, because I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted Yahweh and not wavered.
Prove me, O Yahweh, and test me.
Try my innermost being[b] and my mind.[c]
Because your loyal love is before my eyes,
and I walk about in your faithfulness.
I do not sit with deceitful people,
nor will I go about with hypocrites.
I hate the crowd of evildoers,
and with the wicked I will not sit.
I will wash my hands in innocence,
and I will walk about your altar, O Yahweh,
to declare with a voice of thanksgiving,
and tell of all your wondrous deeds.
O Yahweh, I love the dwelling of your house,[d]
and the place where your glory abides.[e]
Do not destroy me[f] with the sinners,
nor my life with men of bloodshed,
10 in whose hands is an evil plan,
and whose right hand is full of bribes.[g]
11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity.
Redeem me and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground.
In assemblies I will bless Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 26:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 26:2 Literally “kidneys,” the locus of intense thoughts and emotions in biblical Hebrew
  3. Psalm 26:2 Literally “heart”
  4. Psalm 26:8 Or “temple”
  5. Psalm 26:8 Literally “the place of the dwelling place of your glory”
  6. Psalm 26:9 Or “gather my soul for judgment
  7. Psalm 26:10 Hebrew “bribe”