Psalm 26

During the period 1730–1755 the Great Awakening, a religious revival in America, was led by preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield. Historians describe whole cites, like Boston and Philadelphia, gathering to hear these preachers. Church membership grew by the thousands as people turned their lives to God. During this period, life in Europe evidenced great decadence and moral decline. That culture had been imported to the Colonies and the righteous were few and far between. The theme of the great revival was characterized by a sermon preached by Jonathan Edwards, on July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut; “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The sermon centered on the Final Judgment, which is the topic Jesus most often preached.

That there will be a great day of accounting where all people will be judged by God is the theme of the Old and New Testaments. In Psalm 26, David presents himself to God in anticipation that his life will be vindicated. David was trusting in his integrity as well as the faithfulness and mercy of God. This vindication called forth a desire to worship God, which led David to plead for God’s protection. David ends the psalm resting in the assurance of God’s care.

David was called by the grace of God and anointed by God to be King. He knew God’s favor and sought to present his life as one who followed after the ways of God. Today, the followers of Jesus have been saved by the grace of God, and anointed by God, to be the children of God. Our mission is to present ourselves as those who have experienced a Great Awakening and have turned our lives from sin to God.

David’s plea for vindication rested entirely on God. It was God who, by grace, called and anointed David. It was God who showed David the way of life and gave David the capacity to live for God. It was the complete trustworthiness of God that would vindicate David.

David’s psalm gives us a pattern for our lives, which, if we will follow, we can say with David, “I live with integrity. So redeem me and show me mercy. Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the Lord.”

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in Psalm 26 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for May 28, 2012  Psalm 27