Psalm 26

PSALM 26

"Examine Me, O Lord, and Prove Me"

Have you ever slipped on ice?  It’s an instantaneous horrible feeling of being out of control and not knowing what the outcome will be!  Last year, my husband was walking our yellow lab & our son's black lab at the same time and his feet hit a patch of ice – he fell hard, breaking his ankle and his thumb!  This winter, he is very wary of walking on the ice! 

Throughout the Psalms, David makes several references to walking / his feet, and that it is the Lord who gives him sure footing.  We saw this last week in Psalm 18:

He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.  ~ Ps. 18:33.

This verse reminds me of the Alpine Ibex, who often scale the Cingnino Dam in Italy – have you seen them? 

It is the way God designed their hooves that make this feat possible:  the hard hoofwall can grasp tiny footholds in vertical cliffs, while the soft rubber-like interior works like a stopper when it is pushed forward with each step on steep inclines.  Ibex hooves can also spread farther apart than those of any other cloven-hoofed mammal.

Do you fear heights?  I do!  It can be terrifying & dizzying.  David reminds us throughout the Psalms that our “spiritual” footing is held sure by the Lord . . . we see his reference again today in verse 1 of “walking without slipping.”

Today in Psalm 26 David is once again referring to his integrity, yet we know he was a sinner .  Remember back in Psalm 18 when we discussed David's heart-righteousness?  It is that to which he is referring again today.  My Bible makes this note:

The integrity that David professed in v. 1 is his way of life, but he does not depend on it in lieu of redemption & mercy.  Based on these, he can testify, "My foot stands in an even place."  The Old Testament believer often describes his salvation in terms of God giving him a flat place to stand where his feet will not slip. 

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• The Lord vindicates
• The Lord is trustworthy
• The Lord knows my mind & heart
• The Lord is full of lovingkindness & truth
• The Lord's works are wondrous
• God is merciful
• God is my Redeemer

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I bless the Lord for His vindication!  I praise God that He does examine my mind & heart and that my sin is revealed.  And I bless God that He makes provision for forgiveness of my sins through His Son, Jesus Christ. 
• I praise God that my feet do not slip, and that He puts them in an "even" place.

 PRAYER:
     Father, I praise You that You are my Redeemer.  I was in complete depravation and You saw.  And You saved.  Bless You, O Lord~
     I praise You that You examine my mind & my heart.  You know - and in truth, I want You to know - even when I am desperately ashamed of my wickedness in thoughts & attitudes.  I want Your Holy Spirit to bring conviction where needed so that I can turn.  Repent.  I do find security in knowing You will not allow me to continue in sin for very long before You draw me back to Yourself with Your rod of chastening.
     Enable me, Father, to walk in integrity.  May it please You to redeem me and be merciful to me, and set my foot in an even place.
     In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen