Psalms 26

 

לְדָוִד שָׁפְטֵנִי יְהוָה כִּי־אֲנִי בְּתֻמִּי הָלַכְתִּי וּבַיהוָה בָּטַחְתִּי לֹא אֶמְעָד׃   26:1

Psal. 26:1   Of David's:

                      Judge me, O Lord, because I have walked with my integrity

                                and do trust in the Lord,

                       I shall not slide.

This psalm appears to be a plea for the Lord’s mercy by one who believes himself to be truly worthy of it.  But David often confesses his sins, both here in these psalms and in the books of Samuel.  So I have some doubt that this psalm was composed by him.  However, it is attributed to him.

בְּחָנֵנִי יְהוָה וְנַסֵּנִי (צְרֹופָה) [צָרְפָה] כִלְיֹותַי וְלִבִּי׃   26:2

Psal. 26:2   Examine me, O Lord, and prove me!

                               Try my reins and my heart!

The error indicated in the word in the parentheses is that of an extraneous vav.  Although this word appears in four other places in the bible spelled the same way, it is used differently here -- as an imperative -- and should be spelled as it is in the brackets.

כִּי־חַסְדְּךָ לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ׃   26:3

Psal. 26:3   For Your loving kindness has been the focus of my sight

                               and it has made me walk in Your truth.

לֹא־יָשַׁבְתִּי עִם־מְתֵי־שָׁוְא וְעִם נַעֲלָמִים לֹא אָבוֹא׃   26:4

Psal. 26:4   I have not sat with persons of idolatry,

                               and I would not go with dissemblers.

שָׂנֵאתִי קְהַל מְרֵעִים וְעִם־רְשָׁעִים לֹא אֵשֵׁב׃   26:5

Psal. 26:5   I hate any assembly of mischief makers

                               and with evil doers I would not sit.

אֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּי וַאֲסֹבְבָה אֶת־מִזְבַּחֲךָ יְהוָה׃   26:6

Psal. 26:6   I will wash my hands with innocence,

                               then I will embrace Your altar, O Lord,

לַשְׁמִעַ בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה וּלְסַפֵּר כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ׃   26:7

Psal. 26:7   proclaiming with a shout of thanksgiving

                              while recounting all Your marvelous works.

יְהוָה אָהַבְתִּי מְעוֹן בֵּיתֶךָ וּמְקוֹם מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ׃   26:8

Psal. 26:8   O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house

                               and the place Your glory dwells.

Could this be a reference to the Temple?  If so, this psalm must have been authored after David’s passing, or this verse was added or changed later.  On the other hand, it could be referencing the Tabernacle (less likely).

אַל־תֶּאֱסֹף עִם־חַטָּאִים נַפְשִׁי וְעִם־אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים חַיָּי׃   26:9

Psal. 26:9   May You not gather my soul with sinners

                                or my life with bloody men,

אֲשֶׁר־בִּידֵיהֶם זִמָּה וִימִינָם מָלְאָה שֹּׁחַד׃   26:10

Psal. 26:10   in whose hands is mischief,

                                while their right hand gathers bribery.

וַאֲנִי בְּתֻמִּי אֵלֵךְ פְּדֵנִי וְחָנֵּנִי׃   26:11

Psal. 26:11   But I would walk in my integrity.

                                Redeem me and favor me!

רַגְלִי עָמְדָה בְמִישׁוֹר בְּמַקְהֵלִים אֲבָרֵךְ יְהוָה׃   26:12

Psal. 26:12   My foot remains in an even place;

                                among the congregants I will bless the Lord.

 

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