Psalms 26 (ASV)

Chapter Text

26:1 Judge me, O Jehovah, for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in Jehovah without wavering.

26:2 Examine me, O Jehovah, and prove me; Try my heart and my mind.

26:3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes; And I have walked in thy truth.

26:4 I have not sat with men of falsehood; Neither will I go in with dissemblers.

26:5 I hate the assembly of evil-doers, And will not sit with the wicked.

26:6 I will wash my hands in innocency: So will I compass thine altar, O Jehovah;

26:7 That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard, And tell of all thy wondrous works.

26:8 Jehovah, I love the habitation of thy house, And the place where thy glory dwelleth.

26:9 Gather not my soul with sinners, Nor my life with men of blood;

26:10 In whose hands is wickedness, And their right hand is full of bribes.

26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: Redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

26:12 My foot standeth in an even place: In the congregations will I bless Jehovah. Psalm 27 [A Psalm] of David.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "judge", "jehovah", "walked", "mine", "integrity", "trusted", and "without". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "judge" and "jehovah", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local ASV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "judge" and "jehovah" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "judge" and "jehovah" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.