Psalm 26:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.

NIV: for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.

NASB: For Your goodness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.

CSB: For your faithful love guides me, and I live by your truth.

NLT: For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.

KJV: For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

NKJV: For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.

So far, David has proclaimed his integrity (Psalm 26:1) and asked God to search him, to prove that sincerity (Psalm 26:2). Here, he affirms that he lived with a deliberate focus on God's unfailing love and truth. Of course, David sinned. In at least one case, his sin was severe (Psalm 51). And yet, the long-term course of his life demonstrates faithfulness to the Lord. He loved God and obeyed his Word (Psalm 119:11). He also believed God would keep His covenant promises.

The Christian life includes love for the Lord, which the Holy Spirit puts in the heart at the moment of salvation (Romans 5:5). Having received God's love, we respond to Him by becoming obedient from the heart to His Word (Romans 6:17). Paul describes the profound change which occurs when someone becomes a believer (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1–5). He credits this to God's great love and grace (Ephesians 2:4–9; Romans 5:8) and cites God's purpose to make believers His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). A proper response to God's love is a reciprocal love demonstrated in obedience to God. Jesus said, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" (John 14:21).

Psalm 26:1–3 begins with David asking the Lord to vindicate him. His enemies were bringing false charges against him, but he had led an honest life. His enemies could not point legitimately to one wrong thing he had done. David claims that he had always trusted in the Lord. He invites the Lord to test him. He would find that David's focus is on the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness.

Some of David's psalms connect directly to events recorded in Scripture. Psalm 26, however, does not seem to match any biblical events in David's life. This might have been David's response to a specific challenge, or a general plea for God to preserve him from deceptive attacks. In this psalm, David reaffirms his lifestyle of godliness and integrity. He is confident that he will not be judged with the wicked; the psalm offers evidence that he honors the Lord.

This Davidic psalm affirms David's integrity and his deliberate separation from evildoers. It also reveals his love for the tabernacle on Mount Zion. In several ways Psalms 26 resembles Psalm 25, though this song does not include a request for forgiveness (Psalm 25:18). David declares his sincere pursuit of the Lord, including attention to genuine worship. He does not participate with evildoers—likely meaningfalse worship —and he recognizes that the Lord will sweep away the souls of sinners.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.