Psalm 26
Psalm 26, the 26th psalm of the Book of Psalms in the Bible, begins : "Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity".
The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 25. In Latin, it is known as "Iudica me Domine". The psalm is attributed to David by its sub-title. Albert Barnes argues that "there is no reason to doubt the correctness of the superscription", but according to Charles and Emilie Briggs, it is to be dated within the Persian period. The Briggs describe the psalm as They add that the "elements of prayer and worship" in verses 9 to 11 are additions by a later editor.
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Nonconformist Protestant liturgies.
Structure
The psalm is divided into 2 parts- Verses 1-11: Pleas and affirmation of justice for the Psalmist
- Verse 12: certainty of being heard and confident vows
- The absence of a complaint. The peculiarity of the absence of an action falls on the Psalm: there is no reference to the wicked, which poses a risk for the psalmist in any way.
- The highlighting of the temple. The psalm refers not only to the "house of the Lord" and "Assembly", but also to the rites that are performed by the Psalmist in the Temple: the symbolic washing of hands, the circumambulation of the altar and the subsequent singing.
Text
| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
| 1 | Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. | Τοῦ Δαυΐδ. - ΚΡΙΝΟΝ με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου ἐπορεύθην καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐλπίζων, οὐ μὴ ἀσθενήσω. | |
| 2 | Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. | δοκίμασόν με, Κύριε, καὶ πείρασόν με, πύρωσον τοὺς νεφρούς μου καὶ τὴν καρδίαν μου. | |
| 3 | For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. | ὅτι τὸ ἔλεός σου κατέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μού ἐστι, καὶ εὐηρέστησα ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου. | |
| 4 | I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. | οὐκ ἐκάθισα μετὰ συνεδρίου ματαιότητος καὶ μετὰ παρανομούντων οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθω· | |
| 5 | I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. | ἐμίσησα ἐκκλησίαν πονηρευομένων καὶ μετὰ ἀσεβῶν οὐ μὴ καθίσω. | |
| 6 | I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD: | νίψομαι ἐν ἀθῴοις τὰς χεῖράς μου καὶ κυκλώσω τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου, Κύριε, | |
| 7 | That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. | τοῦ ἀκοῦσαί με φωνῆς αἰνέσεώς σου καὶ διηγήσασθαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσιά σου. | |
| 8 | LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. | Κύριε, ἠγάπησα εὐπρέπειαν οἴκου σου καὶ τόπον σκηνώματος δόξης σου. | |
| 9 | Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: | μὴ συναπολέσῃς μετὰ ἀσεβῶν τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρῶν αἱμάτων τὴν ζωήν μου, | |
| 10 | In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. | ὧν ἐν χερσὶν ἀνομίαι, ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν ἐπλήσθη δώρων. | |
| 11 | But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. | ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου ἐπορεύθην· λύτρωσαί με καὶ ἐλέησόν με. | |
| 12 | My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD. | ὁ πούς μου ἔστη ἐν εὐθύτητι· ἐν ἐκκλησίαις εὐλογήσω σε, Κύριε. |
Uses
New Testament
Speculatively, this psalm is referenced in the story of the public trial of Jesus. After succumbing to the wishes of the gathered crowd, Pontius Pilate purportedly washed his hands to show his innocence of their judgement. In the account, this could function as an outward display of someone mechanically following the psalm verse, but it would be apparent to the original Jewish audience that his abdication of the responsibility of judging justly was not in its spirit.Judaism
In Judaism, verse 8 is the third verse of Ma Tovu.Catholic Church
According to the monastic tradition this psalm was since St. Benedict of Nursia, performed during the celebration of matins of Sundays. Today, Psalm 26 is recited or sung during the Daytime Hours on Friday Week 1.Verses 6-12 are said during the Lavabo of the Tridentine Mass.
Eastern Orthodox Church
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 25 is part of the fourth Kathisma division of the Psalter, read at Matins on Monday mornings, as well as on Wednesdays during Lent at the Sixth Hour.Psalm 25/26 is also read at the rite of the consecration of a church, after the consecration of the altar.