Psalm 26 - Level Ground

Psalm 26 is a Psalm about washing your hands, somehow a very topical theme:

‘I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, LORD.’ (vs 6)

At times I have struggled to make sense of Psalms like these, or struggled I guess to relate to them. The writer of this Psalm begins with the words ‘I have led a blameless life. I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered.’ 

This is written by someone whose love for God is complete and unfailing. If God were to test this person and try them (vs 2) they would find no wrong. This is a person whose every day has been marked by reliance on God’s faithfulness (vs 3), someone who loves God’s house (vs 8) with all their hearts.

But the person writing this Psalm is facing a threat, a deep threat. In vs 9 they plead with their Heavenly Father: ‘Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with those who are bloodthirsty, in whose hands are wicked schemes … I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me.’

Psalm 27, like so many of the Psalms is a ‘Psalm of David.’ How can David write these words. How can the man who would steal Bathsheba, murder Uriah, and at times be foolishly proud of his military strength, speak of being blameless before God in this way? But what if, David is not speaking of himself, but speaking of someone else?

On this Good Friday we remember the only blames life that was ever lived, the only person who ever lived a life of complete faithfulness before their God. We remember the One whose life was marked by complete innocence of wrongdoing, and yet whose blood was poured out by those who wickedly schemed against Him.

The Bible tells us our hands our stained with sin to a degree that we can never wash or clean ourselves. Who will rescue us from ‘this body that is subject to death?’ (Romans 7:25)

Good Friday has the answer. All our hope is in Jesus.

Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for this day when we remember how you died to cleanse us and give us life. Cleanse me anew I pray that I may stand before You and praise Your name.