The Mountain Is Not Yet Ascended: The King And His People As The Nations Rage In Psalms 25–33 (Part 3)—Psalm 26 And Coming Before The King

by on September 19, 2026 | Comment

When I was younger, a popular slogan people said when they were trying to get away with whatever they wanted was, “Only God can judge me.” They said it to make the point that other people do not get to weigh in with a relevant assessment of behavior. Although the truth in the statement is that God is the ultimate judge, those who assert this claim overlook that having God as our judge is worse if our conduct is less than it should be.

Psalm 26 is about what it means to stand in the right. It is a request that God would recognize us as different from those whose lives are characterized by wickedness and opposition to him. Although Christians cannot appeal to their own record or goodness as ground for God to reward them, they can point to a difference in their lives.1 This appeal in Psalm 26 is not a claim to be without fault but to be without apostasy.2

Psalm 26 begins and ends with requests.3 These begin in verse 1 with “Vindicate me” and conclude in verse 11 with “redeem me.” Further, the psalm contains an alternating pattern of expressing allegiance to God and then aversion for the wicked. In verses 1–3, 6–8, and 11–12, David expresses allegiance to God. In verses 4–5 and 9–10, he talks about his aversion for the wicked. Hence, he prays that God will recognize the difference in his life compared to those who live in opposition to him.

Psalms 25–34 hang together in response to the pinnacle events of the Savior King’s work described in Psalms 15–24. The Psalter began with grand promises about the victory of God’s King. But then we camped for some time on the experience of the nations raging against God’s King and his people. With God’s grand promises about his King’s victory in front of us again in Psalms 15–24, Psalms 25–34 return to prayers about how to navigate life as the nations rage. This is why book 1 of the Psalms through Psalm 41 is about conflict.4

Psalm 25 reminded us that those with sin to confess should not abstain from prayer. Now, Psalm 26 shows us that prayer is still rightly combined with a life of integrity.5 This prayer comes from one who strives for the life worthy of ascending the hill of the Lord in Psalms 15–24.6 More pointedly, this prayer shows us how to respond rightly to the Savior King who has ascended the hill of the Lord to take us with him. Psalm 26 shows us how to pray when we feel overtaken by those who are in the wrong. This post argues that God stands by those who walk with him.

Approval

Why did David write this psalm? The challenge is that we do not know date or background.7 But Psalms 25–28 seem to have been written around the same time in light of enemies’ undeserved accusation.8 This problem might place the setting in any number of circumstances within David’s life when Saul or his own rebellious son opposed him. Whatever the situation, clearly David wanted to be known as siding with the Lord rather than with the ungodly.

This opening theme starts Psalm 26 as the ideal sequel to Psalm 25. The request in verse 1, “Vindicate me, O Lord,” means “Set me in the clear” or “Show me to be right.”9 The last major thought of Psalm 25 was in verse 21: “May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you” (emphasis added). Psalm 26:1 picks up the same theme:

Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. (emphasis added)

Psalm 26 is a petition that God would look on our efforts to walk in integrity, teach us about our condition, and help us to be better. 10

David wanted God to assess him. He wanted God’s opinion of his life. He made it very clear in verse 2 that he wanted to know God’s deepest insights about his life: “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.” He wanted God to sort through what was going on in his heart and mind and let him know how those things stand.

We might think David is a bit brazen and overconfident. It troubles many of us to think of asking God to give an assessment of our lives especially because of our uprightness. David was not overconfident in his request for God to assess or vindicate him, provided we understand the real scope of his petition. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:2–4: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”

Both Paul and David had moments when they were unaware of shortcomings regarding a particular issue, but this did not undermine their general disposition of repentance. Further, their humility is clear in how neither of them were satisfied with their own assessment of themselves. They both sought after God’s opinion. They knew which approval matters.

Assessment

How do we apply this psalm to our lives? Both David and Paul rested in God’s assessment of them. They raise the question for us, Whose opinion do we value? When some people say, “Only God can judge me,” they mean to dismiss criticism to excuse their sinful actions. When believers say, “Only God can judge me,” they mean that they live their lives governed by the reality that God’s assessment is the highest and most valuable verdict. We do not view God’s judgment as a way to shrug off responsibility. Rather, God’s assessment is our encouragement when, like David, those around us oppose and dishearten us.

Where do we look for approval? To man or to God? Where is our confidence? With God? This can be especially hard amid criticism. When the opinions of those around us press on us, it can feel crushing.

Hence, we have two assemblies in Psalm 26, the congregation and the unrighteous.11 We learn to avoid the men of falsehood, the gathering of hypocrites, and the assembly of evildoers. We ultimately belong to one of two groups, the assembly of the ungodly or the Lord’s people.

The other assembly is God’s covenant people for worship. David expresses this in verses 6–8:

I wash my hands in innocence

and go around your altar, O Lord,

proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

O Lord, I love the habitation of your house

and the place where your glory dwells.

Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us of the same truth still in application to new covenant Christians: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”12 The implication in Hebrews of “the Day,” specifically the day of the Lord drawing near, is God’s judgment, just as is in view in Psalm 26. Hebrews 10 exhorts us in light of God’s assessment to make sure that we continue our commitment to the assembly of his covenant people. David models the same commitment in Psalm 26.

When we value God’s assessment, we long to be where he is present. Although God is present generally everywhere always, he is especially present for blessing when his people assemble in his name under the means of grace. When we come before him in worship, he uses his Word to search us and to refine us. He gives his assessment of us in the preaching of his law and his gospel. So, we want to come before the Lord for assessment and vindication.

Acceptance

We also commit ourselves to the assembly of God’s covenant people because this is where God works as he meets us to refine us. He applies the power of his Word and his gospel to us to cleanse and purify us. The assembly of God’s people is part of what distinguishes our lives from the godless. So, David says in verses 9–12:

Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

redeem me, and be gracious to me.

My foot stands on level ground;

in the great assembly I will bless the Lord. (emphasis added)

God’s work among his people fortifies and establishes us. He strengthens us and equips us. He provides for us that we can know our acceptance with him.

One reason why we grow in confidence and holiness is because Psalm 26 is a prayer from God’s King. David wrote it as his own prayer and as instruction for us as to how we should pray. But God’s ultimate King prays this in greater measure than David, as it is more truly Christ’s words. What David prays in shadow, Christ prays in true fulfillment.13

Jesus is the one who can without hesitation appeal to his own integrity as the reason that God should approve and vindicate him. We know even more that God has vindicated and proven him. Christ is the Savior who has risen from the grave, even as David already taught us in Psalms 15–24. God has vindicated and proven Christ by raising him in indestructible glory.

His integrity is the reason that we stand on level ground in God’s assembly. Christ’s perfectly righteous life is the ground for our acceptance and hearing before God. His righteousness is why we can have safe passage into the Lord’s presence in worship.

The altar for washing our hands has gone away because Christ’s death and his shed blood on the cross have cleansed us of our sin. He has dealt with our transgression and made us new in God’s sight. Now, our falsehood, hypocrisy, evildoing, and wickedness have been taken away from us. Because of Christ’s integrity, God is gracious to us.

We can be bold because of Christ. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (emphasis added).” Christ has earned our security before God.

Truly, God will judge everyone. But he has already judged everyone with faith in Christ in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. The doctrine of justification is about the declaration where God renders verdict at the final judgment. It is the decision about whether we are right before the courts of heaven. We need perfect integrity to be right in God’s sight.

But God’s verdict has already come down to us by faith alone when we trust in Christ. Christ’s life has become our integrity before God. His death has become our cleansing. His resurrection is our vindication. If Christ cannot be claimed by death, then believers cannot be turned away from heaven.

As God will not turn us away from his kingdom, he will hear us now in prayer. The Lord has judged us but has given us the reward that Christ deserves. This is why we seek the Lord’s vindication and desire his presence. Only God can judge me, but that is good news only when God the judge has saved me in Jesus Christ.

Notes

  1. Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms (Kregel Academic Press, 2011–16), 1:610.
  2. Dale Ralph Davis, In the Presence of My Enemies: Psalms 25–37 (Christian Focus, 2020), 31.
  3. James M. Hamilton Jr., Psalms, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Lexham Academic, 2021), 1:319.
  4. O. Palmer Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms (P&R, 2015), 53–54.
  5. John Goldingay, Psalms, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms (Baker Academic, 2006–2008), 1:388.
  6. Goldingay, Psalms, 1:380.
  7. Goldingay, Psalms, 1:380.
  8. Ross, Psalms, 1:608; and Hamilton, Psalms, 1:322.
  9. Davis, Presence of My Enemies, 30.
  10. Goldingay, Psalms, 1:380.
  11. Christopher Ash, The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary (Crossway, 2024), 2:305.
  12. Ash, Psalms, 2:313–14.
  13. Ash, Psalms, 2:305; and Hamilton, Psalms, 1:326.

© Harrison Perkins. All Rights Reserved.

You can find this whole series here.

RESOURCES

Heidelberg Reformation Association
1637 E. Valley Parkway #391
Escondido CA 92027
USA
The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Subscribe to the Heidelblog today!


Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments are welcome but must observe the moral law (Matt 22:37–40). Comments that are profane, that deny the moral law, that deny the gospel, that advance positions contrary to the Reformed confession, or that irritate the management are subject to deletion. Please use a working email address so we can contact you, if necessary, about content or corrections.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.