Mazmur 18:21-24

18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; ¹ 

I have not rebelled against my God. ² 

18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations, ³ 

and I do not reject his rules. ⁴ 

18:23 I was innocent before him,

and kept myself from sinning. ⁵ 

18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; ⁶ 

he took notice of my blameless behavior. ⁷ 

Mazmur 26:1-3

Psalm 26 ⁸ 

By David.

26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have integrity, ⁹ 

and I trust in the Lord without wavering.

26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!

Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! ¹⁰ 

26:3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness, ¹¹ 

and your loyalty continually motivates me. ¹² 

Mazmur 26:6

26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle, ¹³ 

so I can appear before your altar, ¹⁴  O Lord,

[18:21]  ¹ tn Heb “for I have kept the ways of the Lord.” The phrase “ways of the Lord” refers here to the “conduct required” by the Lord. In Ps 25 the Lord’s “ways” are associated with his covenantal demands (see vv. 4, 9-10). See also Ps 119:3 (cf. vv. 1, 4), as well as Deut 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16.

[18:21]  ² tn Heb “I have not acted wickedly from my God.” The statement is elliptical; the idea is, “I have not acted wickedly and, in so doing, departed from my God.”

[18:22]  ³ tn Heb “for all his regulations [are] before me.” The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim, “regulations”) refers to God’s covenantal requirements, especially those which the king is responsible to follow (cf. Deut 17:18-20). See also Pss 19:9 (cf. vv. 7-8); 89:30; 147:20 (cf. v. 19), as well as the numerous uses of the term in Ps 119.

[18:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “and his rules I do not turn aside from me.” 2 Sam 22:23 reads, “and his rules, I do not turn aside from it.” The prefixed verbal form is probably an imperfect; the psalmist here generalizes about his loyalty to God’s commands. The Lord’s “rules” are the stipulations of the covenant which the king was responsible to obey (see Ps 89:31; cf. v. 30 and Deut 17:18-20).

[18:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “from my sin,” that is, from making it my own in any way.

[18:23]  sn Kept myself from sinning. Leading a blameless life meant that the king would be loyal to God’s covenant, purge the government and society of evil and unjust officials, and reward loyalty to the Lord (see Ps 101).

[18:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “according to my righteousness.”

[18:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.” 2 Sam 22:25 reads “according to my purity before his eyes.” The verbal repetition (compare vv. 20 and 24) sets off vv. 20-24 as a distinct sub-unit within the psalm.

[26:1]  ⁸ sn Psalm 26. The author invites the Lord to test his integrity, asserts his innocence and declares his loyalty to God.

[26:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “for I in my integrity walk.”

[26:2]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “evaluate my kidneys and my heart.” The kidneys and heart were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[26:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”

[26:3]  ¹² tn Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.”

[26:3]  sn The psalmist’s awareness of the Lord’s faithfulness and…loyalty toward him motivates him to remain loyal to the Lord and to maintain his moral purity.

[26:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “I wash my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The imperfect verbal emphasizes that this is his habit.

[26:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “so I can go around your altar” (probably in ritual procession). Following the imperfect of the preceding line, the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.