There will be times when God's people are accused of being hypocritical because they make connections with unbelievers for some reason. We need to remember we are in the world but not of the world. Some people will criticize a believer simply on the basis that they were at the same place at the same time as some whose lifestyle is definitely not "Christian." We are to be separate from the world but not isolated. God has left His people here to preach the Gospel by word and walk so lost souls can hear the way of salvation. Apparently, David had been accused of associating with ungodly people, and to those accusers’ minds, he was compromising his relationship with God.
This psalm is a worshipper's prayer, which begins with David's protest of innocence. The first seven verses are his desire to declare to the highest possible Judge that he is not guilty as charged. The last part of the psalm is a prayer for vindication. "Gather not my soul with sinners" is not some egoistic statement of a man who claims to be sinless, but that of a man who realizes his life and testimony is not to practice sin. When a person professes faith in Christ but has no change in life and continues to practice sin, there is no evidence that his desire is to please God. When there is no desire to be blameless before men and holy before God, there is no divine life in that person.
In declaring his innocence, David declares he is not guilty of the charges laid against him, nor of his sins and confessions of sin made to the Lord. He really is speaking to the fact of his righteousness and takes his appeal to the highest possible Person. "Judge me, O Lord." He has a clean conscience and is in no way boasting but is appreciating God's grace. He knows the Lord knows what is in the heart of man. His appeal is for God to take into account his moral integrity and that he is blameless of the charges and can be trusted. Even though David had sinned and knew there were severe consequences to sin, he did not live in sin.
A true believer who has been born again may fall into sin but does not practice sin. It is not the bent of life of one who knows they have been delivered from the wrath to come and from the controlling power of sin in life. It is the joy of a child of God to live in fellowship with God, and it is his grief to know he has failed his Lord. Righteous living is not foreign to a Christian. That is what a believer really wants. We must keep a clear record before God and maintain a consistent trust in Him. Being with unbelievers and being like unbelievers are two different things. We must certainly be careful with how we spend our time and what we do when we are with those who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior.
To "judge" and "examine" is to test one with the objective of determining quality. It has to do with getting rid of anything that is wrong or impure. When something is wrong, and we are not aware of it until it is brought to our attention, we are very glad to deal with it and cast it from us. To live with personal integrity and to openly testify to our faith in the Lord is evidence of new life given by God. Because of his faith in the Lord despite his weakness, the psalmist openly states his trust in the Lord to keep him from evil.
To "prove" something is to test it to make sure it is accurate and sound or healthy. Genuine faith in our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be hidden. To "try one's reins" means to use whatever pressure is necessary to either eliminate weak spots or expose what is unreal. The emotions of a child of God are one of the ways to see spiritual reality. The "heart" has to do with the affections. So, when the emotions and affections are consistent with the testimony of the life and words of a professing believer, that person's behavior makes them stand out even when they are among those who are unbelievers. When that happens, we must separate ourselves. David did not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor did he stand in the way of sinners, nor did he sit in the seat of the scornful. Neither should we. We are to be separate from the wicked and separated from our God. Our lives back up our faith. A child of God desires to please Him. He is our Father. Our Lord Jesus paid the price of our salvation with His life. It is spiritually normal for our love for God to show.
David's love for God was open to scrutiny. He kept his eyes on God's love and faithfulness to him. He sang his praises to the Lord. He rehearsed God's grace to him and worshipped with clean hands before the Lord. He had lived a righteous life and wanted to be sure he was saved from the end of those who were wicked. He committed himself to going public with his praise, thanksgiving, and worship so everyone, including those who accused him of hypocrisy, would know he wanted to please God. It is always good for us to keep our complaints private and our praise public.
Before the Lord in prayer, David stated unequivocally that he "hated the congregation of evil-doers" (wickedness) and "I have loved the habitation of Thy house" (righteousness). His commitment to integrity was evident and open before God. He wanted God to judge, prove, and test those statements. He did not settle down comfortably with the wicked. That attitude and action are what we expect of those who belong to Christ in this day and age. It is only right to expect one who has repented and been converted to be different than the ungodly around.
Then there is a positive statement, "I will wash," as a cleansing action distancing himself from wickedness, and another, "I will (worship)" in the congregations of the Lord. Those kinds of choices are true of those who love the Lord. He was standing "in an even place." That is flat ground and on the solid Rock of safety. When we are on the "higher ground" of "Beulah land," we find ourselves comfortable with the Lord and His people, and confident that we are not trying to hide anything from our Lord. PSALM 26. A declaration of loyalty to God, a psalm of separation (This may have been written during the time of Absalom’s rebellion) v. 1-3. WILLINGNESS TO BE TESTED David is not claiming sinlessness but rather a consistent fellowship with the Lord. He wants God to not give credence to the charges being laid against him. He wants his name cleared. God can clear our record according to His mercy. Judge me—vindicate me; examine me—put me to the test; try me—search me out.
v. 4 – 6. SEPARATION FROM WICKED MEN; SEPARATION TO GOD He did not have approving fellowship with those who were deceitful. He was not a willing partner with what they were doing. There is a difference between being with unbelievers and being one of them. His separation was to God after his hands were cleansed from sin and that which defiles. As a purged worshipper, he could sing and praise God in worship and thanksgiving.
v. 7 -12. SET APART IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD He is at the place he is supposed to be: the habitation of the Lord. The House of God is a place of reverence and worship. The presence of the Lord is in the place of His name. We don’t try to worship with sinners, in spirit and truth, at the same time. We should worship the Lord with the same love and reverence that David did.