Daily Bread:  Thoughts & Prayers from the Psalms

~ Psalm 26 ~

Have you ever read a Scripture that just rubs you the wrong way?
PLEASE don’t say I’m the only one this happens to.  Hoping I’m not, I’ll continue typing 😀
I’m not meaning to be blasphemous in any way, just honest.
Ok.  Here goes… When I read the Bible, I usually just read slowly and wait to see what pops out, or what strikes a chord in my heart.  So when I read Psalm 26 through the first time this morning, the thing that stood out loud and proud, was David’s confession of his super righteous living.
And… it just kind of annoyed me.
I mean David!!  We know your stuff!

But to be fair, I know my stuff too, so I decided to give it a fresh read through to see if anything else struck me.  THAT is when I saw what David was doing.  As David speaks of his commitment to the LORD, he stops at nearly every point to ASK the LORD for His help.  In these few short sentences, note how often he cries out for God’s help!

“Vindicate me, O LORD…
  Test and try me…
  Examine my heart and my mind…
  Don’t take away my soul along with sinners…
  Redeem me…
  Be merciful to me.”

What a powerful way to pray!

As we follow Jesus and strive to live a blameless life before Him, it is good to confess to Him not just our short comings, but our successes and victories in this life, knowing that they are all an overflow of His goodness to us!  And as we pray, let’s ask the Lord to continue to shepherd our faith and grow us more and more like Him!

LORD
EXAMINE & JUDGE
my heart
and my mind.

REMEMBER
I have put all my
TRUST in you.

I have walked with
INTEGRITY
in your ways
and in your TRUTH
BECAUSE
your LOVE
is ever before me !

I have hated evil
and have refused to
be part of it.
I have washed my hands of it
SO THAT
I may come before
YOU

PROCLAIMING ALOUD
your praise
and TELLING
all of your
WONDERFUL DEEDS !

O, how I love 
the PLACE 
where you 
LIVE !
The place
where your 
GLORY dwells !

Don’t allow my life
to be entangled with
those who do evil.
I will walk with
INTEGRITY

Be
MERCIFUL to me.

I stand FIRM
and I will
PRAISE YOU !

~Read or Listen to Psalm 26.   

~Praying Psalm 27 is next!

~Praying the Psalms Table of Contents~

–Psalm 1
–Psalm 2 & 3
–Psalm 4
–Psalm 5
–Psalm 6 & 7
–Psalm 8
–Psalm 9
–Psalm 10
–Psalm 11
–Psalm 12
–Psalm 13
–Psalm 14
–Psalm 15
–Psalm 16
–Psalm 17
–Psalm 18
–Psalm 19
–Psalm 20
–Psalm 21
–Psalm 22
–Psalm 23
–Psalm 24
–Psalm 25
–Psalm 26
–Psalm 27
–Psalm 28
–Psalm 29
–Psalm 30
–Psalm 31
–Psalm 32
–Psalm 33
–Psalm 34
–Psalm 35
–Psalm 36