Psalm 26:8-12

Psalm 26:8-12

Psalm 26:8 “I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.”
 
[Praise you, Lord, that now you dwell in each believer, in each of us, and as we together are living stones we make up your church, your bride. Help me to live the reality of that, to love the church universal and the church local. Help all of us to be in awe of you and live in such a way as to bring you honor, both personally and as local congregations.]
 
Psalm 26:9,10 “Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.”
 
[Praise you that, although I am naturally one of these sinners, in you I am made an innocent, being cleansed and forgiven, transformed and adopted. Therefore, I will not have to go with the wicked into punishment, but with you into an eternity of joy and peace, of goodness and grace.
 
Help me to recognize my tendency to do the natural, negative, nasty things, to reject them, and to live instead in the freedom of wisdom, the joy of submission and the goodness of obedience to your Word and Spirit.]
 
Psalm 26:11 “But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.”
 
[I do want to live a pure life but cannot do so on my own; help me to walk with you in your way of purity, positiveness and power. Thank you that you have redeemed me and that I stand in safety because of your blameless life, Lord Jesus. Praise you that you are merciful to me far beyond what I deserve.]
 
Psalm 26:12 My feet stand on level ground;
 
[Praise you that you have given me level ground, that I have all I need in you for stability, effectiveness and safety. You have set a race out before me; you smooth out the way, you help me forward, and running before me, you guide and direct.]
“in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.”
 
[Before all, Lord, I want to give you honor and glory, praise and power, exaltation and strength. You are the good One, you are the powerful One, you are the trustable One. So, I bow before you in awe and thankfulness, I rise up in your grace and joy, I move ahead in this day with thanksgiving and faith, fully clothed in the armor of God, able to stand no matter what comes.