1Un Salmo de David. Confirma que soy inocente, Señor, porque he actuado con integridad, y he confiado en el Señor sin falta.
2Examíname, Señor, pruébame; investiga mi corazón y mi mente.
3Porque yo siempre recuerdo tu amor fiel, y sigo tu verdad.
4No me junto con mentirosos, ni me asocio con hipócritas.
5Me rehúso a estar junto a aquellos que hacen el mal, y no me veré envuelto con los malvados.
6Lavo mis manos para mostrar mi inocencia. Vengo a adorar a tu altar, Señor,
7cantando mis agradecimientos, contando todas las cosas maravillosas cosas que has hecho.
8Señor, amo tu casa, el lugar donde vives en tu gloria.
9Por favor, no me lances lejos con los pecadores. No me incluyas con aquellos que cometieron asesinatos,
10y cuyas manos cargan sus planes malvados y sobornos.
11Porque yo no hago eso, yo actúo con integridad. ¡Sálvame, y ten gracia conmigo!
12Estoy a favor de lo que es correcto, y alabaré al Señor cuando nos reunamos a adorarle.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
David asks God to examine him and prove his integrity, affirming that he avoids the company of wicked people and loves the house of the LORD, ending with a plea not to be treated like the ungodly.
Explanation
This psalm is a declaration of personal integrity before God, a theme that appears in several Davidic psalms (such as Psalm 17). It is not about absolute moral perfection, but about sincerity of heart and a conscious refusal to associate with corrupt practices ('I have not sat with vain persons'). The act of 'washing the hands in innocency' before approaching the altar reflects purification rituals practiced at the temple. Today's application: examining one's own company and daily choices is part of keeping a clean conscience before God.
Fun facts
- The gesture of 'washing the hands' before religious rituals was a common practice in the Ancient Near East, symbolizing ritual purity — priests at the Israelite temple literally washed their hands and feet before serving at the altar (Exodus 30:19-21).
- The phrase 'my foot standeth in an even place' (v.12) uses an image of stable ground, contrasting with the 'slippery places' where the wicked are described falling in other psalms (such as Psalm 73).