Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 26:3

For thy lovingkindness [is] before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

3. The ground of the prayers in Psa 26:1-2. He can pray for a favourable judgement, and submit himself to this scrutiny, because he knows God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness. They are the object of his constant meditation, the daily experience of his life. Cp. Psa 16:8; Psa 25:10, note.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes – Thy favor or friendship is constantly before me, in the sense that it is the object of my desire. I wish to secure it; I long to know whether I have sufficient evidence that it is mine. This is a reason why he desires that God would search him. The favor or the friendship of God was an object of intense desire with him. He had evidence upon which he relied, and which seemed to him to be satisfactory, that God was his friend. But the object was so great, the matter was so important, the danger of self-deception was so imminent, that he did not dare to trust his own judgment, and he prayed that God would search him. The thought here is, that it was a steady purpose of his life to secure the favor of God. His eye was never turned from this. It was always before Him.

And I have walked in thy truth – I have embraced the truth; I have regulated my life by the truth. This is the first thing to which he refers. He was certain that this had been his aim. Compare the notes at 3Jo 1:4. See also 2Ki 20:3. One of the first characteristics of piety is a desire to know what is true, and to live in accordance with the truth. The psalmist was conscious that he had arrived at this, and that he had endeavored to make it a ruling principle in his conduct. Whether he had done this, or whether he had deceived himself in the matter, was what he now wished to submit to the all-searching eye of God.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 3. For thy loving-kindness] A sense of thy favour and approbation was more to my heart than thrones and sceptres; and in order to retain this blessing, I have walked in thy truth.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

I dare appeal to thee with this confidence, because thou knowest that I have a true and deep sense of thy loving-kindness to me upon mine heart, by which I have been obliged, and in a manner constrained, to love and obey thee, and in all things to approve any heart and ways to thee, and to abstain from all such evil practices as mine enemies charge me with, whereby I should have forfeited thy loving-kindness, which I prize more than life, Psa 63:3, and exposed myself to thy just displeasure. My experience of and trust in thy goodness doth fully satisfy and support me, that I neither do nor need to use any indirect or irregular courses for my relief.

In thy truth, i.e. according to thy word, which is oft called truth, as Psa 119:142,151; Joh 17:17,19; believing its promises, and observing its precepts and directions; and not according to the course of the world, as it follows.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

3. As often, the ground ofprayer for present help is former favor.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

For thy lovingkindness [is] before mine eyes,…. The special lovingkindness of God, shown in the choice of him in Christ, in the provision of a Saviour for him, and in the effectual calling of him; which lovingkindness is unmerited, free, and sovereign, is from everlasting and to everlasting; it is better than life, excellent beyond expression, and marvellous: and this may be said to be “before [his] eyes”; because it was now in sight; he had a comfortable view of interest in it, and was persuaded nothing should separate him from it; it was upon his heart, shed abroad in it, and he was affected with it; it was in his mind, and in his thoughts, and they were employed about it; he had it in remembrance, and was comfortably refreshed with it: and this he mentions as the reason of his laying his cause before the Lord, as the ground of his trust in him, and why he desired to be examined, proved, and tried by him;

and I have walked in thy truth; by faith in Christ, who is the truth of all promises, prophecies, types, and figures; in the word of truth, by abiding by it, and walking according to it; and in the truth of worship, in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord; and to walk herein he used himself to, and was constant in, as the word s signifies: and nothing more engages to walk on in Christ, as he has been received and to walk as becomes his Gospel, and in all holy conversation and godliness, than the love of God manifested to the soul; this being set continually before our eyes encourages faith and hope, and influences a holy life and cheerful obedience to the will of God.

s “ambulavi indesinenter et sedulo”, Gejerus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

3. For thy goodness is before mine eyes. This verse may be viewed as one sentence, or divided into two parts, but with almost the same sense. If the former reading is adopted, both the verbs will be emphatic, after this manner: ”Because thy goodness, O Lord, has been ever before mine eyes, and I have trusted in thy faithfulness, I have restrained all wicked lusts in my heart, lest, provoked by the malice of mine enemies, I should be forced to retaliate.” By this interpretation there would be the rendering of a cause. The other exposition, also, is not unsuitable, namely, “Because thy goodness has been before mine eyes, I have walked in the truth which thou commandest.” In this case the conjunction, as is common among the Hebrews, is superfluous. But although this exposition is allied to the former, I would rather prefer one less remote from the words. As it is a rare and difficult virtue, not only to refrain one’s self from wicked actions, when greatly tempted thereto, but also to preserve integrity of heart; the prophet declares in what manner he pursued his course in the midst of such powerful temptations, telling us that it was by setting the goodness of God, which so carefully preserves his servants, before his eyes, lest, declining to evil practices, he might deprive himself of his protection; and by confiding in his faithfulness, he possessed his soul in patience, firmly persuaded that God would never forsake his faithful people who trusted in him. And certainly, had he not relied upon the goodness of God, he could not have so constantly prosecuted the path of integrity amidst such numerous and such severe assaults. It is, indeed, a remarkable difference between the children of God and worldly men, that the former, in the hope of a favorable issue at the Lord’s hand, rely upon his word, and are not driven by restlessness to mischievous practices; while the latter, although they maintain a good cause, yet because they are ignorant of the providence of God, are hurried hither and thither; follow unlawful counsels; betake themselves to craftiness; and, in short, have no other object than to overcome evil with evil. Whence, accordingly, their miserable and sorrowful, and often their tragical ends, but because, despising the favor of God, they give themselves up to cunning and deceit? In short, David was steady in preserving his uprightness, because he had resolved that God should be his guide. In the first place, therefore, he mentions his goodness, and afterwards he adds, his truth, because his goodness, which enables us to walk with unyielding courage in the midst of all temptations, is only known to us by his promises.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(3) For thy lovingkindness . . .Gods favour was before him as an encouragement, and Gods truth formed the rule of his life.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

3. Lovingkindness truth Same as “mercy and truth,” Psa 25:10, which see. God’s truth had been the line by which he walked, and his saving mercy the end he sought. See Joh 3:21

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

For your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in your truth.

His confidence lies in the fact that he has kept God’s covenant love firmly before his eyes, responding to it and walking in the light of His trustworthiness as the God of truth, believing wholeheartedly that He is the God Who is true and faithful.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Reader will recollect that Jesus, in the days of his flesh, received sinners, and did eat with them. But then we must recollect also the cause, and observe the difference here intimated. Physicians may go into infected rooms, to administer a remedy to the sick: but this by no means guarantees the safety of others.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Psa 26:3 For thy lovingkindness [is] before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

Ver. 3. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes ] And that is a strong tie upon my conscience. The cords of love are the cords of a man, Hos 11:4 . To sin against mercy is to sin against humanity, it is no less than bestial, than devilish. When, therefore, I am tempted to recompense evil for evil thy lovingkindness comes before me, and reineth me in.

And I have walked in thy truth ] i.e. According to thy word: I have led a Bible conversation, though solicited to do otherwise by the courtiers and politicians, with that profane proverb of theirs, (Theog.), comply with the times, and be not so strait laced: Religiosum oportet esse, sed non Religantem.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)