Psalm 26:2
ESV
Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
NIV
Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
NASB
Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test; Refine my mind and my heart.
CSB
Test me, Lord, and try me; examine my heart and mind.
NLT
Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.
KJV
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
NKJV
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
What does Psalm 26:2 mean?
David invites the Lord to test his inner being: his heart and his mind. He has claimed to be a man of integrity and faith (Psalm 26:1), now he asks the Lord to search him and see that his claim is substantiated.In 1 Kings 9:4–5, when speaking to Solomon, the Lord affirmed David's integrity. He said: "And as for you [Solomon], if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever."
It is good to invite the Lord to examine the heart and mind. Doing so preserves the believer's integrity. Psalm 139:23 records David's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!"
Psalm 26:1–3 begins with David asking the Lord to vindicate him. His enemies were bringing false charges against him, but he had led an honest life. His enemies could not point legitimately to one wrong thing he had done. David claims that he had always trusted in the Lord. He invites the Lord to test him. He would find that David's focus is on the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness.
Some of David's psalms connect directly to events recorded in Scripture. Psalm 26, however, does not seem to match any biblical events in David's life. This might have been David's response to a specific challenge, or a general plea for God to preserve him from deceptive attacks. In this psalm, David reaffirms his lifestyle of godliness and integrity. He is confident that he will not be judged with the wicked; the psalm offers evidence that he honors the Lord.
