Psalm 26:6 (NASB)

Bible Commentary

Psalm 26:6 is a Bible verse in the Old Testament where King David is declaring his integrity and loyalty to God.

To put David’s statement in context, let’s look at Psalm 26: 1-7,

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. ² Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. ³ For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. ⁴ I do not sit with deceitful men, Nor will I go with pretenders. ⁵ I hate the assembly of evildoers, And I will not sit with the wicked. ⁶ I shall wash my hands in innocence, And I will go about Your altar, O Lord, ⁷ That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving And declare all Your wonders.

David is quite confident of his integrity and loyalty toward the Lord. He has followed God into the very depths of His heart and faithfully obeyed His ways. David understands that He is one with God and shares the desires and thoughts of His Lord.

The first part of Psalm 26:6 carries a very important implication, so we’ll focus there today. “I shall wash my hands in innocence…”

The word “hands” in Hebrew means: hand or palm, paw of an animal, bowl of a dish, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm tree; power, branch, foot.

Quite an interesting list of meanings! Our hands symbolize what we do—the work of our hands. This “power” flows outward to our community or company in service, whether it is for a boss, customers, etc.

Our work affects others, which in turn affects those in their sphere of influence. What we do with the power of our hands has a ripple effect that moves outward into the world.

This is evident in the other meanings, as well. The handle of a bolt and the leaves of a palm tree are the outer most evidence of the object. Jesus said in John 15:5,

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

If it weren’t for the life of the vine, there would be no branches. The vine is the power that grows the branches, which bear fruit. The vine is Jesus Christ and from Him, all life flows. Why was it so important that David washed his hands in innocence (Psalm 26:6)?

David was a man of war. God called him to move in and occupy territory held by other nations, and that required bloodshed. David killed countless men in battle and came up victorious each time, for God was with him. David had blood on his hands, and even though God led him into battle, his hands needed cleansing.

So it is with you and me. We might not have blood on our hands, but sometimes the work God calls us to do requires us to get our hands dirty, physically and/or spiritually.

Unlocking the Truth – Wash Your Hands

Maybe you have entered into Satan’s territory (knowingly or unknowingly) and done battle. Each of us has encountered some kind of spiritual warfare that left us with the feeling of a dirty residue–emotionally, physically or otherwise.

Maybe God settled you in a place of employment or school that was not your choosing, and you have endured dullness and numbness in your work. Maybe He has led you through the darkness for a time, testing your resolve and faithfulness toward Him, and the constant strain of the unknown has been an uphill battle that has left scars, either in yourself or in others.

Remember, the work of God’s hands was far greater than anything we have been through. The hands of Jesus Christ were nailed to the cross for us. God’s grief has been far greater than ours—physically and emotionally.

He has endured, indeed suffered, for us. Is it such a daunting thing that we have suffered for Him? He went before us to prepare a place where light and love abound. But we had to walk through the darkness with Him on the way to that beautiful place.

But now…

Now it’s time to wash.

Let us wash our hands in the innocence of Jesus Christ. Psalm 26:6, “I will wash my hands in innocence.”

Study the Bible verse of Psalm 26:6 and wash your hands in the innocence of Christ.