Psalm 26

 1Vindicate me, Lord,

for I have led a blameless life;

I have trusted in the Lord

and have not faltered.

2Test me, Lord, and try me,

examine my heart and my mind;

3for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love

and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.

4I do not sit with the deceitful,

nor do I associate with hypocrites.

5I abhor the assembly of evildoers

and refuse to sit with the wicked.

6I wash my hands in innocence,

and go about your altar, Lord,

7proclaiming aloud your praise

and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

8Lord, I love the house where you live,

the place where your glory dwells.

9Do not take away my soul along with sinners,

my life with those who are bloodthirsty,

10in whose hands are wicked schemes,

whose right hands are full of bribes.

11I lead a blameless life;

deliver me and be merciful to me.

12My feet stand on level ground;

in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.
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Thoughts: Here is a good man who is asking God for help.  He deems himself good because: 
1) He has led a blameless life (meaning avoiding major sins)
2) He trusts in the Lord.  This trust is faith and reliance on God.  
3) He has been mindful- mindful of God's love- he doesn't forget God. 
4) He doesn't sit with the evil- meaning deceitful or hypocrites. 
5) He loves God's house and God's worship

6) He has hope- that he is on level ground and will again praise God in worship. 

In Western thinking, we begin to criticize this belief. We might say, "Good people do not always avoid trouble.  Good people die- just like the evil. So why try to be good?  Why claim the promise of goodness to get God's help?"   Such thinking goes to extremes.  First, no one is absolutely good- all sin and fall short of the glory of God.  No one absolutely trusts in the Lord and totally avoids evil and always comes to church.  That is not what this writer is saying.  He is pointing to general principles.  He is living in the middle doing his best with his heart set on God.  There are people, though not perfect, who try to do good and generally succeed.  As the writer points out- not everybody is like this.  
But it is also a general principle that people who do good live longer.  So avoid drugs and alcohol abuse and generally you live longer. According to some studies using hard drugs takes 10-50 years off your life. ( If you have altruism and benevolence in your heart instead of selfishness, generally (not always- you will occasionally find the hundred year old selfish person) you will feel better about yourself and be stronger inside yourself- effecting life expectancy.  Belief in (and worship of) God motivates us to do good for others, be compassionate, be forgiving, be more loving.  So, you are alive.  If you love life- which God wants you to do, then don't waste it, but use it for good.  
But also, this person has hope.  He has hope that he will overcome the trial he is facing and praise the Lord.  Being in a right relationship with the Lord, not letting sin and selfishness and corrupt company mar that relationship- gives us a basis for hope in life.   In some ways, this is the missionary's call.  We bring real hope.  While we all may face sickness and die- God can heal our sickness now and can raise us up.  Jesus' healing of others, raising others (Lazarus), and his own resurrection- give us hope that the good will win- and that it pays to have trust, do worship, and have hope in God. 

Prayer: Lord, keep me form giving up.  Help me to have hope in you and tell others of the hope I have.  You are the One who sees my life and you are able to lift me up when I cannot lift myself up.