◄ Psalm 26:2 ►
Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.
Study Bible
Test me, O LORD
The phrase begins with a direct appeal to God, highlighting the psalmist's desire for divine scrutiny. The Hebrew word for "test" is "bachan," which implies a process of examination or proving, often used in the context of refining metals. This suggests a deep, introspective request for God to examine the psalmist's heart and motives. In a historical context, this reflects the ancient Israelite understanding of God as a righteous judge who discerns the innermost thoughts and intentions of individuals. The use of "O LORD" (Yahweh) emphasizes a personal relationship with God, invoking His covenant name and underscoring the psalmist's trust in God's just and merciful nature.

and try me
The word "try" in Hebrew is "nasah," which can mean to test or prove, often through challenges or trials. This indicates the psalmist's willingness to undergo difficulties to demonstrate faithfulness and integrity. In the scriptural context, this echoes the trials faced by figures like Abraham, whose faith was tested by God. The psalmist's request for testing is not out of arrogance but a sincere desire to be found faithful and true in God's sight. It reflects a mature faith that seeks purification and growth through divine examination.

examine my heart
The term "examine" comes from the Hebrew "tsaraph," which is often used in the context of refining metals, suggesting a thorough and purifying scrutiny. The "heart" in Hebrew thought (lev) is the center of one's being, encompassing mind, will, and emotions. By asking God to examine his heart, the psalmist is inviting God to look into his deepest thoughts and desires. This reflects a commitment to authenticity and transparency before God, acknowledging that true righteousness begins internally. Historically, this aligns with the wisdom literature's emphasis on the heart as the source of moral and spiritual life.

and mind
The word "mind" here is translated from the Hebrew "kilyah," which literally means "kidneys" but is often used metaphorically to refer to the innermost parts of a person, including emotions and conscience. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the kidneys were considered the seat of emotion and moral decision-making. By asking God to examine both heart and mind, the psalmist is seeking a comprehensive evaluation of his entire being. This dual examination underscores the holistic nature of biblical integrity, where both thoughts and feelings are aligned with God's will. It is a call for inner purity and alignment with divine truth, reflecting a deep commitment to living a life pleasing to God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The author of this psalm, King David, is seeking God's examination of his integrity and righteousness. He is known for his deep relationship with God and his desire to live according to God's will.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, who is being called upon by David to test and examine him. This reflects David's trust in God's righteous judgment.

3. Heart and Mind
These represent the inner being of a person. In Hebrew, "heart" (lev) often refers to the center of emotions, will, and intellect, while "mind" (kilyah) can be understood as the seat of thought and reflection.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Divine Examination
Seeking God's examination is an act of humility and trust. It acknowledges that God knows us better than we know ourselves.

Integrity in the Inner Life
True integrity involves both the heart and mind. Our thoughts and emotions should align with God's will.

Openness to God's Correction
Inviting God to test us means being open to His correction and guidance. It is a willingness to change and grow in righteousness.

Trust in God's Righteous Judgment
Trusting God to examine us reflects confidence in His just and loving nature. We can be assured that His judgments are for our good.

Living Transparently Before God
Living with transparency before God leads to a life of authenticity and spiritual growth. It encourages us to live consistently with our faith.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does it mean to ask God to "test" and "try" us, and how can this practice impact our spiritual growth?

2. How can we cultivate a heart and mind that are open to God's examination in our daily lives?

3. In what ways does understanding the Hebrew concepts of "heart" and "mind" deepen our comprehension of this verse?

4. How can we apply the principle of divine examination to our decision-making processes?

5. Reflect on a time when you felt God was examining your heart and mind. How did that experience shape your faith journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 139:23-24
David similarly asks God to search and know his heart, highlighting a consistent theme of seeking divine examination.

Jeremiah 17:10
This verse speaks of the LORD searching the heart and testing the mind, reinforcing the idea that God alone can truly know and judge the inner person.

1 Samuel 16:7
When Samuel is choosing a king, God reminds him that He looks at the heart, not outward appearances, emphasizing the importance of inner integrity.
Sermons
ExaminationsD. Davies.Psalm 26:2
God Trying the Reins and the HeartHorace Bushnell, D. D.Psalm 26:2
Morbid Self-Inspection Kills LoveHorace Bushnell, D. D.Psalm 26:2
Our Need of Divine ScrutinyS. Morell.Psalm 26:2
Self-Examination ExaminedHorace Bushnell, D. D.Psalm 26:2
An Appeal Marked by Specific EntreatyC. Clemence, D. D.Psalm 26:1-12
Assailed Integrity's Final Appeal. F1C. Clemance Psalm 26:1-12
David's Appeal and its IssueBp. Wm. Nicholson.Psalm 26:1-12
David's IntegrityD. Caldwell, M. A.Psalm 26:1-12
IntegrityW. Forsyth Psalm 26:1-12
Leading Proofs of Personal PietyHomilistPsalm 26:1-12
The Character of an Upright Man Sketched by HimselfC. Clemence, D. D.Psalm 26:1-12
The Oppressed Righteous ManC. Short Psalm 26:1-12
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Clean, Examine, Fire, Heart, Mind, O, Prove, Purified, Reins, Scales, Test, Tested, Thoughts, Try
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 26:2

     5017   heart, renewal
     5166   liver and kidneys
     6185   imagination, desires
     8478   self-examination
     8832   testing

Psalm 26:2-3

     5197   walking

Library
Question of the Comparison Between the Active and the Contemplative Life
I. Is the Active Life preferable to the Contemplative? Cardinal Cajetan, On Preparation for the Contemplative Life S. Augustine, Confessions, X., xliii. 70 " On Psalm xxvi. II. Is the Active Life more Meritorious than the Contemplative? III. Is the Active Life a Hindrance to the Contemplative Life? Cardinal Cajetan, On the True Interior Life S. Augustine, Sermon, CCLVI., v. 6 IV. Does the Active Life precede the Contemplative? I Is the Active Life preferable to the Contemplative? The Lord …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Hezekiah, the Praying King
One can form a habit of study until the will seems to be at rest and only the intellect is engaged, the will having retired altogether from exercise. This is not true of real praying. If the affections are laggard, cold, indifferent, if the intellect is furnishing no material to clothe the petition with imagery and fervor, the prayer is a mere vaporing ofintellectual exercise, nothing being accomplished worth while.--Rev. Homer W. Hodge The great religious reformation under King Hezekiah and the …
Edward M. Bounds—Prayer and Praying Men

The Courts of God
"Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth."--Ps. xxvi. 8. R. Rolle, 1349. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899 O Lord, I have loved the fair beauty Of the house Thou hast chosen for Thee, The courts where Thy gladness rejoiceth, And where Thou delightest to be. For I love to be made the fair dwelling Where God in His grace may abide; I would cast forth whatever may grieve Thee, And welcome none other beside. Oh blessed the grace that has made me The home …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series)

Epistle v. To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor.
To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor. Gregory to Theoctista, &c. With how great devotion my mind prostrates itself before your Venerableness I cannot fully express in words; nor yet do I labour to give utterance to it, since, even though I were silent, you read in your heart your own sense of my devotion. I wonder, however, that you withdrew your countenance, till of late bestowed on me, from this my recent engagement in the pastoral office; wherein, under colour of episcopacy, I have been brought …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

A Discourse of the Building, Nature, Excellency, and Government of the House of God; with Counsels and Directions to the Inhabitants Thereof.
BY JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. 'Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.'--Psalm 26:8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Beautiful in its simplicity is this treatise on the Church of Christ, by John Bunyan. He opens, with profound knowledge and eminent skill, all those portions of sacred writ which illustrate the nature, excellency, and government of the house of God, with the personal and relative duties of its inhabitants. It was originally published in …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Letter xxxix (A. D. 1137) to the Same.
To the Same. He expresses his regret at his very long absence from his beloved Clairvaux, and his desire to return to his dear sons. He tells them of the consolations that he feels nevertheless in his great labours for the Church. 1. My soul is sorrowful until I return, and it refuses to be comforted till it see you. For what is my consolation in the hour of evil, and in the place of my pilgrimage? Are not you in the Lord? Wherever I go, the sweet memory of you never leaves me; but the sweeter the …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Assurance
Q-xxxvi: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WHICH FLOW FROM SANCTIFICATION? A: Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. The first benefit flowing from sanctification is assurance of God's love. 'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet 1:10. Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of sanctification. The saints of old had it. We know that we know …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

St. Augustine (Ad 354-430)
PART I The church in the north of Africa has hardly been mentioned since the time of St. Cyprian (Chapter VIII). But we must now look towards it again, since in the days of St. Chrysostom it produced a man who was perhaps the greatest of all the old Christian fathers--St. Augustine. Augustine was born at Thagaste, a city of Numidia, in the year 354. His mother, Monica, was a pious Christian, but his father, Patricius, was a heathen, and a man of no very good character. Monica was resolved to bring …
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

Question Lxxxiii of Prayer
I. Is Prayer an Act of the Appetitive Powers? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer based on Friendship II. Is it Fitting to Pray? Cardinal Cajetan, On Prayer as a True Cause S. Augustine, On the Sermon on the Mount, II. iii. 14 " On the Gift of Perseverance, vii. 15 III. Is Prayer an Act of the Virtue of Religion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Humility of Prayer S. Augustine, On Psalm cii. 10 " Of the Gift of Perseverance, xvi. 39 IV. Ought We to Pray to God Alone? S. Augustine, Sermon, cxxvii. 2 V. …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

A Treatise on Good Works
I. We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden. Therefore whoever wishes to know and to do good works needs nothing else than to know God's commandments. Thus Christ says, Matthew xix, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." And when the young man asks Him, Matthew xix, what he shall do that he may inherit eternal life, Christ sets before him naught else but the Ten Commandments. …
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works

The Morning of Good Friday.
The pale grey light had passed into that of early morning, when the Sanhedrists once more assembled in the Palace of Caiaphas. [5969] A comparison with the terms in which they who had formed the gathering of the previous night are described will convey the impression, that the number of those present was now increased, and that they who now came belonged to the wisest and most influential of the Council. It is not unreasonable to suppose, that some who would not take part in deliberations which were …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Question of the Contemplative Life
I. Is the Contemplative Life wholly confined to the Intellect, or does the Will enter into it? S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. 7 ad 3m II. Do the Moral Virtues pertain to the Contemplative Life? S. Augustine, Of the City of God, xix. 19 III. Does the Contemplative Life comprise many Acts? S. Augustine, Of the Perfection of Human Righteousness, viii. 18 " Ep., cxxx. ad probam IV. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Psalm 26:2 NIV
Psalm 26:2 NLT
Psalm 26:2 ESV
Psalm 26:2 NASB
Psalm 26:2 KJV

Psalm 26:2 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Psalm 26:1
Top of Page
Top of Page