Psalm 26:6-7 I will wash my hands in innocence: so will I compass your altar, O LORD:… I. THE DUTY OF ATTENDING IT. The command of Christ to "do this in remembrance of Me" is indisputable; His design in that command most gracious; the benefits accruing to ourselves in obeying it are great and certain. The duty of communicating, therefore, is unquestionable; the sin of neglecting so to do is great. It is as dangerous to our spiritual condition to treat the sacrament as nothing, as to give to it a mysterious efficacy which the Scriptures do not warrant. To faith Christ is present, not bodily but spiritually, in the power of His death; and in this sense His flesh is meat indeed, and His blood is drink indeed, to the comfort, support, and nourishment of those who feed on Him in their hearts by faith with thanksgiving. Christians in the present day suffer much in their own souls, and the work of conversion in others may be greatly hindered by the neglect of a due and worthy participation of the Lord's Supper, inasmuch as its observance is closely connected with spirituality of mind, and a prayerful desire for the spiritual welfare of our fellow men. II. THE STATE OF MIND IN WHICH WE ARE TO DRAW NEAR TO THE LORD'S TABLE. David "desired to wash his hands in innocency," and so compass the altar of God. What did these words mean to him? Not that he would root up all corruption from his heart, and make himself entirely free from sin; for then he must needs wait until the day of his death before performing his vows. His meaning is to be found in his description of the blessed state of the true believer, in Psalm 32:1, 2. St. Paul quotes this passage in Romans 4. to prove the doctrine of our pardon and justification through Christ, by which he leaves it beyond doubt that David understood that doctrine, and described the happiness of the true believer who by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ as typified in the Jewish sacrifices had obtained such forgiveness. In this state of mind he desired to approach the altar of God; and in this state of mind the Christian too must approach his Father's table. (R. Oakman, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:WEB: I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh; |
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