I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
“I wash my hands of the matter!” These words are based on the act of Pilate at the trial of Jesus when he washed his hands on turning Jesus over to be crucified. It meant he symbolically washed his hands of guilt. This ritual dates back at least to this psalm by David. Here he proclaims that he will avoid the wrong crowd and be free of guilt. J. M. Boice was careful to note that he did not mean he was better than them but that he would not survive in their company. This was because of the Lord’s mercy, for which David was thankful. The impression is that David loved to go to the house of the Lord, the Tabernacle, to praise him where he lived.
Last night was Thanksgiving Eve and it has always been one of my favorite services we do at Cape Community Church. Here we reenact Psalm 26. We separate ourselves from the world. We proclaim our thanks to God. Best of all, we as a congregation, in oral testimony, tell of all his wondrous deeds over the past year. It could be a new job, a new family of believers in a new church, a new life coming into the world like our new granddaughter. Whatever the praise, we bring it to the altar. I pray you enjoy this time of Thanksgiving and that it will continue into Sunday when we gather where the glory of the Lord dwells. Praise him that we know longer wash our hands but…
He washes us clean!
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church