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The inscription “before the anointing” is not in the Hebrew Bible, but is in the LXX and in the Vulgate. This inscription can be understood as indicating that the psalm was written by David before his anointing before the people as king of Israel. Since the psalm depicts David’s position as oppressed and abandoned by everyone, even by his parents (and this latter happened during the time of persecution from Saul, when David’s relatives were afraid to have intercourse with him), then with great reason the psalm should be considered written during the persecution from Saul, and not Absalom, to which time David’s parents could hardly have lived. Since the Lord is my light and my strength, I am not afraid of the attack of enemies and their hordes: they will perish (1-3). I pray to the Lord to give me the opportunity to dwell in His tabernacle, where I will not fear enemies, but will sing to the Lord (4-6). But now, when I am surrounded by enemies and I am abandoned even by my parents, I pray to You, Lord, to protect me (7-12). I believe that I will remain alive and I take courage (13–14). Ps.26:2. If evildoers, my opponents and my enemies come against me to devour my flesh, then they themselves will stumble and fall. “Eat my flesh” - eat my body, destroy me, kill me. This was Saul's goal in his numerous persecutions of David. Ps.27:3. If a regiment takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear; if war arises against me, then I will hope. No matter how many enemies rise up against David, and no matter how David remains completely alone in the fight against them, his “heart will not fear,” he will not lose courage, since the Lord is his protector. Ps.26:4. I have asked one thing from the Lord, this only I seek, that I may abide in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to contemplate the beauty of the Lord and to visit His [holy] church, “Contemplate the beauty of the Lord” - that is, be present at the performance of worship, in which everything filled David with sublime thoughts. The Hebrew “noham” can be translated “favor,” i.e., it is desirable for David to live at the church and enjoy the favor of Jehovah. Ps.27:5. for He would have hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of trouble, He would have hidden me in the secret place of His habitation, He would have lifted me up on the rock. “He would hide me in the secret place of His dwelling” - there, in the inner chambers, where the Lord is constantly present. The comparison is taken from the custom of storing treasures in especially hidden and safe places. - “He would lift me up onto a rock” - he replaced the humiliated position with a strong and unshakable existence, as if he placed me on a rock, inaccessible and indestructible. Ps.27:6–8. Then my head would be lifted above the enemies surrounding me; and I would offer sacrifices of praise in His tabernacle, and would begin to sing and make melody before the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I cry, have mercy on me and listen to me. My heart speaks from You: “Seek My face”; and I will seek Your face, O Lord. Dialogue form. God, as it were, says in the heart of David: “seek My face,” that is, strive to be closer to Me, since only in God is truth and power. Ps.26:10. for my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will receive me. “My father and my mother have left me.” David's relatives avoided relations with him, since David was persecuted by Saul as an opponent of the majesty, as an enemy of the king, and closeness to him even on the part of David's relatives could be interpreted by the suspicious Saul as assisting him in his imaginary rebellion against the king. Ps.26:11. Teach me, O Lord, Thy way and guide me on the path of righteousness, for the sake of my enemies; David prays to God to help him be pure in his affairs, and no matter how difficult his current situation is, not to allow him, even out of necessity, to commit any crime and break His Law. This is necessary for David “for the sake of his enemies,” so as not to give the latter the opportunity to accuse him of anything. Ps.26:13. But I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. "Land of the Living". David believes that the Lord will protect him and will not allow him to perish, to Sheol, where all the dead descend; on the contrary, he will live and move among living people. You might be interested in: