This would be the same David, who as King of Israel, saw a beautiful woman, desired her, called her to the palace, and engaged in sexual relations with her although she was married to a soldier in his army. When she notified him that she was pregnant, he arranged for her husband to be placed on the front lines in battle, and then abandoned by his fellow soldiers, so that he would be killed. I have to assume that Psalm 26 was written prior to this incident, which is certainly not characteristic of a blameless life.
But, even if this was written when David was a poor shepherd boy, what was he thinking? No matter how earnest we are within our own hearts, who among us is blameless? We may have every intention of doing the right thing, but there are just way too many ways to mess up.
I knew this by the time I was seven years old. I clearly remember my frustration with myself. I wanted to be good. I wanted to cooperate with my mother. I knew I should be kind to my younger brother. It was the practical out-working of this that tripped me up on a daily basis. I was told that I needed to invite Jesus into my heart, so I did. Night after night, I would apologize to God for my bad behavior, and ask Jesus to come into my heart. Then I would get up the next day and discover I was still the same rotten little kid.
Finally, I had the opportunity to talk to a Sunday School teacher, who explained to me that inviting Jesus in my heart would not make me perfect. Jesus died for my sins, and they were paid for by His sacrifice, but I was still going to struggle to be good. I just had to keep asking him to help me. An enormous weight lifted off my seven-year-old shoulders on November 2, 1952. I have spent the last 57 + years knowing that my sins were forgiven, but also knowing that living a "blameless" life is exceedingly difficult! Perfection doesn't come in this life-time.
Since that day, I can honestly say that my intentions within my innermost being have always been to do the right thing...the thing that most honors and pleases God. I can also honestly say that I have not always succeeded at that. I am not excusing myself based on personality quirks and human frailty, but it is a fact that we all have such.....some of us have more than others!
So, dear David, what were you thinking when you declared yourself blameless? Did you not understand your own weakness? Did you think you could not be tempted as other men? The fact that you were usually a "good boy" did not mean you always would be. The person who does what is right 99% of the time, still has the other 1% to deal with.
Perhaps it was an older and wiser David who said, "You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you. May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me." (Psalm 69:5-6)
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