“I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.” -Psalm 26:4–5
Who we choose to associate with says a lot about the condition of our own hearts. And David professes his innocence and his integrity by highlighting his separation from sinful men.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm one, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” -Psalm 1:1–3
In line with the psalmist’s observation, David does not keep company with the deceitful, the hypocrites, the evildoers, or the wicked. He hates their assemblies and refuses to sit with them. As he likely taught his son, Solomon, he knows that “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.” -Proverbs 27:19