Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 24:4
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart ] He who is innocent of violence and wrong-doing (Psa 18:20; Psa 18:24); nay, innocent even in thought and purpose as well as in deed. Cp. Psa 73:1; Mat 5:8.
Who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity ] i.e. who is true and faithful to Jehovah. ‘To lift up the soul’ means to direct the mind towards (Psa 25:1), to set the heart upon (Deu 24:15), to desire (Hos 4:8). ‘Vanity’ denotes what is transitory (Job 15:31), false and unreal (Psa 12:2), or sinful (Isa 5:18), and may even designate false gods (Psa 31:6). It includes all that is unlike or opposed to the nature of God. The traditional reading ( Qr) however is, my soul (so too Cod. Alex. of the LXX.). This reading must be rendered, Who hath not taken me in vain. God speaks; and the words are an echo of Exo 20:7, with my soul (= my being) substituted for my name. But this explanation is forced, and cannot be defended even by Amo 6:8, and Jer 51:14, where God is said to swear ‘by His soul’ = by Himself.
nor sworn deceitfully ] R.V., and hath not sworn deceitfully. The paraphrase of P.B.V., ‘nor sworn to deceive his neighbour,’ which follows the LXX and Vulg., gives the sense rightly. He has been true to his neighbour, as well as to God. Cp. Psa 15:4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He that hath clean hands – In the parallel passage in Psa 15:2, the answer to the question is, He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness. The sentiment is substantially the same there as in the passage before us. The meaning is, that he who would be recognized as a friend and worshipper of Yahweh must be an upright man; a person not living in the practice of iniquity, but striving always to do that which is right. The hands are the instruments by which we accomplish anything; and hence, to have clean hands is equivalent to being upright. See Job 17:9; Isa 1:15; Isa 59:3; Act 2:23; Psa 26:10. The margin here, as the Hebrew, is the clean of hands.
And a pure heart – Not merely the one whose external conduct is upright, but whose heart is pure. The great principle is here stated which enters always into true religion, that it does not consist in outward conformity to law, or to the mere performance of rites and ceremonies, or to external morality, but that it controls the heart, and produces purity of motive and of thought.
Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity – Unto that which is vain, or which is false. This expression might refer to one who had not devoted himself to the worship of an idol – regarded as vain, or as nothing 1Co 8:6; Isa 41:24; Psa 115:4-8; or to one who had not embraced that which is false and vain in opinion; or to one who had not sworn falsely, or taken the name of God in vain, Exo 20:7. The probable meaning is, that he has not set his heart on vain things, or that which is false. He has sought after substantial truth, alike in the object of worship, in that which he professes to believe, and in the statements and promises which he makes to others. He aims to secure that which is true and real. He is in no sense carried away with that which is unreal and false.
Nor sworn deceitfully – This is one form of that which had been just specified – his love of truth. The idea here is, that he has not affirmed under the solemnities of an oath, that which was false; and that he has not, under similar solemnities, promised what he has not performed. He is a sincere man; a man seeking after the true and the real, and not running after shadows and falsehood; a man true to God and to his fellow-creatures; a man whose statements are in accordance with facts, and whose promises may be always relied on. In the parallel passage, in Psa 15:2, the statement is, he that speaketh the truth in his heart. See the notes at that passage.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. He that hath clean hands] He whose conscience is irreproachable; whose heart is without deceit and uninfluenced by unholy passions.
Who hath not lifted up his soul] Who has no idolatrous inclination; whose faith is pure, and who conscientiously fulfils his promises and engagements.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Whose actions and conversations are holy and unblamable. It is here very observable, that the character of a right and acceptable worshipper of God is not taken from his nation and relation to Abraham, nor from all those costly and laborious rites and ceremonies of the law, in which the generality of the Israelites pleased themselves, but in moral and spiritual duties, which most of them grossly neglected.
A pure heart; purged from hypocrisy and inward filthiness, and careful to approve itself to God as well as to men, ordering a mans very thoughts and affections according to Gods word. This is fitly added, because a man may keep his hands clean in good measure upon mere worldly motives, or with an evil design, or without any respect to God.
Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity; either,
1. Who doth not worship idols, which are oft called vanities in Scripture. Or,
2. Who doth not swear vainly or falsely, the phrase here being much the same with that in the third commandment, of taking Gods name in vain. But that seems to be a quite differing phrase, and the name of God there mentioned determines the sense of that general phrase to oaths, which without that addition, or something equivalent, is never to my knowledge used in Scripture in that sense. Nor do all those learned men who so expound this place give one instance of that signification of this phrase. And for their other argument for that sense, that this clause is conjoined with the next by the conjunction vau, and therefore is to be explained by it, it seems to have no weight, because thesameconjunctionjoinsthetwofirstcharacterstogether, and yet it is confessedthat cleanhands and a pureheart are two distinct and very differingthings. Orrather,
3. Who doth not immoderately value and affect, or ardently desire, (as this very phrase of lifting up the soul doth oft signify, as Deu 24:15; Psa 25:1; Jer 22:27; 44:14; Eze 24:25; Hos 4:8) the vain things of this present life and world, such as honours, riches, pleasures, and the like, which are oft called vain things or vanities in Scripture, as Psa 4:2; 119:37; Ecc 1:2; 12:8. And this is very fitly mentioned as a character of a truly goodman, because hereby he is distinguished from all ungodly men whatsoever, whose inseparable property this is, both in the Old and New Testament, noted to be, to love vanity, and to set their hearts chiefly upon the good things of this life, such as corn and wine, Psa 4:2,6,7; and to have their portion in this life, Psa 17:14; and to mind earthly things, Phi 3:19; and to be friends of the world, Jam 4:4; and to love the world, and the things of the world, 1Jo 2:15. Whereas good men are every where described to be such as make God their portion, Psa 16:5; and prize and desire his favour and service infinitely more than all the enjoyments of this life, yea, even than life itself, Job 23:12; Psa 4:6,7; 63:3; 119:72; and such as are weaned from earthly things, Psa 131:1,2; and have their affections set on things above, not on things of the earth, Col 3:2; and lay not uptheir treasure in earth, but in heaven, Mat 6:19,20; all which is directly opposite to this lifting up the soul to vanity. Deceitfully, Heb. unto or with deceit, i.e. falsely, or with a purpose of deceiving or injuring others thereby. Under this negative the contrary affirmative is included, that he is one who, when he is called to swear, doth swear in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness, Jer 4:2.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. lifted up his soulis toset the affections (Ps 25:1) onan object; here,
vanityor, any falsething, of which swearing falsely, or to falsehood, is aspecification.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart,…. Though “clean hands” are mentioned first, as being more obvious to view, and better known, and more subject to the cognizance and observation of others; yet a “pure heart” is first in being and in order; from whence cleanness of hands, when right and truth springs: no man has a pure heart naturally and of himself: the heart is desperately wicked; the imagination of the thoughts of it is evil continually; the mind and conscience are defiled with sin; nor can any man make his heart clean, or say he is pure from sin; but it is God that creates a clean heart, and renews a right spirit within men, and purifies the heart by faith, which is led to the blood of sprinkling, which purges the conscience, and cleanseth it from all sin; and from this purity of heart flows purity of life and conversation, signified by “clean hands”; the hand being the instrument of action, holy actions, or good works, performed from a principle of grace, are meant; the phrase is expressive of a holy, harmless, and innocent conversation, washing the hands being used to denote innocence, Mt 27:24; not a conversation entirely free from sin, nor by which a man is justified before God; for though he wash his hands ever so clean, they will not be pure in his sight, and will need washing in the blood of the Lamb; but it denotes a conversation upright in general, and declares a man righteous in the sight of men, and distinguishes him from one of a dissolute life, whose hands are full of blood, and defiled with sin;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity; or “set his heart upon” g, and desired vain things, as the phrase is sometimes used,
De 24:15; that is, the vain things of this world; as the riches, honours, pleasures, and profits of it; or has not served other gods, the idols of the Gentiles, which are lying vanities, but has lifted up his soul to God, and served him only: or “who hath not received his soul in vain” h; from the hands of God, but loves him with all his soul, believes with the heart in Christ for righteousness, being sanctified by the Spirit of God; and so the desire of his soul is to his name, and the remembrance of him. The “Keri”, or marginal reading, according to the points, is, “who hath not lifted up my soul to vanity” i; that is, has not taken the name of God in vain, or swore falsely by his name; his soul being put for his name or himself; and by which he is said sometimes to swear, Jer 51:14; and this sense the Jewish interpreters k generally give into. The Targum seems to take in both the writing of the text and the marginal reading, as it often does, and renders the words, “who hath not sworn in vain, to the condemnation of his soul”; though sometimes to his own disadvantage, yet not to the hurt of others; see Ps 15:4; it follows,
nor sworn deceitfully; by bearing false witness against any man; or by cheating him out of his substance through a false oath.
g “non inhiat, aut intentus est”, Vatablus, Amama; so Gejerus, Michaelis. h So Pagninus. i “Animam meam”, Montanus, Vatablus, Hillerus. k Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, & Ben Melech in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. He who is clean of hands, and pure of heart. Under the purity of the hands and of the heart, and the reverence of God’s name, he comprehends all religion, and denotes a well ordered life. True purity, no doubt, has its seat in the heart, but it manifests its fruits in the works of the hands. The Psalmist, therefore, very properly joins to a pure heart the purity of the whole life; for that man acts a ridiculous part who boasts of having a sound heart, if he does not show by his fruits that the root is good. On the other hand, it will not suffice to frame the hands, feet, and eyes, according to the rule of righteousness, unless purity of heart precede outward continence. If any man should think it absurd that the first place is given to the hands, we answer without hesitation, that effects are often named before their causes, not that they precede them in order, but because it is sometimes advantageous to begin with things which are best known. David, then, would have the Jews to bring into the presence of God pure hands, and these along with an unfeigned heart. To lift up, or to take his soul, I have no doubt is here put for to swear. It is, therefore, here required of the servants of God, that when they swear, they do it with reverence and in good conscience, (545) and, under one particular, by synecdoche, is denoted the duty of observing fidelity and integrity in all the affairs of life. That mention is here made of oaths, appears from the words which immediately follow, And hath not sworn deceitfully, which are added as explanatory of what goes before. As, however, there is a twofold reading of the Hebrew word for soul, that is to say, as it may be read, my soul, or his soul, on account of the point hirek, some Jewish commentators read, Who hath not lifted up my soul to vanity, (546) and understand the word my as spoken of God, an exposition which I reject as harsh and strained. It is a manner of speaking which carries in it great emphasis, for it means, that those who swear offer their souls as pledges to God. Some, however, may perhaps prefer the opinion, that to lift up the soul, is put for to apply it to lying, an interpretation to the adoption of which I have no great objection, for it makes little difference as to the sense. A question may here be raised — it may be asked, why David does not say so much as one word concerning faith and calling upon God. The reason of this is easily explained. As it seldom happens that a man behaves himself uprightly and innocently towards his brethren, unless he is so endued with the true fear of God as to walk circumspectly before him, David very justly forms his estimate of the piety of men towards God by the character of their conduct towards their fellow-men. For the same reason, Christ (Mat 23:23) represents judgment, mercy, and faith, as the principal points of the law; and Paul calls “charity” at one time “the end of the law,” (1Ti 1:5) and at another “the bond of perfection” (Col 3:14.)
(545) “ Par ainsi il est yci requis des serviteurs de Dieu, que quand ils jurent, ce soit avec reverence et en bonne conscience.” — Fr.
(546) The textual reading is נפשו, naphshiv, his soul; the marginal reading is נפשו , naphshi, my soul. But the textual reading, from its clearness and simplicity, is, without doubt, the correct one. “The points,” says Hammond, “direct to render נפשת my soul, and so the interlinear reads anilmain roeare, my soul or life, as if it were making God the speaker of this verse, and then it is God’s life or soul. But the text writing ו not י, and the context agreeing with it, the punctuation must, in reason, give place; and, accordingly, all the ancient interpreters appear to have read it נפשו , his soul, meaning by that his own soul, or the soul of the swearer.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) His soul.The Hebrew margin is my soul, a reading confirmed by the Alexandrian Codex of the LXX. The Rabbis defend it by saying soul here = name (comp. Amo. 6:8; Jer. 51:14), and to lift up to vanity = to take in vain.
Vanity.Evidently, from the parallelism, in the sense of falsehood, as in Job. 31:5.
Deceitfully.Literally, to fraud, from a root meaning to trip up. The LXX. and Vulg. add (from Psalms 15) to his neighbour.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Clean hands An emblem of innocence from overt sin, as a pure heart, in the next sentence, is of purity of thought, purpose, and intention.
See Job 17:9; Mat 27:24; 1Ti 2:8.
Lifted up his soul unto vanity Offered prayer and sacrifice to idols.
Sworn deceitfully As in Psa 15:4, where see note. But the text has a broader sense here. The Hebrews were commanded to swear only by “the God of truth,” (Isa 65:16; Deu 6:13😉 which implied that they served him, and that their ultimate hope was in him. Hence, to swear by the true God while they served idols, or lived in violation of Jehovah’s laws, was the essence of false swearing. Jer 5:1-2; Jer 7:9; Jer 12:16. “Swearing deceitfully,” is parallel to “lifting up the soul unto vanity,” in previous hemistich.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Who is this? Where is the man that can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin? Pro 20:9 . Where shall we look among all the fallen sons of Adam for one to answer this description? All have sinned, and come short of God’s glory. But there is a man, whose name is Wonderful, and who hath been found worthy, as the representative of our poor nature, both to ascend and to dwell there; even Jesus, the Glory-man, the God-man, who, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Heb 1:3 . How sweet that hymn in heaven, in consequence of all this, Rev 5:8-9 . Reader, pause again here, and observe in proof, that it is Jesus, and him alone, of whom this scripture speaks, that it is a single person here spoken of; and as of none but of Jesus could it ever be said, that he had clean hands and a pure heart, so it is a sad perversion of this precious scripture, to suppose it refers to any but him. Moreover, it prompts the vanity of men’s minds, to fancy themselves something when they are nothing, if we look off Jesus, in supposing it can, in a single instance, be applied to any other.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Ver. 4. He that hath clean hands ] The clean in hands, that is, of innocent and unblamable conversation; debet esse purus corde, ore, opere, saith Kimchi; he must not touch that unclean thing, 2Co 6:17 . Non magna munera, sed immunis manus mensque sincera Deo placent. Men must lift up pure hands in prayer, 1Ti 2:8 , or else their incense will stink of the hand that offereth it, Isa 1:13 . Immunis aram si tetigit manus (Horat.). Those that draw near to God must not only have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, but their bodies also washed with pure water, Heb 10:22 .
And a pure heart
Who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity
Nor hath sworn deceitfully
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
clean. Compare Psalm 15 and Exo 20:13-16.
soul. Hebrew nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
He that: etc. Heb. the clean of hands, Psa 18:20, Psa 26:6, Job 9:30, Job 17:9, Isa 1:15, Isa 1:16, Isa 33:15, Isa 33:16, 1Ti 2:8, Jam 4:8
pure: Psa 51:10, Psa 73:1, Gen 6:5, Pro 20:9, Jer 4:14, Mat 5:8, Act 15:9, 2Co 7:1, Rev 21:1-4, Rev 21:27, Rev 22:14, Rev 22:15
lifted: Psa 25:1, Psa 143:8, Deu 4:19, Eze 18:6, Eze 18:15, Act 14:15
sworn: Psa 15:4, Jer 5:2, Jer 7:9, Jer 7:10, Zec 5:3, Zec 5:4, Mal 3:5, 1Ti 1:10
Reciprocal: Gen 20:5 – and innocency Deu 24:15 – setteth his heart upon it 2Sa 22:21 – cleanness Psa 25:10 – keep Psa 31:6 – lying Psa 50:23 – to him Psa 73:13 – washed Psa 85:9 – Surely Psa 118:20 – This gate Isa 56:1 – Keep Eze 18:5 – if Eze 18:9 – is just Eze 33:25 – lift up Hos 4:8 – set their heart on their iniquity 1Ti 1:5 – a pure 2Pe 3:1 – pure
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 24:4. He that hath clean hands Whose actions and conversation are holy and unblameable. It is here very observable that the character of a right and acceptable worshipper of God is not taken from his nation and relation to Abraham; nor from any or all of those costly and laborious rites and ceremonies of the law in which the generality of the Israelites placed their confidence, but from moral and spiritual duties, which most of them grossly neglected. And a pure heart Purged from hypocrisy, and corrupt desires and designs, and careful to approve itself to God, as well as men, ordering a mans very thoughts, intentions, and affections, according to Gods word. This is fitly added, because a man may keep his hands clean, in a good measure, from mere worldly motives, and without any respect to God, and even with an evil design. Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity Who doth not worship idols, often called vanities in Scripture, and who doth not value or desire the vain things of this life, such as honour, riches, pleasures; but who makes God his portion. And this, also, is very fitly mentioned as essential to the character of a truly good man, because, hereby he is distinguished from all carnal and ungodly men whatsoever, whose inseparable property it is, according to both the Old and New Testament, to love vanity, and to set their hearts chiefly upon the things of this world. Whereas good men are everywhere described to be such as seek their happiness in God, and prize and desire his favour and service infinitely more than all the enjoyments or this life; yea, even than life itself. Nor sworn deceitfully Hebrew, , lemirmah, unto, or with deceit, that is, falsely, or with a purpose of deceiving others thereby. Under this negative the contrary affirmative is included, namely, that he is one who, when he is called to swear, doth swear in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness, Jer 4:2.