Psalms 18:20
in Psalms 18The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
KJV
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
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This verse in Psalms 18
Commentary
11 notes on this verse"The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness." Viewing this psalm as prophetical of the Messiah, these strongly-expressed claims to righteousness are readily understood, for his garments were as white as snow; but considered as the language of David they have perplexed many. Yet the case is clear, and if the words be not strained beyond their original intention, no difficulty need occur.
This site's exposition
rewarded me according to my righteousness
on Psalms 18:20-24
The claim of righteousness is defined by the verses under it. Keeping the ways of the LORD, holding His ordinances in view, and keeping himself from iniquity are what the cleanness of hands means here. Verse 24 adds that all of it stood in His sight.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And the Lord shall reward Me according to My righteousness" [Psalm 18:20]. And the Lord shall reward Me according to the righteousness of My good will, who first showed mercy, before that I had the good will. "And according to the cleanness of My hands He will recompense Me." And according to the cleanness of My deeds He will recompense Me, who has given Me to do well by bringing Me forth into the broad place of faith.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"He rescued me." Here he proves how the tribulations are many. And first from the condition of the enemies. Second, from their persecution, at "because they were strengthened." The condition of the enemies is very harmful, because they are powerful and hating; hence, "he rescued …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Righteousness - Just cause. The innocency of my actions towards Saul, from whose blood I kept my hands pure.
), that is, determining the controversy between him and his enemies, according to the justice of his cause and the cleanness of his hands, from that sedition, treason, and rebellion, with which he was charged. He had often appealed to God concerning his innocency; and now God had given judgment upon the appeal (as he always will) according to equity.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The statements of innocence, righteousness, &c., refer, doubtless, to his personal and official conduct and his purposes, during all the trials to which he was subjected in Saul's persecutions and Absalom's rebellions, as well as the various wars in which he had been engaged as the head and defender of God's Church and people.
"The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness." Viewing this psalm as prophetical of the Messiah, these strongly-expressed claims to righteousness are readily understood, for his garments were as white as snow; but considered as the language of David they have perplexed many. Yet the case is clear, and if the words be not strained beyond their original intention, no difficulty need occur. Albeit that the dispensations of divine grace are to the fullest degree sovereign and irrespective of human merit, yet in the dealings of Providence there is often discernible a rule of justice by which the injured are at length avenged, and the righteous ultimately delivered. David's early troubles arose from the wicked malice of envious Saul, who no doubt prosecuted his persecutions under cover of charges brought against the character of "the man after God's own heart." These charges David declares to have been utterly false, and asserts that he possessed a grace-given righteousness which the Lord had graciously rewarded in defiance of all his calumniators. Before God the man after God's own heart was a humble sinner, but before his slanderers he could with unblushing face speak of the "cleanness of his hands" and the righteousness of his life. He knows little of the sanctifying power of divine grace who is not at the bar of human equity able to plead innocence. There is no self-righteousness in an honest man knowing that he is honest, nor even in his believing that God rewards him in providence because of his honesty, for such is often a most evident matter of fact; but it would be self-righteousness indeed if we transferred such thoughts from the region of providential government into the spiritual kingdom, for there grace reigns not only supreme but sole in the distribution of divine favours.
The Lord rewarded me - David proceeds to give the reasons why God had so marvellously interposed in his behalf. According to my righteousness - Instead of being an enemy to Saul, I was his friend. I dealt righteously with him while he dealt unrighteously with me.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness - That is, he saw that I did not deserve the treatment which I received from my enemies, and therefore he interposed to save me. Compare the note at Psa 17:3. According to the cleanness of my hands - So far as my fellow-men are concerned. I have done them no wrong. Hath he recompensed me - By rescuing me from the power of my enemies. It is not inconsistent with proper views of piety - with true humility before God - to feel and to say, that so far as our fellow-men are concerned, we have not deserved ill-treatment at their hands; and, when we are delivered from their power, it is not improper to say and to feel that the interposition in the case has been according to justice and to truth.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי | yigmeleni | he has dealt with me | H1580 → | 37 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כְּצִדְקִ֑י | ketzidki | according to righteousness my | H6664 → | 119 times |
| כְּבֹ֥ר | kevor | according to [the] cleanness of | H1252 → | |
| יָ֝דַ֗י | yadai | hands my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| יָשִׁ֥יב | yashiv | he has repaid | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | to me |
יִגְמְלֵ֣נִיhe has dealt with me
yigmeleniH1580 →37 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כְּצִדְקִ֑יaccording to righteousness my
ketzidkiH6664 →119 times
כְּבֹ֥רaccording to [the] cleanness of
kevorH1252 →
יָ֝דַ֗יhands my
yadaiH3027 →1618 times
יָשִׁ֥יבhe has repaid
yashivH7725 →1056 times
לִֽי׃to me
li
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 24:4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
- James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Job 17:9
Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
- Matthew 5:8
Through
Matthew 6:4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
it leads to
- Matthew 6:18
so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
- Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
- Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
- Matthew 6:18
Through
Psalms 58:11Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
it leads to
- Isaiah 3:10
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
- Isaiah 3:10
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 18; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.