What does Psalm 24:5 mean?

This proclaims blessings and righteousness to the person described in verse 4: someone with clean hands, a pure heart, and truthfully faithful soul.

These benefits are not wages a person earns. They are gifts from the God of salvation. All who have been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8–9) are blessed "in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3) and have "become the righteousness of God" in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Isaiah 61:10 states: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness."

It is a tragic mistake to think our righteous works can earn God's favor. Titus 3:5 declares that God saves us "not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."