Psalm 18:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

NIV: The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

NASB: Therefore the Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

CSB: So the Lord repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

NLT: The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.

KJV: Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

NKJV: Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

David repeats his claim that the Lord delivered him from his enemies in part as a reward for righteousness. Part of this celebration involves David's victory over Saul (2 Samuel 22:1). Even against that enemy, David demonstrated a "clean" approach, deliberately passing up at least two opportunities to assassinate Saul (1 Samuel 24:4–11; 26:1–25).

The Lord is gracious; He grants righteousness to those who believe on His Son (2 Corinthians 5:21). He rewards the righteous—though eternal salvation comes only through faith (Titus 3:5). Addressing the church at Smyrna, the risen Lord promised, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Psalm 84:11 promises: "The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly." Proverbs 25:22 promises a reward to the person who treats his enemy kindly.

Believers who honor the Lord by leading a life of righteousness can anticipate a reward when Jesus comes again. The apostle Paul expected to receive the crown of righteousness at Christ's return (2 Timothy 4:8), and Jesus promised, "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my [reward] with me, to repay each one for what he has done" (Revelation 22:12).

Psalm 18:20–27 describes David's relationship with the Lord as the reason God rescued him. Second Samuel 22:21–26 presents a slight variation of the words found in this passage. Most likely, the words David originally spoke, as recorded in 2 Samuel 22, were adapted for use in a worship setting, as presented in Psalm 18. David began this psalm by telling the Lord he loved Him. Next, he described dire circumstances, such as when Saul and his men pursued him in the wilderness. He closed the first section of the psalm with a poetic description of how the Lord rescued him from his enemies.

In 2 Samuel chapter 22, David expresses praise for all the times in his life where God gave him victory. That prayer or song is copied almost identically here. Psalm 18, itself, might have been adapted for use in public worship. David remembers dire situations where God rescued him. He dramatically recounts how God provided rescue and power. David also credits God with rewarding his obedience by making him a powerful and successful military leader. For these reasons, David commits himself to the praise and worship of the Lord.

This psalm is David's prayer to the Lord in which David praises the Lord for making him victorious over his enemies. Second Samuel 5, 8, and 10 are companion chapters, and 2 Samuel 22 provides another version of this psalm. Second Samuel 22:1 tells us David composed Psalm 18 on the day the Lord delivered him from his enemies and Saul. Second Samuel 19 reports David's victorious return to Jerusalem after David vanquished his enemies.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.