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Friday, January 31st, 2025
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Psalms 18:20

The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Integrity;   The Topic Concordance - Obedience;   Recompense/restitution;   Rendering;   Uprightness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Fire;   Psalms, the Book of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lye;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Apocalyptic Literature;   David;   English Versions;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Hand;   Jonah;   Psalms;   Salvation, Saviour;   Sin;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Psalms the book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Justice;   Papyrus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ablution;  

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:
Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord rewarded meaccording to my righteousness;he repaid meaccording to the cleanness of my hands.
Hebrew Names Version
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right. He was good to me because I am innocent.
English Standard Version
The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
Amplified Bible
The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness (moral character, spiritual integrity); According to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me.
American Standard Version
Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Contemporary English Version
You are good to me, Lord , because I do right, and you reward me because I am innocent.
Complete Jewish Bible
He brought me out to an open place; he rescued me, because he took pleasure in me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.
King James Version (1611)
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, according to the cleannesse of my hands hath hee recompensed me.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord will recompense me according to my righteousness; even according to the purity of my hands will he recompense me.
English Revised Version
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
Lexham English Bible
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands he has repaid me.
Literal Translation
Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.
New Century Version
The Lord spared me because I did what was right. Because I have not done evil, he has rewarded me.
New English Translation
The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior.
New King James Version
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
New Living Translation
The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.
New Life Bible
The Lord has paid me because of my being right with Him. Because of my clean hands He has paid me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, he repaid me;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(17-21) And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and will repay me according to the cleanness of my hands:
George Lamsa Translation
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
New American Standard Bible
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.
King James Version
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
God rewarded me after my righteous dealyng: accordyng to the cleannesse of myne handes he recompensed me.
New Revised Standard
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
Darby Translation
Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he ledde out me in to breede; he maad me saaf, for he wolde me.
Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah doth recompense me According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me.
World English Bible
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
Revised Standard Version
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
Update Bible Version
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands he has recompensed me.
Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Bible in Basic English
The Lord gives me the reward of my righteousness, because my hands are clean before him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The LORDE shall rewarde me after my rightuous dealynge, & acordinge to the clenesse of my hodes shal he recopense me.
THE MESSAGE
God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. Now I'm alert to God 's ways; I don't take God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness;According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

Contextual Overview

20 The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent. 21 I have obeyed the law of the Lord ; I have not turned away from my God. 22 I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed his commands. 23 He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself from doing wrong. 24 And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows that I am innocent. 25 O Lord , you are faithful to those who are faithful to you; completely good to those who are perfect. 26 You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked. 27 You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud. 28 O Lord , you give me light; you dispel my darkness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

rewarded: Psalms 58:11, 1 Samuel 24:17, 1 Samuel 24:20, Proverbs 11:18, Isaiah 49:4, Isaiah 62:11, Matthew 6:4, 1 Corinthians 3:8

cleanness: Psalms 18:24, Psalms 7:3, Psalms 24:4, Psalms 26:6, 1 Samuel 24:11-13, Hebrews 7:26

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 2:30 - I will honour 1 Samuel 20:1 - What have 1 Samuel 24:19 - the Lord 1 Samuel 26:23 - render 2 Samuel 22:21 - rewarded 1 Kings 3:6 - according 1 Kings 8:39 - give to every man 2 Chronicles 6:30 - render Job 23:11 - My foot Job 27:6 - I hold fast Job 33:26 - he will Psalms 7:8 - according Psalms 17:1 - Hear Psalms 25:21 - General Psalms 35:24 - Judge Psalms 101:3 - set Psalms 119:121 - I have Isaiah 38:3 - Remember Ezekiel 18:22 - in his 1 Thessalonians 2:10 - how Hebrews 5:7 - and James 4:8 - Cleanse

Cross-References

Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said, "Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge.
Genesis 13:13
whose people were wicked and sinned against the Lord .
Genesis 19:13
because we are going to destroy this place. The Lord has heard the terrible accusations against these people and has sent us to destroy Sodom."
Isaiah 3:9
Their prejudices will be held against them. They sin as openly as the people of Sodom did. They are doomed, and they have brought it on themselves.
Isaiah 5:7
Israel is the vineyard of the Lord Almighty; the people of Judah are the vines he planted. He expected them to do what was good, but instead they committed murder. He expected them to do what was right, but their victims cried out for justice.
Jeremiah 14:7
My people cry out to me, ‘Even though our sins accuse us, help us, Lord , as you have promised. We have turned away from you many times; we have sinned against you.
James 5:4
You have not paid any wages to those who work in your fields. Listen to their complaints! The cries of those who gather in your crops have reached the ears of God, the Lord Almighty.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness,.... Which, if applied to David, cannot be understood of his own personal righteousness, or of works of righteousness done by him, for these merit nothing at the hand of God; no reward, in strict justice, is due to them, or given to them: a man's own righteousness is imperfect, and by the law of God is not accounted a righteousness; and it is unprofitable to God, is no gain to him, and so not rewardable by him; and were it perfect, it is but man's duty, and what God has a prior right to, and so is not recompensed by him; though it is so far from being pure and perfect, that it is attended with much sin, and is no other than rags, and filthy ones, which can never recommend a person to God; it is what will not bear the sight of God, and can never be called cleanness in his eyesight: by it no man is justified before him; and though God does, indeed, reward the works of his people, which are fruits of his grace, yet the reward is not of debt, but of grace. This, therefore, must be understood of the righteousness of David's cause, and of his innocence with respect to the things he was charged with by his enemies; of his righteousness towards Saul; and of "the cleanness of [his] hands", in not defiling them with his blood, when it was in his power to take away his life; therefore God rewarded him by delivering him out of his hands, and setting him upon the throne, and causing his kingdom to flourish and prosper; for this respects temporal blessings, and not eternal glory and happiness; and is something that had been and was then enjoyed, and not anything future, or in another world: though it is best of all to apply it to Christ, and understand it of his righteousness, which he, as Mediator, has wrought out for his people; this is perfect, pure, and spotless, and entirely agreeable to the law of God; what will bear the sight of God, is satisfying to his justice, is well pleasing to him, and is what he accepts of, and imputes to them that believe in Christ, and by which they are justified from all things. Now, according to this righteousness, Christ in strict justice has been rewarded in his own person; as he had the work of man's redemption assigned him, and he agreed to do it, he had a reward promised him, and which he claimed, when he had glorified his Father and finished his work; and which he received when he was set down at the right hand of God, crowned with glory and honour, in consequence of his obedience, sufferings, and death; see Philippians 2:7; and he is rewarded in his members according to his righteousness, they being justified by it, and made heirs of eternal life on account of it, and are or will be glorified with him for evermore;

according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me; which signifies the same thing.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 Psalms 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 18:20. 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.


 
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