1 Chronicles 29:17

29:17 I know, my God, that you examine thoughts 1  and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives 2  I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you.

Psalms 7:10

7:10 The Exalted God is my shield, 3 

the one who delivers the morally upright. 4 

Psalms 26:6

26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle, 5 

so I can appear before your altar, 6  O Lord,

Psalms 94:15

94:15 For justice will prevail, 7 

and all the morally upright 8  will be vindicated. 9 

1 tn Heb “a heart.”

2 tn Heb “with integrity of heart.”

3 tn Traditionally, “my shield is upon God” (cf. NASB). As in v. 8, עַל (’al) should be understood as a divine title, here compounded with “God” (cf. NIV, “God Most High”). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:45-46. The shield metaphor pictures God as a protector against deadly attacks.

4 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

5 tn Heb “I wash my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The imperfect verbal emphasizes that this is his habit.

6 tn Heb “so I can go around your altar” (probably in ritual procession). Following the imperfect of the preceding line, the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.

7 tn Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”

8 tn Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 97:11).

9 tn Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”