Psalms 24:3-5
Context24:3 Who is allowed to ascend 1 the mountain of the Lord? 2
Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?
24:4 The one whose deeds are blameless
and whose motives are pure, 3
who does not lie, 4
or make promises with no intention of keeping them. 5
24:5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, 6
and vindicated by the God who delivers them. 7
[24:3] 1 tn The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.
[24:3] 2 sn In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2-3).
[24:4] 3 tn Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.
[24:4] 4 tn Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew
[24:4] 5 tn Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”
[24:5] 6 tn Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the
[24:5] 7 tn “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”