Psalms 24:3–5
Whoever has innocent hands and a pure heart may go up to God's mountain
Study it word by word3Who will go up to the mountain of YHWH? And who will stand in his holy place?
4He who has innocent hands and is clean of heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn with deceit.
5He will receive a blessing from YHWH, and righteousness from the Elohim of his salvation.
In its context
1Of David. A psalm. The earth belongs to YHWH, and all that fills it, the world and those who dwell in it.
2For he founded it upon the seas, and upon the rivers he established it.
…
6This is the generation of those who seek him, of those who seek your face, Jacob. Selah.
7Lift up, gates, your heads, and be lifted up, eternal doorways, and the King of glory will come in.
Its words in the original
- יַעֲלֶהyaale· go up, offer up
Go up, ascend, climb. It is also used for "offering" a sacrifice (making it go up), and for coming up from Egypt.
- הַרhar· mountain, hill country
Mountain, hill; hill country.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- יָקוּםyakum· rise, stand, establish
Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.
- מְקוֹםmekom· place
Place, spot; the space someone or something occupies; also a home or a holy place.
- קָדְשׁkadsh· holiness, holy place
Holiness: what is set apart for God. Also a holy place or a holy thing; "the holy of holies" is the most holy place.
- נְקִיneki· innocent, free
Innocent, free of guilt; also released from an obligation or an oath.
- כַפַּיִםchapayim· palm, sole
The palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; also a pan or small bowl.
- בַרvar· pure, clean
Clean, pure; also clear, bright.
- לֵבָבlevav· heart
Heart: the inner part of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.
- נָשָׂאnasa· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.
- שָּׁוְאshav· falsehood, emptiness; in vain
What is false, empty, worthless. "In vain" is using something for falsehood or for nothing.
- נַפְשִׁnafshi· soul, living being, life
A breathing being, a living being. It is translated "living being" (people and animals), "life" (when living or dying is at stake), "person" (in counts and laws), "soul" (the person at the innermost: desires, joy, anguish) or "myself". In the Old Testament it names the whole living being, not only a part of it.
- נִשְׁבַּעnishba· swear
Swear: bind oneself solemnly, calling on God as witness; in the causative form, make someone swear. In Hebrew the verb looks like the word "seven".
- מִרְמָהmirma· deceit
Deceit, fraud, treachery.
- בְרָכָהveracha· blessing
Blessing: the good that God gives (life, children, prosperity) and the words with which it is asked for or declared. Also a gift.
- צְדָקָהtsedaka· righteousness
Righteousness: being right with God and acting rightly with others; justice.
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- יִשְׁעyish· salvation, deliverance
Salvation, deliverance; the safety and well-being of one who has been rescued. From the same root as "save."