And the Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.
וַיָּֽשֶׁב־יְהוָ֣ה לִ֣י כְצִדְקִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
There are those who may appear righteous and are esteemed by others, yet in truth, they resemble tombs or wolves disguised in sheep's attire. However, He does not select these individuals; instead, He chooses those described by the prophet who declares, "And according to the purity of my hands." What kind of holiness does He desire? It is a holiness that is "before His eyes," meaning it is the kind that is recognized by the gaze of God.
Thus, the Lord will commend me not only for the expanse of my faith expressed through love but also for my endurance, in accordance with my righteousness and the integrity of my hands in His presence. This judgment is not based on human perception but on His view, for what is seen is momentary, while what is unseen is everlasting, which anchors our greatest hope.
The Prophet states that when I achieve complete righteousness, I will also experience ultimate blessings. The Almighty governs all things and, through virtuous actions—referred to by the Prophet as the purity of hands—and with a heartfelt devotion, He will allocate the rewards accordingly. Following this, the Prophet elaborates on this idea with greater clarity.
If I have conducted myself in this manner and will continue to do so, I will likewise arrange for a reward for myself in accordance with this, as previously mentioned. The Lord will compensate me based on the integrity of my actions, as He notes, reflecting the righteousness that is perpetually in His sight; for my motivations are not for the applause of others, but rather for the glory of God.
David, celebrating the blessings of God, provides the reasons why it delighted the Lord to rescue him from his adversaries. The foremost reason is his own dedication to leading a virtuous and upright life before God. He proclaimed, “Reward me according to my righteousness, and according to the purity of my hands reward me.” It should not be misconstrued that David, fueled by pride or arrogance, boasted of his own righteousness and virtues as if they were earned merits. Rather, it is not pride or vainglory when one speaks those things that are divinely inspired and recognizes God as the Source of all goodness.
Moreover, it is important to note, as stated previously, that David does not refer to his righteous actions, which no one can claim before God, but rather to the integrity of his conduct concerning his adversaries. He honored God with a genuine heart, demonstrated true devotion, and never bowed to idols, determined to uphold the commandments of the Lord. While he did sin at times, he swiftly repented and wholeheartedly returned to God. The statement of the Lord, “No living person will be justified before You” (Psalm 142:2), refers to those who, apart from God's grace, believe they can attain justification through their own efforts or deeds. Hence, no one can be justified before Him; only those who possess righteousness through God's grace will find justification. This is the foundation for David's assertion, “Everyone who lives will not be justified before You.” Nevertheless, no one is prohibited from presenting their innocence before God, as illustrated by Nehemiah, Hezekiah, Esau, and David himself.
In justice, the reward for the just is everlasting life. Pure hands reflect someone who refrains from taking what does not belong to him, but instead, he takes from his own righteous efforts dedicated to Christ, ensuring that no reward is lost (Matt. 6:3). At the final Judgment, the deeds of humanity will serve as justification, and the faithful will be welcomed with the words: ‘Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS