I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O Lord,
Parallel translations
- WEB I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh;
- KJV I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:
- BSB I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,
- NKJV I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
- NASB I will wash my hands in innocence, And I will go around Your altar, Lord,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David washes his hands in innocence and approaches God's altar. He draws near to worship with a clean conscience.
Overview
Using the imagery of ceremonially washing his hands, David expresses his desire to come to God's altar in purity. The outward act symbolizes inner cleansing and the longing to worship rightly. This points beyond ritual to the true cleansing accomplished by Christ, whose blood purifies the conscience so believers may draw near to God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 73:13Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
- Isa 1:16–18Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.
- Titus 3:5not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
- Exod 30:19–20Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in it.
- 1 Tim 2:8I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.
- Heb 10:19–22Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
- Mal 2:11–13Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
- 1 Cor 11:28–29But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
- Matt 5:23–24“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
- Ps 24:4He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully.
- Ps 43:4Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 26:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.