2 Samuel 22 21

2 Samuel 22:21 kjv

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

2 Samuel 22:21 nkjv

"The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

2 Samuel 22:21 niv

"The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

2 Samuel 22:21 esv

"The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

2 Samuel 22:21 nlt

The LORD rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.

2 Samuel 22 verses

2 Samuel 22 21 Meaning

This verse declares that the LORD has justly rewarded David based on his moral integrity and upright actions. It emphasizes God's faithfulness in discerning and recompensing righteous conduct, specifically affirming David's blamelessness relative to the accusations and persecutions he faced from his enemies. It is a profound expression of trust in God's justice and vindication.

2 Samuel 22 21 Context

This verse is a cornerstone of David's Psalm of Deliverance, a song almost identical to Psalm 18. It is introduced in 2 Samuel 22:1 as the words David spoke to the LORD "on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul." This grand hymn of praise and thanksgiving, therefore, reflects David's retrospective gratitude for God's mighty acts of rescue and vindication throughout his life, particularly during the protracted periods of persecution under King Saul. David, despite his imperfections, maintained a fundamental heart orientation towards God and lived with integrity relative to his accusers, demonstrating a trust in God's righteousness to which he refers in this verse. His claim to "righteousness" and "cleanness of hands" is understood not as a boast of sinless perfection (which his life clearly demonstrated otherwise, notably with Bathsheba), but as a declaration of his blamelessness and uprightness in contrast to the specific slanders, plots, and unjust accusations leveled against him by his enemies. It asserts that God, being a righteous judge, saw David's genuine alignment with His will and dealt with him justly by delivering him.

2 Samuel 22 21 Word analysis

• The LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH), the tetragrammaton, God's personal covenant name. This emphasizes that it is the faithful and just God of Israel, the one with whom David had a special covenant relationship, who is the source of this recompense. This is not a generic deity but the active, personal God who intervenes in human affairs.
• rewarded me: Hebrew: גָּמַל (gamal). This verb implies both "to deal out" or "to deal kindly with," and also "to ripen" or "bring to fruition." Here, it signifies that God rendered what was due or completed an action fitting to David's character and actions. It denotes a recompense, not merely a gift, indicating a divine response that is commensurate with human conduct.
• according to my righteousness: Hebrew: כְּצִדְקָתִי (ke-tsidqati). The prefix "כְּ" (ke-) means "according to" or "in proportion to." צְדָקָה (tsedakah) means "righteousness," "justice," "just dealing," or "moral integrity." David's "righteousness" refers to his uprightness and faithfulness in the face of the unrighteous actions and intentions of his enemies. It highlights his adherence to God's will and his innocent conduct concerning the specific trials he recounts. This is often interpreted as David's practical righteousness in conduct, not a claim to perfect moral purity in an absolute sense, but relative blamelessness concerning his political and military struggles.
• according to the cleanness: Hebrew: כְּבֹר (ke-bor). Again, "כְּ" (ke-) means "according to." בֹּר (bor) means "purity," "cleanness," "brightness," or "clarity." It often refers to ceremonial purity but here is used metaphorically for moral and judicial blamelessness. It signifies the absence of moral defilement, particularly regarding unjust or violent deeds.
• of my hands: Hebrew: יָדַי (yadai). "Hands" are symbolic of one's actions and deeds. "Cleanness of hands" is a powerful metaphor throughout Scripture for a person whose actions are free from sin, especially from violence, corruption, or unjust gain. It underscores that David's behavior, his physical acts, were pure in God's sight, especially when judged against the wicked actions of his adversaries.
• he recompensed me: Hebrew: יְשִׁיבֵנִי (yeshiv-eni). From the verb שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to turn back," "to return," "to restore," or "to repay." This word strongly reinforces the concept of just retribution or proportional return. God actively "returned" to David what David's conduct deserved, acting as a just judge. The repetition of the idea of recompense, using different but complementary verbs, adds emphasis and certainty to David's declaration of God's justice.

Words-group analysis

• "The LORD rewarded me... he recompensed me": This pairing emphasizes the divine actor (YHWH) and the active nature of His just dealing. The dual expression of recompense highlights God's unwavering principle of dealing fairly and justly with His people.
• "according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands": These two parallel phrases define the nature of David's qualifying conduct. "Righteousness" speaks more to an internal disposition or alignment with God's commands and principles, while "cleanness of my hands" points to the external manifestation of that internal state in specific actions and deeds. Together, they form a comprehensive picture of integrity in both character and conduct. This parallelism reinforces that God looks not only at the heart but also at the actions flowing from it.

2 Samuel 22 21 Bonus section

• Typological Connection to Christ: David's declaration here can be seen as a shadow of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. While David's righteousness was relative, Christ's was absolute and perfect. Jesus lived a life of ultimate "cleanness of hands" and "righteousness" (Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 2:22), fulfilling all justice. He suffered innocently, and God the Father ultimately vindicated Him through His resurrection and exaltation (Acts 2:24-36, Phil 2:9-11), His perfect "righteousness" leading to a "recompense" that extends to all who believe in Him.
• Understanding Righteousness in the Old Testament: This verse underscores the multifaceted meaning of tsedakah (righteousness) in the Old Testament. It's not just forensic (imputed status) but also ethical and relational, reflecting behavior in accordance with divine standards and covenant obligations. For David, his "righteousness" often implied his faithfulness to YHWH and adherence to God's laws as Israel's king, which contrasted sharply with Saul's disobedience and his enemies' wickedness.
• Distinction between Personal Piety and Positional Righteousness: David's claim in 2 Samuel 22:21 refers to his observable actions and intentions within specific earthly conflicts. This is distinct from the theological concept of imputed righteousness received by faith (Rom 4:3, Gen 15:6), which covers one's ultimate standing before a holy God regardless of individual acts. Both aspects are crucial in understanding biblical anthropology and God's interaction with humanity.

2 Samuel 22 21 Commentary

2 Samuel 22:21 is a bold declaration of God's perfect justice and David's confident reliance upon it. This verse is not a statement of earning salvation or asserting absolute sinless perfection before God; rather, it highlights God's character as a righteous judge who vindicates His faithful servants against the malicious and unjust attacks of their enemies. David, as God's chosen king, endured immense opposition. In these trials, his commitment to God's ways, particularly his refusal to act with vengeance or malice towards Saul (even when opportunity arose), marked him with "righteousness" and "clean hands."

The "reward" and "recompense" here are not a payment for perfect moral obedience, but God's recognition of David's integrity and his adherence to covenantal standards relative to the specific circumstances and accusations. God honored David's heart for Him and his blameless conduct concerning these particular conflicts by delivering him from his foes. This truth offers comfort and assurance to believers today: God sees our uprightness, our efforts to live according to His will, and our innocence when unjustly accused. He is the ultimate arbiter, and He will indeed recompense justly, confirming His unfailing faithfulness to those who walk uprightly before Him.