The Meaning of Psalms 24:4 Explained

Psalms 24:4

KJV: He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

YLT: The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit.

Darby: He that hath blameless hands and a pure heart; who lifteth not up his soul unto vanity, nor sweareth deceitfully:

ASV: He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood, And hath not sworn deceitfully.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that hath clean  hands,  and a pure  heart;  who hath not lifted up  his soul  unto vanity,  nor sworn  deceitfully. 

What does Psalms 24:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 24:1-10 - Entering Jehovah's Holy Place
Psalms 22:1-31 tells of the cross; Psalms 23:1-6 of the crook; Psalms 24:1-10 of the crown. This great choral hymn was evidently composed to celebrate the removal of the Ark from the house of Obed-edom to Mount Zion, 2 Samuel 6:1-23. It was conducted with music and song to its resting-place, and this psalm was the marching song of the priests, 1 Chronicles 15:2-27.
Psalms 24:1-2 were sung by the whole festal crowd; Psalms 24:3 by a soloist; Psalms 24:4-5 by the choir; and Psalms 24:6 by the entire congregation. What a sublime challenge on the part of the approaching host is contained in Psalms 24:7, to be answered by a company from within the gates in Psalms 24:8! To this again the vast shout of the multitude gives reply in Psalms 24:9.
This magnificent ode reached its perfect accomplishment when the mighty Victor over hell and the grave arose on high and sat down at the Father's right hand. Oh, let the gates of your heart open wide to admit Him! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 24

1  God's Lordship in the world
3  The citizens of his spiritual kingdom
7  An exhortation to receive him

What do the individual words in Psalms 24:4 mean?

He who has clean hands and pure a heart who not has lifted up to an idol his soul nor sworn deceitfully
נְקִ֥י כַפַּ֗יִם וּֽבַר־ לֵ֫בָ֥ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר ׀ לֹא־ נָשָׂ֣א לַשָּׁ֣וְא נַפְשִׁ֑י וְלֹ֖א נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לְמִרְמָֽה

נְקִ֥י  He  who  has  clean 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: נָקִי 
Sense: clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent.
כַפַּ֗יִם  hands 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
וּֽבַר־  and  pure 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּר  
Sense: pure, clear, sincere.
לֵ֫בָ֥ב  a  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
נָשָׂ֣א  has  lifted  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
לַשָּׁ֣וְא  to  an  idol 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁוְא  
Sense: emptiness, vanity, falsehood.
נַפְשִׁ֑י  his  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וְלֹ֖א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נִשְׁבַּ֣ע  sworn 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לְמִרְמָֽה  deceitfully 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִרְמָה  
Sense: deceit, treachery.