He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Clean hands, and a pure heart. As it is a kingdom of righteousness, the righteous alone shall inherit it (Isaiah 33:15-16). The pure in heart alone shall see Him who is purity itself (Matthew 5:8). Christ alone ascended by right of inherent purity; we ascend by virtue of His imputed righteousness. None are accounted righteous whose "hearts" are not "purified by faith" (Acts 15:9). Though no mere man hath the purity of perfection, every believer hath the purity that consists in singleness of eye - i:e., a sincere aim to purify himself as His Lord is pure (1 John 3:3). Outward cleanness of "hands" must be accompanied by inward purity of "heart."
Lifted up his soul to vanity. Since the Hebrew preposition(lª-) is different here from that ( 'el (H413)) in Deuteronomy 24:15; Hosea 4:8, margin, and the verb ( naasaa' (H5375)) is the same as ( yisaa' (H5375)) "receive," or take, in Psalms 24:5, translate, 'He who hath not taken away his soul unto vanity'-i,e., falsehood; and answering '(sworn) in deceit.' The idea is not that of lifting up the soul to an idol, but taking and setting the heart of some object (cf. Revelation 22:15).
Nor sworn. From the soul loving falsehood. he passes to the tongue swearing in deceit. There is a reference to Exodus 20:7, "Thou shalt not take (the same Hebrew as here) the name of the Lord thy God in vain" - i:e., in support of a lie (the same Hebrew, lashaaw' (H7723), as that translated "to vanity" here).