Psalms 26:6-7

26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle,

so I can appear before your altar, O Lord,

26:7 to give you thanks,

and to tell about all your amazing deeds.


tn Heb “I wash my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The imperfect verbal emphasizes that this is his habit.

tn Heb “so I can go around your altar” (probably in ritual procession). Following the imperfect of the preceding line, the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.

tn Heb “to cause to be heard the sound of thanksgiving.”

tn The two infinitival forms (both with prefixed preposition -לְ, lamed) give the purpose for his appearance at the altar.