CLEAN HANDS

Psalm 24 is my favourite chapter in the Bible. It talks of God’s greatness and if you hear it read in Yoruba (my native language), you would feel the power emanating from it and love it. I was reading through the chapter again and for the first time I noticed the phrase “Clean Hands”.

The requirement for ascending and standing holy before the Lord is stated as having clean hands.

So, what does it really mean to have Clean Hands? The chapter informs us not be vain and to not swear deceitfully.

While, it is extremely difficult to obey the words “do not commit adultery or fornication”, which are highly important and should not be done in any circumstance, the main things to get clean hands in order to ascend are the most difficult things to do nowadays. Vanity is in vogue and we even have plenty things that proudly bear the name.

Swearing and cursing are part of everyday language and it is extremely difficult to do without involving them. Being vain and proud are considered “cool” and permissible for rich and famous people.

 I was part of a conversation and someone talked about a highly respected and wealthy musician being rude and conceited in a public place. Someone else replied “if I were him and had all his wealth and power, I would do worse”.

People swear and blaspheme without a second thought. Blasphemers are also unclean. And Mark 3:29 says some sort of blasphemy will never be forgiven.

One reward for “clean hands” is written in Job 17:9 as waxing stronger and stronger.

Considering all the merits of having clean hands and the disadvantages of not having them we ought to strive to have clean hands regardless of the environment we find ourselves and the Lord will definitely help us as we try and also bless us. Amen.