According to Psalm 24.3-4 “clean hands and a pure heart” are demanded of persons who would come into the presence of God in his Temple. In this context the heart represents more than the seat of emotions; it refers to one’s innermost being, that which shapes a person’s life. The purity referred to means singleness of motive and of devotion, as opposed to a divided motive, without specific reference to either moral perfection or sexual purity. In Hebrew thought the heart is used as a symbol of one’s mind or thoughts, and here the reference is to thoughts or to a mind concerned solely to please God. For example, it is applicable to one’s attitude toward people of the opposite sex (5.28), or money (6.20-21), or even toward one’s own words (5.37). New American Bible translates “single-hearted” with a note: “… those who serve God loyally for his own sake and not primarily out of self-interest.”

People who are pure in heart, can be “people whose only interest is to serve God,” “whose lives are directed only to serving God,” “whose devotion to God is complete (or, total),” or “who are completely devoted to God (or, to serving God).”

To see God is a gift which is impossible for humans to experience in this life. It is available only in the coming age. Perhaps the best way to translate see God is to say “be where he is, to see him” or “to see God in his presence.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .