In verses 21-25 the writer declares his complete innocence, the integrity and uprightness of his character and conduct. It is to be noticed that in verses 21-25 and 36-43 Good News Translation uses the present tense of the verbs to indicate habitual, or continuous, action, while Revised Standard Version has the past tense, indicating specific, isolated events. Most translations in English are like Revised Standard Version, but there is no certain way to determine which is correct. Good News Translation (also New Jerusalem Bible) is preferred, but the translator should feel free to follow Revised Standard Version.
Verse 21 has the metaphor in the second line (cleanness of my hands) in parallel with righteousness. This is a means of stepping up the vividness of the parallelism. This heightening is thought by some to be diminished in Good News Translation, which has “because I am innocent.”
For the verb rewarded see the comments on “recompense” in 19.36, where the same Hebrew verb occurs. This verb means generally “to do something that affects someone else,” and the context indicates whether the act is viewed favorably or unfavorably. In Psa 13.6 the verb is rendered by Revised Standard Version “dealt bountifully” (Good News Translation “been good”). Here it has the same general meaning of “do good to” or “be good to.” The LORD rewarded me may be rendered idiomatically in some languages; for example, “The LORD looks at me for good” or “The LORD puts good on my head.”
For righteousness see the comments on 8.15, where this term is rendered “equity,” as well as comments on 19.28, which speaks of “right.” Here the word describes David as a person who is careful always to act and speak in agreement with the Law of Moses, the Torah. A “righteous” person, in this context, is above everything else one who obeys God in all things, as verse 22 makes abundantly clear. According to my righteousness may be rendered, for example, “because I do all that God requires,” “because I obey God completely,” or idiomatically “because I follow carefully on God’s road.”
Cleanness of my hands: clean hands are a sign of innocence (see Psa 24.4; 26.6), as Good News Translation explicitly states. Some other models for translating this expression are “my conduct was spotless” (Revised English Bible) and “I have not done evil” (New Century Version).
The verb translated recompensed is “to turn” in the causative form, “he causes to turn,” meaning to compensate or to pay back (here in a good sense).
The ways of the LORD: the ways in which Yahweh wants his people to walk, their behavior, conduct as required by the Law. So Good News Translation “the law of the LORD”; Bible en français courant “the precepts of the Lord.”
The verb phrase [I] have not wickedly departed from translates “I have not been wrong from,” meaning to do wrong by turning away from God. So the translation can be “I have not committed the sin of turning away from God.” The rendering of New International Version, “I have not done evil by turning from my God,” can be understood to mean that in turning away from God David had not done evil. Departed from my God is sometimes rendered “I have not left God’s road” or “I have not turned my back to God.” My God may have to be recast as “the God whom I worship” or “the God whom I obey.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .