Proverbs 20:9

“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, etc.] The heart of than is naturally unclean, the mind, conscience, understanding, will, and affections; there is no part clean, all are defiled with sin; and though there is such a thing as a pure or clean heart, yet not as made so by men; it is God that has made the heart, that can only make it clean, or create a clean heart in men; it is not to be done by themselves, or by anything that they can do; it is done only by the grace of God, and blood of Christ: God has promised to do it, and he does it; and to him, and to him only, is it to be ascribed; I am pure from my sin? the sin of nature or of action: such indeed who are washed from their sins in…”

“The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ecc 7:20).”

“A warning voice against the spirit, which, ignorant of its own guilt, is forward to condemn others. return to 'Top of Page'”

“20:9 Wise people recognize their own weaknesses. Pride prohibits people from seeing their faults (6:17-18; 11:2; 13:10; 15:33; 16:18; 18:12; see also 1 Jn 1:8-10).”

“Kg1 8:46; Ch2 6:36; Job 14:4, Job 15:14, Job 25:4; Psa 51:5; Ecc 7:20; Co1 4:4; Jam 3:2; Jo1 1:8-10 Proverbs 20:10”

“9 Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sins? It is the same thought that Solomon expresses in his prayer at the consecration of the temple, Kg1 8:46 : there is no man who sinneth not. To cleanse his heart (as Psa 73:13), is equivalent to to empty it, by self-examination and earnest effort after holiness, of all impure motives and inclinations; vid., regarding זכה, to be piercing, shining brightly, cloudlessly pure, Fleischer in Levy's Chald. Wrterbuch, i. 424. The consequence of זכּות is, becoming pure; and the consequence of זכּות לב, i.e., of the purifying of the heart, the being pure from sinful conduct: I have become pure from my sins, i.e., from such as I might fall…”