Psalms 18:20

“The statements of innocence, righteousness, &c., refer, doubtless, to his personal and official conduct and his purposes, during all the trials to which he was subjected in Saul's persecutions and Absalom's rebellions, as well as the various wars in which he had been engaged as the head and defender of God's Church and people.”

“The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness - That is, he saw that I did not deserve the treatment which I received from my enemies, and therefore he interposed to save me. Compare the note at Psalms 17:3. According to the cleanness of my hands - So far as my fellow-men are concerned. I have done them no wrong. Hath he recompensed me - By rescuing me from the power of my enemies. It is not inconsistent with proper views of piety - with true humility before God - to feel and to say, that so far as our fellow-men are concerned, we have not deserved ill-treatment at their hands; and, when we are delivered from their power, it is not improper to say and to feel that the interposition in…”

“Righteousness - Just cause. The innocency of my actions towards Saul, from whose blood I kept my hands pure. Psalms 18:22”

“18:20-24 The psalmist affirms that loyalty is rewarded. He puts his trust in the Lord (see 16:1) and commits himself to living with integrity (see Pss 1, 15, 24; see also 19:12-14).”

“rewarded: Psa 58:11; Sa1 24:17, Sa1 24:20; Pro 11:18; Isa 49:4, Isa 62:11; Mat 6:4; Co1 3:8 cleanness: Psa 18:24, Psa 7:3, Psa 24:4, Psa 26:6; Sa1 24:11-13; Heb 7:26 Psalms 18:21”

“(Heb.: 18:21-24) On גּמל (like שׁלּם with the accusative not merely of the thing, but also of the person, e.g., Sa1 24:18), εὐ or κακῶς πράττειν τινά, vid., on Psa 7:5. שׁמר, to observe = to keep, is used in the same way in Job 22:15. רשׁע מן is a pregnant expression of the malitiosa desertio. "From God's side," i.e., in His judgment, would be contrary to the general usage of the language (for the מן in Job 4:17 has a different meaning) and would be but a chilling addition. On the poetical form מנּי, in pause מנּי, vid., Ew. 263, b. The fut. in Psa 18:23, close after the substantival clause Psa 18:23, is not intended of the habit in the past, but at the present time: he has not wickedly…”