Psalms 26:10 · Bible study
Psalms 26:10 Commentary: The Right Hand Full of Bribes
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how David contrasts the wicked's mischief and bribes with his own integrity, pleading for God to separate him from sinners.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David describes the wicked as those whose hands hold calculated evil and whose right hands are full of bribes, contrasting them with his own integrity.
- Key words: זִמָּה (zimah), wicked purpose, evil plan; שֹׁחַד (shachad), bribe, gift to pervert justice.
- Main debate: The scope of zimah, whether it includes sexual immorality (Keil & Delitzsch say not primarily) or general vice (most commentators).
- Theological theme: God’s justice separates the righteous from the corrupt; integrity is based on dependence on God’s grace, not self-effort.
- Best use: Teaching on honesty, avoiding corruption, and pleading for God’s vindication in a world of injustice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
WEB World English Bible 2000
in whose hands is wickedness; their right hand is full of bribes.
KJV King James Version 1769
In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
In whose hands is wickedness, And their right hand is full of bribes.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
In whose hand is a wicked device, And their right hand is full of bribes.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
In whose hands are evil devices, and their right hand is full of bribes.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
En cuyas manos está el mal, y su diestra está llena de sobornos.
Nas mãos deles há más intenções; e sua mão direita é cheia de suborno.
Dont les mains sont criminelles
welche mit böser Tücke umgehen und nehmen gern Geschenke.
In welker handen schandelijk bedrijf is, en welker rechterhand vol geschenken is.
nelle cui mani è scelleratezza, e la cui destra è colma di presenti.
W których rękach jest przewrotność, a prawica ich pełna podarków.
ибо отец мой и мать моя оставили меня, но Господь примет меня.
他們 的手中 有奸惡，右手 滿有 賄賂。
In whose hands are evil designs, and whose right hands take money for judging falsely.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 26:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Psalm 26:10 paints a vivid picture of the wicked. Barnes notes that the word rendered “mischief” (זִמָּה, zimah) means “purpose, counsel, plan” and then an evil purpose. Gill expands this to “every abominable wickedness” including idolatry and adultery, with the hand as the instrument of action. Keil and Delitzsch add that zimah here signifies scum of whatever is vicious, not limited to unchastity. The second line, “their right hand is full of bribes,” is widely understood as judicial corruption. Clarke says David speaks of persons in office who took bribes to pervert judgment. The right hand, symbol of strength and oath-taking, being full of bribes indicts those who use their power for personal gain. The verse thus functions as a sharp contrast to David’s own claim of integrity (v. 11) and reinforces his plea not to be gathered with sinners (v. 9). All the consulted sources see this as a description of the people from whom David wants God to separate him, not a list of every possible sin but a representative picture of moral corruption and legal injustice.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: David describes the wicked as those who practice calculated evil and accept bribes, in sharp contrast to his own life of integrity, and he pleads with God not to group him with them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of zimah (mischief) | All agree it denotes intentional, calculated evil rather than accidental wrongdoing. | Keil & Delitzsch argue it is not specifically unchastity but general vice; Gill includes incest, adultery, and idolatry under the term. |
| The setting of the psalm | Most see it as a prayer for vindication against false accusations. | Some tie it to Absalom's rebellion (Lange, Matthew Henry suggests); others leave it general. |
| David's claim of integrity | All see it as a genuine appeal, not a boast; he depends on God's grace. | Lange explicitly denies a self-righteous interpretation; some older readers may worry it sounds legalistic, but the consensus sees grace as the foundation. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The right hand held special significance in ancient Israel and the broader Near East. It was the hand of power, oath-taking, and authority. To say someone’s right hand is “full of bribes” is to accuse them of corrupting the very offices that should uphold justice. The law of Moses repeatedly forbade bribery: Exodus 23:8 warns that a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and perverts the words of the righteous; Deuteronomy 16:19 says it blinds the eyes of the wise. First Samuel 8:3 uses bribery as a mark of failed leadership when Samuel’s sons turned aside after dishonest gain. David himself may have faced false accusations during Absalom’s rebellion, when loyalty was bought and sold. The psalm’s setting in the sanctuary (v. 6, 8) amplifies the contrast: David washes his hands in innocence and circles the altar, while the wicked have hands full of plunder and bribes. The word for “bribe” (שֹׁחַד, shachad) appears only in legal contexts, always negatively. So the historical background is one of a society where justice could be bought and sold, and where a righteous person like David must appeal to God alone for vindication. The verse sits within a psalm that is both a prayer and a protestation of innocence, likely written when David’s character and motives were under attack.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 26:10. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is cited consistently in later Jewish and Christian tradition.
Reception History
Psalm 26:10 has been read throughout church history as a call to avoid corrupt associations and to maintain integrity in the face of injustice. Early church writers like Augustine saw it as a prayer of Christ or of the believer standing before God’s altar. Medieval commentators often allegorized the “right hand full of bribes” as worldly gain that corrupts the soul. During the Reformation, both Protestant and Catholic expositors used the verse to warn against simony and judicial corruption. In modern times, it is frequently cited in sermons on honesty in business and government, paired with Exodus 23:8 and Deuteronomy 16:19. The verse also appears in hymns and liturgies that express separation from evil and trust in God’s vindication.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- What the wicked hold. Their hands are filled with mischief (purposeful evil) and bribes (corrupted justice). The right hand, meant for strength and oath, is used for greed.
- How David distances himself. He washes his hands in innocence (v. 6), walks in his integrity (v. 11), and loves God’s house (v. 8). This is not self-righteousness but a life oriented toward God.
- Why God must separate the two. David prays “Gather not my soul with sinners” (v. 9). He trusts that God’s judgment will honor the one who trusts in mercy.
Five-point outline
- The character of the wicked: hands full of mischief (v. 10a)
- The corruption of the wicked: right hands full of bribes (v. 10b)
- David’s plea for separation: “Don’t gather my soul with sinners” (v. 9)
- David’s foundation: integrity and dependence on God’s grace (v. 11; Lange notes this is not self-righteousness but trust in grace)
- David’s confidence: standing on level ground and blessing the Lord (v. 12)
Illustration hooks
- The pressured employee. A worker is asked to fudge numbers or lie for a client. The “bribe” may be a promotion or a bonus. The choice: join the scheme or maintain integrity.
- The honest judge. A small-town judge is offered money to rule a certain way. Verse 10 calls out the very temptation the judge must resist.
- The church member under fire. Someone is falsely accused in a congregation. Like David, they can point to their clean hands and ask God to vindicate them rather than striking back.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I recognize small compromises that lead to a “hand full of bribes”?
- Is it possible to claim integrity like David without becoming proud or self-righteous?
- What does it mean for us today to “wash our hands in innocence” before approaching worship?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 26:10 gives us a clear picture of people David wants to be separated from: those whose hands hold mischief and bribes. In contrast, David walks in integrity, not because he is sinless, but because he depends on God’s grace and truth (v. 3). This small-group guide helps you explore the difference between worldly corruption and a life set apart for God.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 26:9, 12. What words does David use to describe the wicked? What words describe his own life?
- The word for “mischief” (zimah) can mean a planned, calculated evil. How does this deepen the accusation against the wicked in verse 10?
- Why does David mention the right hand specifically? What would that mean to an ancient Israelite reader?
- Look up Exodus 23:8 and Deuteronomy 16:19. How do these laws connect to David’s complaint here?
- David asks God to “gather not my soul with sinners” (v. 9). Is this a prayer of judgment or a plea for protection? How do you decide?
- Lange notes that David’s confidence is based on grace, not self-righteousness. How can we maintain that balance when we are falsely accused or tempted to compromise?
- Think of a modern situation where “the right hand is full of bribes.” How does this verse equip you to respond with integrity?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 23:8 | “You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous. |
| Deuteronomy 16:19 | You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. |
| I Samuel 8:3 | His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. |
| Psalms 10:14 | But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless. |
| Psalms 11:2 | For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. |
| Psalms 36:4 | He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil. |
| Psalms 52:2 | Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. |
| Psalms 55:9 | Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the verse points specifically to public officials who accept bribes to corrupt the legal process. He ties the imagery of a full right hand directly to the perversion of judgment and justice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the psalmist rejects two distinct kinds of evildoers: those whose hands carry out deliberate wickedness and those whose right hand is filled with bribes. The latter refers to gifts offered to corrupt the administration of justice. The psalmist will not associate with either.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that when David asks God to judge him, he is not requesting a mere verdict but calling on God to defend his cause like an advocate. The Hebrew word implies God actively taking up the case, because David finds no justice among people. Calvin sees the psalm as an appeal for divine vindication against false accusations.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points to the person's deep love for God's house as an additional basis for being spared the punishment that falls on the wicked. This affection for God's dwelling is presented as a distinct reason for divine protection, not just a general plea for mercy.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that wicked people are known by what fills their hands: open wickedness and bribes. The "right hand" is singled out because it was the hand used for oaths and promises, making bribery there a direct violation of trust and justice before God.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill specifies that the "mischief" in their hands includes every form of abominable wickedness, from idolatry and adultery to murder, conceived in the mind and then committed by the hand. He adds that their right hand is full of bribes, which blind judges and pervert justice.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Their whole conduct is that of violence and fraud.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch note that the compact plea from earlier expands here into a full request not to share the fate of the wicked. These men are full of bloodshed, infamy, and bribery, with their right hand filled with cursed gain. David, in contrast, has always walked in uprightness and now asks God to judge in his favor with a clear conscience.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees a key test of sincerity in how a person prepares for worship. David's washing of his hands in innocency is not mere ritual but a deliberate act of cleansing from sin, both as a habitual practice and an immediate preparation for approaching God's altar. This careful readiness marks true devotion versus hypocritical attendance.