Psalms 18:23 (YLT)

Passage

And I am perfect with him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity.

Nearby Context

Psalms 18:21 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God.

Psalms 18:22 For all His judgments <FI>are<Fi> before me, And His statutes I turn not from me.

Psalms 18:23 And I am perfect with him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity.

Psalms 18:24 And Jehovah doth return to me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, Over-against his eyes.

Psalms 18:25 With the kind Thou showest Thyself kind, With a perfect man showest Thyself perfect.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "perfect", "keep", "myself", "mine", and "iniquity". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "perfect" and "keep", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "For all His judgments FI are Fi..." into verse 24's "And Jehovah doth return to me According...", so "perfect" and "keep" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "perfect" and "keep" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.