We may consider that we have clean hands and a pure heart
so that we can rightly ascend the hill of God and stand in his holy place (Psalm 24:1–10; Psalm 15:1–5). The present passage corrects that self-deception. We shall be judged in accordance with what we have done—and those deeds are such that we shall be thrown into the lake of fire
unless our names are found in the book of life. Jesus Christ alone had the clean hands and the pure heart that allowed him to stand before God. Sinners can stand before God only when Christ’s perfect obedience is written to our account. That’s the grace that God extends to all those registered in the book of life.
13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.