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Psalm Twenty-four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 24
A Psalm of David. This psalm is thought by some of the Jewish
writersF4Aben Ezra & Kimchi. to have been wrote when the ark was
brought from the house of Obededom to the city of David
and put into the place
prepared for it by him
2 Samuel 6:17; to which reference is
supposed to be had in Psalm 24:7; or after that David had built
an altar in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite
and had knowledge of
the hill Moriah
as the place where the sanctuary was to be built; called the
hill of the Lord
and his holy place
Psalm 24:3; however
it was certainly
written by David
under the inspiration of the spirit of God; and is a prophecy
of Christ
and of the Gospel church
and describes the members of it.
Psalm 24:1 The
earth is the Lord’s
and all its fullness
The world and those who dwell therein.
YLT
1A Psalm of David. To
Jehovah [is] the earth and its fulness
The world and the inhabitants in it.
The earth is the Lord's
and the fulness thereof
.... The whole
universe
all the terraqueous globe
both land and water
and the circumambient
air
and all that is therein; the fishes of the sea
the fowls of the air
the
beasts of the field
all plants and vegetables that spring out of the earth
and metals and minerals in the bowels of it; all which are the riches of the
Lord the earth is full of
Psalm 104:24; see Psalm 50:10;
the world
and they that dwell therein; the habitable
world
and the dwellers on it
rational and irrational. These words may be
interpreted of Christ
who is Lord of all; he made the world
and has a right
and claim to all things in it; for the same person is here spoken of as in the
preceding psalm
under the character of a shepherd; and this shows him to be
very fit and proper for such an office
seeing he cannot fail of feeding and
protecting his sheep; nor can they want any good thing
since the fulness both
of nature and of grace is with him; and hence it is that all things are theirs
whether the world
or things present
or things to come; and though they seem
to have nothing
yet possess all things
they possessing him whose all things
are. The apostle makes use of this passage of Scripture
to prove
explain
and
direct in the use of Christian liberty
with respect to the free use of
creatures
they all being the Lord's; and therefore good
and to be received
with thanksgiving: and yet
inasmuch as there is a variety of them
such should
be abstained from
when to use them serves to embolden evil men in their wicked
ways
or offend and grieve weak Christians
1 Corinthians 10:25.
Psalm 24:2 2 For He has founded it upon
the seas
And established it upon the waters.
YLT
2For He on the seas hath
founded it
And on the floods He doth establish it.
For he hath founded it upon the seas
.... Or
"with" them
as some interpretF5R. Moses in Aben Ezra in
loc. the particle על; he hath founded the earth and
seas together
and both upon nothing; and yet are stable and firm; or "by
the seas"F6על ימים
"juxta maria"
Vatablus
Gejerus
Amama; so Kimchi & Ben Melech.
near unto them
at the side of them; which
though higher than the earth
are
wonderfully bounded by the power of God
so as not to return and cover the
earth; see Job 38:8; so the particle is used in Psalm 1:3. Some have thought that the first
earth
which Peter says was standing in the water
and out of the water
2 Peter 3:5
was made in the form of an
egg
and that the waters were under the earth
and the earth was as a crust or
shell over them
until the deluge came; and this crust then broke in
and
formed the sea; and so it was literally true
that the earth was founded upon
or over the waters;
and established it upon the floods; the floods of the seas
or rivers of water running to and fro in it: this shows the ground and
foundation of Christ's right and claim to the earth
and all that is in it;
which is not by reason of his father's gift to him as Mediator
but by virtue
of his concern in creation
the world
and all things in it
being made and
established by him; in him do all things consist
Colossians 1:16.
Psalm 24:3 3 Who may ascend into the
hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
YLT
3Who goeth up into the hill
of Jehovah? And who riseth up in His holy place?
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?.... Though
the Lord has a claim in general to the whole world
and all its fulness; yet
there is a particular part of it
or spot in it
which is his special and
peculiar property
and that is his church and people; for though some reference
may be had
in this passage
to Mount Moriah
and the hill of Zion
on which
the temple was afterwards built
and is called the hill of the Lord
where he
desired to dwell
Psalm 68:15; yet the church is mystically
intended
and is so called on account of its visibility
through a profession
of faith in Christ
and for its immovableness
being built on him;
and who shall stand in his holy place? the same with
the hill of the Lord; the temple being to be built upon it
where the Lord took
up his residence
and was worshipped
and holiness becomes the house of God for
evermore: the import of these questions is
who is a proper person to be an
inhabitant of Zion
or a member of a Gospel church? and the answer to them is
in Psalm 24:4
in which is a description much
like that which is given of one hundred forty and four thousand seen with the
Lamb on Mount Zion
Revelation 14:1; compare with this verse.
Psalm 24:4 4 He who has clean hands and
a pure heart
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol
Nor sworn deceitfully.
YLT
4The clean of hands
and
pure of heart
Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul
Nor hath sworn to
deceit.
He that hath clean hands
and a pure heart
.... Though
"clean hands" are mentioned first
as being more obvious to view
and
better known
and more subject to the cognizance and observation of others; yet
a "pure heart" is first in being and in order; from whence cleanness
of hands
when right and truth springs: no man has a pure heart naturally and
of himself: the heart is desperately wicked; the imagination of the thoughts of
it is evil continually; the mind and conscience are defiled with sin; nor can
any man make his heart clean
or say he is pure from sin; but it is God that
creates a clean heart
and renews a right spirit within men
and purifies the
heart by faith
which is led to the blood of sprinkling
which purges the
conscience
and cleanseth it from all sin; and from this purity of heart flows
purity of life and conversation
signified by "clean hands"; the hand
being the instrument of action
holy actions
or good works
performed from a
principle of grace
are meant; the phrase is expressive of a holy
harmless
and innocent conversation
washing the hands being used to denote innocence
Matthew 27:24; not a conversation entirely
free from sin
nor by which a man is justified before God; for though he wash
his hands ever so clean
they will not be pure in his sight
and will need
washing in the blood of the Lamb; but it denotes a conversation upright in general
and declares a man righteous in the sight of men
and distinguishes him from
one of a dissolute life
whose hands are full of blood
and defiled with sin;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity; or "set
his heart upon"F7לא נשא נפשו "non inhiat
aut
intentus est"
Vatablus
Amama; so Gejerus
Michaelis.
and desired vain
things
as the phrase is sometimes used
Deuteronomy 24:15; that is
the vain things
of this world; as the riches
honours
pleasures
and profits of it; or has not
served other gods
the idols of the Gentiles
which are lying vanities
but has
lifted up his soul to God
and served him only: or "who hath not received
his soul in vain"F8So Pagninus. ; from the hands of God
but
loves him with all his soul
believes with the heart in Christ for
righteousness
being sanctified by the Spirit of God; and so the desire of his
soul is to his name
and the remembrance of him. The "Keri"
or
marginal reading
according to the points
is
"who hath not lifted up my
soul to vanity"F9"Animam meam"
Montanus
Vatablus
Hillerus. ; that is
has not taken the name of God in vain
or swore falsely by
his name; his soul being put for his name or himself; and by which he is said
sometimes to swear
Jeremiah 51:14; and this sense the Jewish
interpretersF11Jarchi
Aben Ezra
Kimchi
& Ben Melech in loc.
generally give into. The Targum seems to take in both the writing of the text
and the marginal reading
as it often does
and renders the words
"who
hath not sworn in vain
to the condemnation of his soul"; though sometimes
to his own disadvantage
yet not to the hurt of others; see Psalm 15:4; it follows
nor sworn deceitfully; by bearing false witness
against any man; or by cheating him out of his substance through a false oath.
Psalm 24:5 5 He shall receive blessing
from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
YLT
5He beareth away a blessing
from Jehovah
Righteousness from the God of his salvation.
He shall receive the blessing from the Lord
.... Or
"who receives"F12ישא "qui
accipit"
Cocceius. ; the future for the present; and so is a continuation
of the description of a person proper to enter and abide in the church of God
as Psalm 24:6 seems to require; even one who
has received every spiritual blessing in Christ in general
special grace out
of his fulness; particularly the blessing of pardon
as also adoption
and a
right to eternal life; though it may be that the following clause is
explanative of this;
and righteousness from the God of his salvation; from Christ
who is God his Saviour
the author of salvation; and who has brought in an
everlasting righteousness
which is in him
and is a gift of his grace
and is
received from him by faith
and is a great blessing indeed; it secures from
condemnation and death
and entitles to eternal life.
Psalm 24:6 6 This is Jacob
the
generation of those who seek Him
Who seek Your face. Selah
YLT
6This [is] a generation of
those seeking Him. Seeking Thy face
O Jacob! Selah.
This is the generation of them that seek him
.... The
persons above described are such
who in every age are the generation of the
children of God
and are accounted by him for a generation; they are such that
seek him
in the first place
with their whole hearts
and in Christ
where
they find him;
that seek thy face
O Jacob. By the "face"
of God is meant the favour of God
the discoveries of his love
the light of
his countenance
than which nothing is more desirable to gracious souls
or
more sought after by them; and by Jacob is meant the God of Jacob; and so
Apollinarius has it in his metaphrase; see Psalm 10:1; unless Christ should be
intended
one of whose names is Israel
Isaiah 49:3; or the words may be supplied
as they are by some Jewish writersF13Aben Ezra
Kimchi
& Ben
Melech in loc.
"this is Jacob"; or the persons before described are
the seed of Jacob
and who are called by his name: and it may be observed
that
the church of God often bears the same name
Isaiah 43:1; and then the sense is
the
persons whose characters are given above are fit to ascend
and stand in the
holy hill of God
are Israelites indeed
in whom there is no guile.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 24:7 7 Lift up your heads
O you
gates! And be lifted up
you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall
come in.
YLT
7Lift up
O gates
your
heads
And be lifted up
O doors age-during
And come in doth the king of
glory!
Lift up your heads
O ye gates
.... By which the gates
of hell are not meant; nor are the words to be understood of the descent of
Christ thither
to fetch the souls of Old Testament saints from thence; who the
Papists dream were detained in an apartment there
as in a prison
called by
them "limbus patrum"; seeing these
immediately upon their separation
from the body
were in a state of happiness and glory
as the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus shows; and since Christ
at his death
went
in his human
soul
immediately into heaven
or paradise
where the penitent thief was that
day with him: nor do the words design the gates of heaven
and Christ's
ascension thither
shut by the sins of men
and opened by the blood of Christ
by which he entered himself
and has made way for all his people; though this
sense is much preferable to the former. The Jewish interpreters understand the
phrase of the gates of the temple
which David prophetically speaks of as to be
opened
when it should be built and dedicated by Solomon
and when the ark
the
symbol of Jehovah's presence
was brought into it
and the glory of the Lord
filled the house; so the Targum interprets this first clause of "the gates
of the house of the sanctuary"; though the next of "the gates of the
garden of Eden"; but the words are better interpreted
in a mystical and
spiritual sense
of the church of God
the temple of the living God
which is
said to have gates
Isaiah 60:11; and is itself called a door
Song of Solomon 8:9; where the open door of
the Gospel is set
or an opportunity of preaching the Gospel given
and a door
of utterance to the ministers of the word
and the doors of men's hearts are
opened to attend to it; and indeed the hearts of particular believers
individual members of the church
may be intended
or at least included in the
sense of the passage; see Revelation 3:20; and it may be observed
that the new Jerusalem is said to have gates of pearl
through which Christ
when he makes his glorious appearance
will enter in his own glory
and in his
father's
and in the glory of the holy angels;
and be ye lifted up
ye everlasting doors; or "the
doors of the world"F14פתחי עולם "ostia mundi"
Gejerus
Schmidt. ; which
some understand of the kingdoms and nations of the world
and of the kings and
princes thereof
as called upon to open and make way for
and receive the
Gospel of Christ into them
and to support and retain it; but it is best to
interpret it of the church and its members
whose continuance
perpetuity
and
duration
are here intimated
by being called "everlasting doors";
which may be said to be "lifted up"
as it may respect churches
when
those things are removed which hinder communion with Christ; as their sins
which separate between them and their God
and the wall of unbelief
behind
which Christ stands; and sleepiness
drowsiness
coldness
lukewarmness
and
indifference; see Isaiah 59:2; and when public worship is
closely and strictly attended on
as the ministration of the word and
ordinances
prayer to God
which is the lifting up the heart with the hands to
God
and singing his praise: and as it may respect particular believers; these
doors and gates may be said to be lifted up
when their hearts are enlarged
with the love of God; the desires and affections of their souls are drawn out towards
the Lord
and the graces of the Spirit are in a lively exercise on him; and
when they lift up their heads with joy in a view of Christ coming to them. This
must not be understood as if they could do all this of themselves
any more
than gates and doors can be thought to open and lift up themselves;
and the King of glory shall come in; the Lord Jesus Christ
called the Lord of glory
1 Corinthians 2:8; who is glorious in
himself
in the perfections of his divine nature
as the Son of God; being the
brightness of his Father's glory
and the express image of his person; and in
his office as Mediator
being full of grace and truth
and having a glory given
him before the world was; and which became manifest upon his resurrection
ascension to heaven
and session at God's right hand; and particularly he is
glorious as a King
being made higher than the kings of the earth
and crowned
with glory and honour; and so the Targum renders it מלך
יקירא
"the glorious King"; and he is
moreover the author and giver
the sum and substance
of the glory and
happiness of the saints: and now
as the inhabitants of Zion
and members of
the church
are described in the preceding verses
an account is given of the
King of Zion in this and the following; who may be said to "come
into" his churches
when he grants his gracious presence
shows himself
through the lattices
and in the galleries of ordinances
in his beauty and glory;
takes his walks there
and his goings are seen
even in the sanctuary; and
where he dwells as King in his palace
and as a Son in his own house; and he
may be said to come into the hearts of particular believers
when he manifests
himself
his love and grace
unto them
and grants them such communion as is
expressed by supping with them
and by dwelling in their hearts by faith
Psalm 24:8 8 Who is this King of
glory? The Lord
strong and mighty
The Lord
mighty in battle.
YLT
8Who [is] this -- `the king
of glory?' Jehovah -- strong and mighty
Jehovah
the mighty in battle.
Who is this King of glory?.... Which question is
put by the church
or particular believers; not through ignorance
as the
daughters of Jerusalem
Song of Solomon 5:9; or the Pharisees
when
Christ made his public entrance into Jerusalem
Matthew 21:10; much less in pride and
haughtiness
in scorn and derision
as Pharaoh
Exodus 5:1; and the Capernaites
John 6:42; but as wondering at the glories
and excellencies of his person
and as desirous of knowing more of him. The
answer to the question is
the Lord strong and mighty: he whose name alone is
Jehovah; the most high in all the earth; the everlasting I AM; Jehovah our
righteousness; the mighty God
even the Almighty; the Son of Man
whom God has
made strong for himself: his strength and might have been seen in the creation
of all things out of nothing
in upholding all things by his power
in the
redemption of his people
in the resurrection of himself
in dispossessing the
strong man armed out of the hearts of his chosen ones
in the government of his
church
and the care of all his saints
and in keeping them from a final and
total falling away. From the first of these words
which is only here used
Mars
because of his strength
has the name of Azizus; which name of his JulianF15Orat.
4. in solem
p. 281. makes mention of; and very probably Hesus
also a deity of
the ancient Gauls
spoken of by the poetF16"Teutates horrensque
feris altaribus Hesus". Lucan.
and by LactantiusF17De Fals.
Relig. l. 1. c. 31. ; but to none does it belong as to our Jehovah;
the Lord mighty in battle; as he was when he was up
on the cross; when he made an end of sin
spoiled principalities and powers;
abolished death
and destroyed him that had the power of it; and as he will be
at the last day
when the kings of the earth shall make war with him
and he
shall overcome them; when the beast and false prophet shall be taken
and cast
alive into the lake of fire; and the remnant shall be slain with the sword of
his mouth; see Revelation 17:14; and who is now the
Captain of salvation to his people
their Leader and Commander; who furnishes
them with weapons of warfare
which are mighty through God; who teaches their
hands to war
and their fingers to fight the good fight of faith; and makes
them more than conquerors
through himself
that has loved them.
Psalm 24:9 9 Lift up your heads
O you
gates! Lift up
you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.
YLT
9Lift up
O gates
your
heads
And be lifted up
O doors age-during
And come in doth the king of
glory!
Lift up your heads
O ye gates even lift them up
ye
everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. See Gill on Psalm 24:7. This is repeated on account of
the backwardness and negligence of churches
and particular believers
to open
and let Christ in; as may be seen in the case of the church in Song of Solomon 5:2; as well as the more to
set forth the greatness and glory of Christ
about to make his entrance
and to
command a proper awe and reverence of him: some think respect is had to the
twofold coming of Christ; first into the second temple
and next at the last
judgment; though rather the certainty of his coming
in a spiritual manner
to
his church and people
is here designed.
Psalm 24:10 10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord
of hosts
He is the King of glory. Selah
YLT
10Who [is] He -- this `king
of glory?' Jehovah of hosts -- He [is] the king of glory! Selah.
Who is this King of glory?.... This is repeated
because of the preceding words
and in order to have a further account of his
glorious Person
as follows:
the Lord of hosts
he is the King of glory; he who is the
Lord of sabaoth
the Lord of the armies
both of the heavens and the earth; at
whose dispose and control all things are in both worlds
above and below: this
is the great and glorious Person that condescends to dwell in his churches
and
in the hearts of his people; and this honour have his saints.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》