Logos Bible Study

Psalm 24:title–10

The NET BibleOther versions

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A psalm of David.

24:1The Lord owns the earth and all it contains,

the world and all who live in it.

24:2For he set its foundation upon the seas,

and established1 it upon the ocean currents.2

24:3Who is allowed to ascend3 the mountain of the Lord?4

Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?

24:4The one whose deeds are blameless

and whose motives are pure,5

who does not lie,6

or make promises with no intention of keeping them.7

24:5Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord,8

and vindicated by the God who delivers them.9

24:6Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,

Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him.10

(Selah)

24:7Look up,11 you gates!

Rise up,12 you eternal doors!

Then the majestic king13 will enter!14

24:8Who is this majestic king?15

The Lord who is strong and mighty!

The Lord who is mighty in battle!

24:9Look up, you gates!

Rise up, you eternal doors!

Then the majestic king will enter!

24:10Who is this majestic king?

The Lord who commands armies!16

He is the majestic king!

(Selah)

Read in Logos
Psalm 24:1–2: The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

Footnotes

  1. 1 The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite, referring to the creation of the world.
  2. 2 He … established it upon the ocean currents. The description reflects ancient Israelite prescientific cosmology, which is based on outward appearances. The language also suggests that God’s creative work involved the subjugation of chaos, symbolized by the sea.
  3. 3 The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.
  4. 4 In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2–3).
  5. 5 Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.
  6. 6 Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew support the ancient versions in reading a third person pronoun “his.” The idiom “lift the life” here means to “long for” or “desire strongly.” In this context (note the reference to an oath in the following line) “emptiness” probably refers to speech (see Ps 12:2).
  7. 7 Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”
  8. 8 Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the Lord.” The singular subject is representative here, as v. 6 makes clear. The referent (godly people like the individual in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The imperfect verbal form is generalizing; such people are typically rewarded for their deeds.
  9. 9 “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”
  10. 10 Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 27:8; 105:4). This verse presents a somewhat idealized view of Jacob’s descendants as devoted worshipers of the Lord.
  11. 11 Heb “lift up your heads.” The gates of the Lord’s dwelling place are here personified. The idiom “lift up the head” often means “be confident, bold” (see Judg 8:28; Job 10:15; Ps 83:2; Zech 1:21).
  12. 12 Heb “lift yourselves up.”
  13. 13 Or “king of glory.”
  14. 14 Following the imperatives of the preceding lines, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
  15. 15 Who is this majestic king? Perhaps the personified gates/doors ask this question, in response to the command given in v. 7.
  16. 16 Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts,” a title which here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle.

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

A Psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein,

for he has founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false

and does not swear deceitfully.

He will receive blessing from the Lord

and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle!

Lift up your heads, O gates!

And lift them up, O ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

he is the King of glory! Selah

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

for he founded it on the seas

and established it on the waters.

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?

Who may stand in his holy place?

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not trust in an idol

or swear by a false god.

They will receive blessing from the Lord

and vindication from God their Savior.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,

who seek your face, God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, you gates;

be lifted up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

the Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, you gates;

lift them up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?

The Lord Almighty—

he is the King of glory.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

A psalm of David.

The earth and everything in it,

the world and its inhabitants,

belong to the Lord;

for he laid its foundation on the seas

and established it on the rivers.

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?

Who may stand in his holy place?

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who has not appealed to what is false,

and who has not sworn deceitfully.

He will receive blessing from the Lord,

and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Such is the generation of those who inquire of him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Selah

Lift up your heads, you gates!

Rise up, ancient doors!

Then the King of glory will come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, you gates!

Rise up, ancient doors!

Then the King of glory will come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?

The Lord of Armies,

he is the King of glory.

Selah

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

A psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.

The world and all its people belong to him.

For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas

and built it on the ocean depths.

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who may stand in his holy place?

Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,

who do not worship idols

and never tell lies.

They will receive the Lord’s blessing

and have a right relationship with God their savior.

Such people may seek you

and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.

Interlude

Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

Who is the King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty;

the Lord, invincible in battle.

Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

Who is the King of glory?

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—

he is the King of glory.

Interlude

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

A psalm of David.

The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness,

the world and those who live in it,

because he has founded it on the seas,

and has established it on the rivers.

Who may ascend the mountain of Yahweh?

And who may stand in his holy place?

He who is innocent of hands and pure of heart,

who does not lift up his soul to falseness,

and does not swear deceitfully.

He will receive blessing from Yahweh,

and justice from the God of his salvation.

Such is the sort of those who seek him,

those who seek your face, even Jacob. Selah

Lift up your heads, O gates,

and rise up, O ancient doorways,

that the king of glory may enter.

Who is the king of glory?

Yahweh, strong and mighty;

Yahweh, mighty in war!

Lift up your heads, O gates,

and lift up, O ancient doorways,

that the king of glory may enter.

Who is the king of glory?

Yahweh of hosts,

He is the king of glory! Selah

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

A Psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof;

The world, and they that dwell therein.

For he hath founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the floods.

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;

Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,

Nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him,

That seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates;

And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates;

Even lift them up, ye everlasting doors;

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

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