Psalms 24King James Version
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
A processional hymn probably used for bringing the ark into Jerusalem. The first section is creation theology: the earth is the LORD's, he founded it on the seas. The second is entrance liturgy like Psalm 15: who may ascend? The pure in heart. The third is a dramatic question-and-answer about the King of Glory entering the gates. The gates are commanded to lift up their heads. The psalm is physically theatrical.
The God who owns the whole earth because he made it also enters specific gates with his people, and the ones prepared to meet him are defined by what they love, not merely what they do.
verse: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in." The triple repetition in vv7-10 creates a processional call-and-response.
Superscription: 'A Psalm of David.' The dramatic entrance liturgy (vv7-10) was almost certainly performed dramatically at the temple gates, with the processional crowd outside and gatekeepers within. The 'everlasting doors' language suggests ancient fortification gates that would need to 'lift up their heads' to admit someone of extraordinary stature.
The congregation processing; a priestly voice asking the entrance questions and answering them; the LORD as King of Glory and LORD of hosts entering; the gates of Zion personified.
Psalm 24 was used liturgically for the Ark's return to Jerusalem (connecting to 2 Sam 6) and later for the Sabbath day in synagogue worship. Early Christians read it as the ascension of Christ into heaven, the King of Glory entering the heavenly gates. Handel uses it in Messiah. Its theology of divine ownership of all creation grounds the ethics of Psalm 15.
For when worship feels hollow and you want to recover the sense that something real is being entered into. This psalm is for the physical experience of approaching something holy.
1[A Psalm of David.] The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.