1The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell
therein.
2For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the
waters.
3Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy
place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul
to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God
of his salvation.
6This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
7Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you
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 you gates!
Lift up, you 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
Preamble: With Psalm 22 having already foretold of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion Death, Psalm 24 now moves history forward, to the time of His Return (or Second Coming), when Jesus having defeated all of His foes (Rev. 19-20) now prepares to take up His throne on earth, and take His reign forever in the heavenly Jerusalem now come down to us (Rev. 21-22).
Commentary
Vs.
1
“The earth is the Lord’s,
and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell
therein.”
The Psalm opens thus with a declaration of the Lord’s ownership of it all, for all things, all people, all of creation belong to Him, for it was all created by God the Father for His Son, for the Lord Jesus Christ. For everything in creation, both seen and unseen, was created through Christ, and for Christ (John 1:3; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2; Rev. 4:11; 10:6 etc.). And so here we now see all things in heaven and earth declaring His Lordship of it all.
Vs. 2 “For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the
waters.”
In Genesis 1:9 we are told how God founded the earth upon the waters, how He alone established it, thus giving Him every right to it all, to do with it all as He pleases. That said, in the new heavens and new earth (of which this Psalm may very well also apply) there is no more sea (Rev. 21:1). And so, David’s reference here is to the then Jerusalem and its earthly place. For this Psalm (like Psalm 23) is likely covering both the then and the future. Now the reason I think this Psalm is also describing Christs reign in the new heavens and the new earth is in verses 7, 9 there is the reference to the everlasting doors being opened to the Lord so that He may triumphally enter Jerusalem. And so, this Psalm cannot be just referencing the then Jerusalem, but can only be fulfilled with the heavenly Jerusalem, come down to be forever with us, where Christ forever Reigns, where there is no temple, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple, (Rev. 21:22). Thus, after Christ’s Millennial Reign (Rev. 20:4-6), after the Satanic rebellion at the end of it is crushed (Rev. 20:7-10), after the Great White Throne Judgment, which then wraps up, or closes the curtain on this world and sin and Satan’s place in it (Rev. 20:11-14). For only then does Christ Reign over an uncorrupted creation, and that is where His Kingdom will have neither opposition nor an end! And so, I believe this Psalm is foretelling that Day.
Vs. 3-5 3Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy
place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul
to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God
of his salvation.
Here then are described the people of the Lord, of all those who may freely enter through the gates of the New Jerusalem, (see Rev. 21:22-27). Those who have clean hands and a pure heart. Now clearly this speaks to living righteously here and now, but it also speaks to the state we will be in, of all who have been transformed by Christ, by the renewing and regeneration of our persons by His Holy Spirit, who are now new creations In Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), but who will only then be brought to that perfect state of Christlikeness (Phil. 1:6), and so whose names have all been written in the Lambs Book of Life (Rev. 22:27). For these will not lift their souls to an idol, they won’t worship or pray to an image, or make a shrine and bow before it. Thus, not idolators, like those who made and worshipped the image of the beast, or those who make, pray, or pay homage too to a pagan image, pole, or marker. Nor sworn deceitfully, for it is clear that all liars have their place in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:6-8). Therefore, David in considering who may enter Jerusalem, (and thus stand in the Presence of the Lord), excludes them, and in considering God’s people under the Old Covenant, now says that they shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation when they steer clear of all such things (vs. 5).
The upright shall dwell in Your presence." Psalm 140:13
Vs. 6 “This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah”
“This is Jacob” is then referring to all the redeemed of Israel, all the sons and daughters of Jacob, from ancient times to the end, who sought the Lord, and when given opportunity believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, for these will all be there. For both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ are all now the redeemed sons and daughters of Abraham.
Vs. 7 “Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you
everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.”
Here
then is described the honor that is to be bestowed upon Jesus Christ our King,
the King of glory, when He takes His place in it. For only for Him shall the heavenly
Jerusalem open its gates and raise up its everlasting doors so that He may enter in and take His eternal reign within it!
Vs. 8 “Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.”
The King of glory is the Lord Jesus Christ who is strong and mighty, who has now mightily defeated all His foes, and so He will lead the procession of all the peoples following Him up into its glory.
Vs. 9-10 “Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting
doors!
And the King of glory shall
come in.
10Who is this King of glory?
He is the King of glory.
Selah”
Once again, the call goes out to Jerusalem to receive her King, who is here described as the King of glory, Jesus Christ God’s Person and Glory. For The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Rev. 21:22-27 NKJ)
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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