Psalm 24
New American Standard Bible
The King of Glory Entering Zion.
A Psalm of David.
24 The (A)earth is the Lord’s, and [a]all it contains,
The (B)world, and those who live in it.
2 For He has (C)founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may (D)ascend onto the (E)hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy (F)place?
4 One who has (G)clean hands and a (H)pure heart,
Who has not (I)lifted up his soul to deceit
And has not (J)sworn deceitfully.
5 He will receive a (K)blessing from the Lord
And [b](L)righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 [c]This is the generation of those who (M)seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah
7 (N)Lift up your heads, you gates,
And be lifted up, you [d]ancient doors,
That the King of (O)glory may come in!
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord (P)strong and mighty,
The Lord (Q)mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates,
And lift them up, you [e]ancient doors,
That the King of (R)glory may come in!
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of (S)armies,
He is the King of glory. Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 24:1 Lit its fullness
- Psalm 24:5 I.e., as vindicated
- Psalm 24:6 Or Such
- Psalm 24:7 Lit everlasting
- Psalm 24:9 Lit everlasting
Psalm 24
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 24[a]
The Glory of God in Procession to Zion
1 A psalm of David.
I
The earth is the Lord’s and all it holds,(A)
the world and those who dwell in it.
2 For he founded it on the seas,
established it over the rivers.(B)
II
3 Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?(C)
Who can stand in his holy place?
4 [b]“The clean of hand and pure of heart,
who has not given his soul to useless things,
what is vain.
5 He will receive blessings from the Lord,
and justice from his saving God.
6 Such is the generation that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.”
Selah
III
7 Lift up your heads, O gates;[c]
be lifted, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.(D)
8 Who is this king of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in war.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates;
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
10 Who is this king of glory?
The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.
Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 24 The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10).
- 24:4–5 Lit., “the one whose hands are clean.” The singular is used for the entire class of worshipers.
- 24:7, 9 Lift up your heads, O gates…you ancient portals: the literal meaning would involve disassembly of the gates, since the portcullis (a gate that moves up and down) was unknown in the ancient world. Extra-biblical parallels might also suggest a full personification of the circle of gate towers: they are like a council of elders, bowed down and anxious, awaiting the return of the army and the great warrior gone to battle.
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