I. Introduction
This blessed Psalm is a Psalm of David. Perhaps it was occasioned by David bringing the Ark of God to Jerusalem | Mount Zion (1Chronicles 15:1-3). It is the third of a three-Psalm Melody that resounds the great Name, even Jesus: Psalms Twenty-Two, He, Jesus the Lamb of God, forsaken, humiliated, in the throes of death (Psalms 22); Psalms Twenty-Three, He, Jesus the Slain Lamb, descended into the valley of death, that shadowy place, into which He descended but for a time, to conquer, conquer Death (Psalms 23); and the subject of our study, Psalms Twenty-Four, He, Jesus the Lamb in the center of the Throne (Revelation 5:6, 7:17), resurrected, ascended, upon His Throne—in heaven, in the hearts of His people; He, Jesus the King of Glory! Praised, ever praised, be His blessed Name.
We will follow this format:
Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouse over of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Hebrew text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall be commenting on this passage keeping before us at all times the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.
II. Psalms Twenty-Four Commentary Verses
24:1-2- To Jehovah is the Earth and its Fulness, the World and the Inhabitants In It
YLT TEXT: A Psalm[1] of David. To Jehovah[2] is the earth and its fulness, The world and the inhabitants in it. For He on the seas[3] hath founded[4] it, And on the floods[5] He doth establish[6] it. (Psalms 24:1-2, cf. Psalms 24:1-2,NLT).
COMMENTARY: These opening verses set the tone for what follows. They are more than a blessed chorus of praise, they are intended to give the reader the right perspective, the right perspective with respect to the One, Jehovah, whom these introductory verses praise by way of declarative praise right fast followed up with descriptive praise. The declaration—Jehovah owns every tangible thing and then some: ”…To Jehovah is the earth and its fullness, the world and the inhabitants in it…”. The description—He Jehovah is the mighty Creator and Upholder of the same: “…For He on the seas hath founded it, and on the floods He doth establish it…”. This chorus of praise must needs put sound minds and soft hearts in reverent awe—fear—of the Subject of this blessed praise, even Jehovah God. And in such a frame of mind, and bent of the heart, alike intersecting in the fear of the Lord, one is prepared, by the Spirit of God who penned this introduction through His servant David, to engage the remainder of the verses.
Specifically, we are told that there is One, Jehovah, who owns everything we hold dear. From the material world around us to our very person. He owns it all. What is the right perspective to be gained from this understanding? That which we think we own is but ours on loan: “…To Jehovah is the earth and its fulness, The world and the inhabitants in it…”. Jehovah God is Owner, because He is Creator: “…For He on the seas hath founded it, And on the floods He doth establish it…”. The dust of the earth, even the fullness thereof, the dust from which we are made, and to which we return, belongs to Jehovah (Genesis 3:19, Psalms 89:11-12, 119:90). The Spirit of God wishes that our hearts and minds have the right perspective concerning Jehovah God for what follows; let us then prayerfully engage the balance of the verses in the fear of the Lord.
24:3-6- Who Goeth up into the Hill of Jehovah? And who Riseth up in His Holy Place?
YLT TEXT: Who goeth up into the hill[7] of Jehovah? And who riseth up in His holy place[8]? The clean of hands[9], and pure of heart[10], Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul[11], Nor hath sworn[12] to deceit. He beareth[13] away a blessing from Jehovah, Righteousness from the God of his salvation[14]. This is a generation of those seeking[15] Him. Seeking15 Thy face, O Jacob! Selah. (Psalms 24:3-6, cf. Psalms 24:3-6, NLT).
COMMENTARY: What mere mortal may attain to this Creator, Owner, and Upholder Jehovah is the question He asks here: “…Who goeth up into the hill of Jehovah? And who riseth up in His holy place?…”. Maybe a person of valor? Or of great feats, a mighty one, bold? One like those mythological heroes attaining to their so-called deities? Maybe one exceedingly learned, or renowned? One wealthy, or perhaps one hyper-religious? Not necessarily: “…The clean of hands, and pure of heart, Who hath not lifted up to vanity his soul, Nor hath sworn to deceit…” (cf Isaiah 56:1-2, “Isaiah Chapter Fifty-Six Commentary,” “The Beatitudes”). But, specifically who are such as these? They are lovers of Jehovah God (the right bent of the heart): “…This is a generation of those seeking Him. Seeking Thy face, O Jacob!…” (cf. Psalms 27:8—seeking God’s face is a heart affair as David testifies here). To such a one, that is, to a lover of God, seeking, attaining, attaining Him, is lent another parcel Jehovah owns, an exceedingly precious parcel He owns: “…He beareth away a blessing from Jehovah, Righteousness from the God of his salvation…”. And there we have it, the attainment we spoke of before (attaining God) comes not by personal merit whatsoever. This Creator, Owner, and Upholder Jehovah, formidable, and to be feared, is attained to by grace (thus we must add Gracious, at least, to Creator, Formidable, Owner, Upholder, etc.); attained is He by the one bearing the blessing of His righteousness (= imparted clean hands, lips, pure heart, etc.), which through the time of the writing of this Psalm by David was secured by the blood sacrifices offered to God by the high priest on behalf of the people Israel, with whom Jehovah was accordingly pleased to tabernacle (=attainment), but since the day of Jesus Christ, it is secured by the blood sacrifice of Jesus the High Priest on behalf of His people Christendom, with whom Jehovah is accordingly pleased to tabernacle (Hebrews 7:24-28, 9:11-14, “A Letter of Invitation” unto said attainment).
24:7-10- Who is the King of Glory? The LORD Strong and Mighty, the LORD Mighty in Battle, the Lord of Hosts
YLT TEXT: Lift up, O gates[16], your heads[17], And be lifted up, O doors age-during[18], And come in doth the king of glory[19]! Who is this — ‘the king of glory?’ Jehovah — strong and mighty, Jehovah, the mighty in battle. Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in doth the king of glory! Who is He — this ‘king of glory?’ Jehovah of hosts[20],[21] — He is the king of glory! Selah. (Psalms 24:7-10, cf. Psalms 24:7-10, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Please consider first these words given to us by the triune God Jehovah through His servant Malachi:
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:1, KJV).
And again, with a few interspersed questions this time:
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: [Question: Who is my, and me, in context; we are after this: which person of the Trinity is speaking? It is Messiah Jesus; and the way-preparing messenger spoken of—not to be confused with the messenger of the covenant—is John the Baptist Matthew 17:10-13] and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple [Question: Who is the Lord here? Again, it is Jesus, referring to Himself], even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in [Question: Who is the messenger of the covenant in whom we delight? It is Jesus, still speaking, still referring to Himself]: behold, he shall come, saith [Strong’s H559] the LORD of hosts. In other words, thus saith the LORD of hosts, which is the One still speaking, Jesus.
We went through all that to get to this: The Godhead is co-equal in every conceivable way; Father God is the LORD of hosts no more or less than Jesus is, and Jesus is the LORD of hosts no more or less than the Holy Spirit is (“He Who Sent Me” for a fuller discussion). That is why we understand the LORD of hosts to be the triune Jehovah God. In Joshua 5:13-15, a member of the Godhead, with sword drawn, appeared to Joshua (this was no angel, for He accepted Joshua’s bowed-down worship), and identified Himself as the Commander of the LORD’S hosts; this was probably the pre-incarnate Jesus, showing Himself strong and mighty, showing Himself Jehovah, mighty in battle—compare our text: “…Who is this — ‘the king of glory?’ Jehovah — strong and mighty, Jehovah, the mighty in battle…”. All of this has a bearing on our commentary verses, because we want to understand clearly and confidently who the LORD of hosts is, because, He is also the King of Glory, and therefore He is the King of Salvation: “Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in doth the king of glory! Who is He — this ‘king of glory?’ Jehovah of hosts, — He is the king of glory! Selah…”. So, it is Jehovah of hosts; Jehovah of hosts is the King of Glory, and in our passage, Jehovah of hosts, the King of Glory, is manifestly the second person of the Godhead, Jesus. In our passage, Jesus is being identified by one of His myriad blessed titles: The King of Glory (and of course as Jehovah of hosts, “O, That Name!”).
This King must be granted admission. Heaven, that ancient abode of His, rightly knows well to do so: “…Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in doth the king of glory!…”. One can imagine how those doors swung wide open to embrace Him, welcome Him, upon His resurrection and subsequent ascension. But down here, this not quite so ancient abode He established upon the seas, has largely not known right well to do so, particularly in this modern age, which not only shows Him no due reverence and awe—fear of the Lord—but pleases itself to mock Him and His people, and remove anything Christian from its sight. Dear friend, He Jesus must be granted admission (like so Psalms 25:1), because He does not force Himself into one’s heart—He but stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20, “A Letter of Invitation”). You see dear friend, we mean it well for you, when we say—Jesus will not confer His Glory upon you, unless you grant Him admission, and without His Glory, God shall not grant you admission into His presence (Romans 5:1-2, Revelation 21:23-27). Here is Jesus, the King of Salvation; Jesus, the King of Glory: John 17:24.
Praised be the Lamb of God in the center of the Throne, even the King of Glory! Amen.