PSALM 24
A Psalm of David
1 The earth is Yahweh’s in all her abundance;
the continents and all that live there.
2 For he founded her on the seas
and he establishes her by the rivers.
3 Who will ascend the mountain of Yahweh?
Yes, who will stand where his holiness stands?
4 One with innocent hands and a pure heart;
One who has not lifted up my soul to the lie nor promised deceitfully.
5 He will lift up a blessing from Yahweh,
and righteousness from the Godhead of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those seeking him –
those who reach out towards your face – yes, Jacob.
Selah
7 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Be raised up, you entrances of the Age,
that the glorious king may come in!
8 Who is this glorious king?
It’s Yahweh, powerful and mighty! Yahweh, mighty for battle!
9 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Raise up, you entrances of the Age,
that the glorious king may come in!
10 Who is he, this glorious king?
Yahweh of Warriors, he is the glorious king!
Selah
...
1) continents. Or ‘inhabited world’, generally referring to the places people can live.
2) by. Could be ‘alongside’ or ‘by means of’; both are true (‘by means of’ would mean that rivers help shape the landscape – ‘founded’ seems to refer to preparation/laying a foundation, whilst ‘establish’ seems to refer to the later shaping and formation). Or David could be talking about the primeval waters through which God shaped the planet (similar to the first clause). Shaping the land would then segue nicely into the next verse about Mt Zion or Mt Moriah (not sure which is in view)…
5) lift up. I toyed with translating this as ‘enjoy’ or ‘celebrate’, but didn’t want to lose the contrast intended with the ‘lift up’ of the previous verse.
Note that the righteousness is given to the faithful man; it’s not inherent.
6) Jacob. Notice that ‘Jacob’ is described as a generation in the first part of the verse. Thus David is referring to the people of Israel, also known as ‘Jacob’ in many places (e.g. Ps 53:6, Jer 30:7 et al).
7) of the Age. This is end times, second coming of Christ.
7-8, 9-10) There are only a few differences between these almost repeated sections. Not sure of their full significance just yet.
· 7 & 8 are the same except that the gates in v7 are passive (niphal: ‘be raised up’ – someone does the raising), whereas the gates in v8 are active (qal: ‘raise up’ – implying that they may be raising themselves). It’s the same word as that used in v4-5 for ‘lift up’.
· 8a speaks of the glorious king, but 10a speaks of him as ‘he’, almost as if he’s now addressed more personally.
· 8b and 10b have some significant differences but their themes are obviously similar. The reference in 10 implies that armies are with him (‘Lord of Hosts’, or ‘Lord of Armies’ in some translations), which is not implied in v8.
Dispensational end times insights (see overall perspective here)
This continues on from Psalms 22-23, which seem to trace Jesus’ progress through his death, resurrection, his work before his ascension (all Ps 22), then modern Israel as it heads into the Tribulation and begins to become aware of its error in rejecting their Messiah (Ps 23), and now we have the climax of the Tribulation in Ps 24, now that the Antichrist has set up his image in the Holy of Holies (the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ – Dan 9:27, 12:11, 2 Thess 2:4, Rev 13:14, and note Lucifer’s desire to ‘sit enthroned on the mount of the assembly’ in Isa 14:13). If you doubt the reliability of this interpretation (if so that’s fair enough), I would still be very sure that, come the Tribulation and the Jews seek their Scriptures all the more intently, they will interpret these Psalms along these lines. I guess time will tell.
Verse-by-verse discussion:
1-2) God reaffirms his right to the world and all that is in it because of his authority as the Creator. Satan has successfully sought to usurp his control, from the Fall (Gen 3) onwards, and God is now reading him His verdict. Time to take out the trash.
3) Who indeed, on this is the most holy place on Yahweh’s earth? Jesus Christ, the only one in Rev 5 worthy of taking the scroll from the Father. He is saying ‘not you, Antichrist,’ which is why in the next few verses the Father compares their characteristics.
4) The key to this interpretation is in the literal translation of this line: “one who has not lifted up my soul to the lie.” I haven’t yet found a translation that keeps ‘my soul’, instead they all put ‘his soul’ because they assume it’s talking about Jesus lifting his own soul. But there are 3 characters at play here: Jesus, the Antichrist, and the writer David, who as an individual (and king) is representing the whole house of Jacob/Israel. What it’s saying is that the Antichrist has lifted up the soul (the efforts and goals) of the nation of Israel to the lie/futility, the definite article being deliberate (does it link to similar terms in 2 Thess 2:11 and Rom 1:25?).
5-6) So the blessings of Jesus Christ, who is the worthy One to take the position the Antichrist has taken, will then flow out to those of the Jews who seek him. The details of this are found in Rom 11:26 (all Jews remaining at this time turn out to be faithful to Jesus, thus ‘all Israel will be saved’. Two-thirds have died in the Tribulation (Zech 13:8-9)), Hosea 5:15 (Israel seek Yahweh in their distress), and Zech 12:10-11 (notice even their repentance is from God’s hand. This specifically links their sorrow to their realization of their sin in the crucifixion of Jesus).
7-10) So, as Hos 15:5 promises, Jesus now returns upon Israel’s repentance and their earnest calling him to save them. The “entrances of the Age” (see Rev 19:11, “heaven open”) are thrown open and Jesus makes his grand entrance! Last time he came in meekness, this time he comes in glory and for battle, to rid the planet of the usurping powers and set up his Millennial reign (Rev 19:11-20:6). Notice he is “Yahweh of Warriors”, implying armies are with him (see also Rev 19:14). These I believe include (but are probably not be limited to, as I’m sure angels are in on the action) the Church, which has been raptured at least 7 years before (2 Thess 2:1-3, Luke 21:36).
2) by. Could be ‘alongside’ or ‘by means of’; both are true (‘by means of’ would mean that rivers help shape the landscape – ‘founded’ seems to refer to preparation/laying a foundation, whilst ‘establish’ seems to refer to the later shaping and formation). Or David could be talking about the primeval waters through which God shaped the planet (similar to the first clause). Shaping the land would then segue nicely into the next verse about Mt Zion or Mt Moriah (not sure which is in view)…
5) lift up. I toyed with translating this as ‘enjoy’ or ‘celebrate’, but didn’t want to lose the contrast intended with the ‘lift up’ of the previous verse.
Note that the righteousness is given to the faithful man; it’s not inherent.
6) Jacob. Notice that ‘Jacob’ is described as a generation in the first part of the verse. Thus David is referring to the people of Israel, also known as ‘Jacob’ in many places (e.g. Ps 53:6, Jer 30:7 et al).
7) of the Age. This is end times, second coming of Christ.
7-8, 9-10) There are only a few differences between these almost repeated sections. Not sure of their full significance just yet.
· 7 & 8 are the same except that the gates in v7 are passive (niphal: ‘be raised up’ – someone does the raising), whereas the gates in v8 are active (qal: ‘raise up’ – implying that they may be raising themselves). It’s the same word as that used in v4-5 for ‘lift up’.
· 8a speaks of the glorious king, but 10a speaks of him as ‘he’, almost as if he’s now addressed more personally.
· 8b and 10b have some significant differences but their themes are obviously similar. The reference in 10 implies that armies are with him (‘Lord of Hosts’, or ‘Lord of Armies’ in some translations), which is not implied in v8.
Dispensational end times insights (see overall perspective here)
This continues on from Psalms 22-23, which seem to trace Jesus’ progress through his death, resurrection, his work before his ascension (all Ps 22), then modern Israel as it heads into the Tribulation and begins to become aware of its error in rejecting their Messiah (Ps 23), and now we have the climax of the Tribulation in Ps 24, now that the Antichrist has set up his image in the Holy of Holies (the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ – Dan 9:27, 12:11, 2 Thess 2:4, Rev 13:14, and note Lucifer’s desire to ‘sit enthroned on the mount of the assembly’ in Isa 14:13). If you doubt the reliability of this interpretation (if so that’s fair enough), I would still be very sure that, come the Tribulation and the Jews seek their Scriptures all the more intently, they will interpret these Psalms along these lines. I guess time will tell.
Verse-by-verse discussion:
1-2) God reaffirms his right to the world and all that is in it because of his authority as the Creator. Satan has successfully sought to usurp his control, from the Fall (Gen 3) onwards, and God is now reading him His verdict. Time to take out the trash.
3) Who indeed, on this is the most holy place on Yahweh’s earth? Jesus Christ, the only one in Rev 5 worthy of taking the scroll from the Father. He is saying ‘not you, Antichrist,’ which is why in the next few verses the Father compares their characteristics.
4) The key to this interpretation is in the literal translation of this line: “one who has not lifted up my soul to the lie.” I haven’t yet found a translation that keeps ‘my soul’, instead they all put ‘his soul’ because they assume it’s talking about Jesus lifting his own soul. But there are 3 characters at play here: Jesus, the Antichrist, and the writer David, who as an individual (and king) is representing the whole house of Jacob/Israel. What it’s saying is that the Antichrist has lifted up the soul (the efforts and goals) of the nation of Israel to the lie/futility, the definite article being deliberate (does it link to similar terms in 2 Thess 2:11 and Rom 1:25?).
5-6) So the blessings of Jesus Christ, who is the worthy One to take the position the Antichrist has taken, will then flow out to those of the Jews who seek him. The details of this are found in Rom 11:26 (all Jews remaining at this time turn out to be faithful to Jesus, thus ‘all Israel will be saved’. Two-thirds have died in the Tribulation (Zech 13:8-9)), Hosea 5:15 (Israel seek Yahweh in their distress), and Zech 12:10-11 (notice even their repentance is from God’s hand. This specifically links their sorrow to their realization of their sin in the crucifixion of Jesus).
7-10) So, as Hos 15:5 promises, Jesus now returns upon Israel’s repentance and their earnest calling him to save them. The “entrances of the Age” (see Rev 19:11, “heaven open”) are thrown open and Jesus makes his grand entrance! Last time he came in meekness, this time he comes in glory and for battle, to rid the planet of the usurping powers and set up his Millennial reign (Rev 19:11-20:6). Notice he is “Yahweh of Warriors”, implying armies are with him (see also Rev 19:14). These I believe include (but are probably not be limited to, as I’m sure angels are in on the action) the Church, which has been raptured at least 7 years before (2 Thess 2:1-3, Luke 21:36).