Book of Psalms · Chapter 24 of 150

Psalms 24: Verse-by-Verse Commentary (with Videos)

10 verses · 4 video commentaries from 1 course · Berean Standard Bible

¹A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.

²For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

³Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place?

⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully.

⁵He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from the God of his salvation.

⁶Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob. Selah

⁷Lift up your heads, O gates! Be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may enter!

⁸Who is this King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

⁹Lift up your heads, O gates! Be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may enter!

¹⁰Who is He, this King of Glory? The LORD of Hosts—He is the King of Glory. Selah

Psalms 24 Section and Chapter Commentary

Ps 24:1-10

Psalm 24 mixes hymn, thanksgiving and enthronement

Baden reads Psalm 24 as a psalm that borrows from several genres: it opens with hymn-like creation language about God's control over everything, moves to the question of who may stand in the sanctuary and the answer that the clean and pure will bear a blessing, then turns to the gates to welcome Yahweh as the king of glory. He would classify it as an enthronement psalm and imagines it recited by worshipers in the temple court on a festival day, while adding that he does not mean it was actually used that way, only that this is what its structure evokes.

Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 21: Psalms | The Poetry of the People (?) · watch the clip

Psalms 24 Verse Notes

Ps 24:1

Parallelism as a key feature of biblical poetry

A fundamental characteristic of biblical poetry is parallelism, where two lines form a poetic unit, often with similar syntax and terms. For instance, Psalm 24:1 uses 'earth' and 'world' as parallel terms, and 'all that it holds' and 'its inhabitants' as parallel phrases. While the terms are similar, there are subtle differences, adding richness beyond mere repetition.

Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 21: Psalms | The Poetry of the People (?) · watch the clip

Psalm 24 mixes genres, primarily enthronement

Psalm 24 demonstrates how a single psalm can blend multiple genres, starting with hymn-like praise for God's control over creation. It then transitions to questions about who may enter God's sanctuary, which is typical of liturgical entrance psalms. This mixing of themes showcases the artistry of the psalm's author, who uses various generic elements to serve a broader purpose.

Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 21: Psalms | The Poetry of the People (?) · watch the clip

Ps 24:3

Development and variation within parallelism

Parallelism can also show development or slight variations between lines. In Psalm 24:3, 'ascend the mountain of Yahweh' and 'stand in his holy place' are parallel, but standing in the holy place implies a progression after ascending the mountain. This demonstrates that poetic lines, while parallel, are not always identical and can build upon each other.

Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 21: Psalms | The Poetry of the People (?) · watch the clip