Psalms 24

him, to hope that they shall also praise him. Let mo assure all such faithful souls, your hearts shall bo always full of comfort and joy, which nothing shall be able to take away from you. A Psalm of David. As the foregoing Psalm seems to have been made by David presently after his settlement in his kingdom, so this, it is most likely, was penned by him, when he brought tho ark from the house of Obed-Edom, and settled it (after many flittings and removals) in Mount Zion. Which place, upon that account, he prefers before all tho rest of the world; and excites the people, who attended the ark thither with extraordinary pomp and solemnity, not to content themselves merely with that sort of piety, but to add tho practice of all moral virtue; that so they might enjoy the blessings which might be expected from the Divine presence with them, and comfortably wait for the coming of the Messiah. Whose ascension to heaven is represented by the carrying of the ark up into Mount Zion;.which was a type of heaven, as the ark was of the Lord Christ. The Hebrews (from whom some copies of the LXX. add in the title, rfc fitag rwv croj3j3aTwv) were wont to sing this Psalm on the first day of the week; (see the Argument of Psalm xciii.) because, as some fancy, there is mention in the beginning of it of the creation of the earth; which Moses says was on that day: but rather, I should think,. because therein their prophets and wise men saw a prophecy of Christ; whose first step to the throne of his glory was upon the first day of the week, when we constantly commemorate his resurrection. And there is so remarkable a difference between the eighth verse and the tenth, that we may justly think some new thing is intended iri the ninth and tenth verses, which are a repetition of the seventh and eighth; viz. the ascension of our Lord Christ: for, in the beginning of the verse, the question is put with great emphasis, Who is this King of glory? and in the latter end, the words, mighty in battle, are omitted: because, in the days of Christ, as Aben Ezra himself gives the account, " Men are to turn their swords’into plough-shares," &c.

Psalms 24:1

JL HE earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 1 What a favour is this, that the Divine Majesty wall vouchsafe to take up his special residence here among us! when the whole earth is his, and all the creatures wherewith it is filled, this great world, and all the people that inhabit it.

Psalms 24:2

For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. For by his almighty power it wasformed, and therefore he hath a just propriety in it. He hath settled it also so firmly, that, though the seas and the rivers beat against it, they cannot overwhelm it; but, together with it, make a convenient dwelling for those that live in every part of it.

Psalms 24:3

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place?. And, blessed be God, we dwell in that part of the earth where he himself hath fixed his royal palace. (For this is the mountain that he hath chosen and separated from all other, to be the place of his special presence.) But who is worthy to appear before him? Who may hope to be admitted to a gracious audience with him?

Psalms 24:4

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who Jiathnot lifted> up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Not every one that lives in this happy country (though chosen to be his peculiar people), but he that carefully keeps his commands in thought, and deed, and word. He, I say, who not only preserves his hands pure from murder and theft, and such-like injurious actions, but his heart also from so much as designing them; who uses no lies, much less false oaths, to deceive his neighbour, and enrich himself; but religiously observes all his promises, especially those that are made in God’s presence, though it be* to his own detriment.

Psalms 24:5

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the worshipper, and he alone, who shall receive a blessing, not only from the priest (when he comes out of the sanctuary), but from the Lord himself; who will faithfully keep his promises with them, and amply reward them, who arc thus faithful to him. Ver. G. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.] This is the genuine people of God, whose prayers arc like to prevail with him. Such should all those proselytes be, who seek the favour of being received into your communion, O ye children of Jacob;

Psalms 24:7

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. And let all those who thus follow the Lord (not merely with their bodies, but with their hearts), in this solemn entrance he now makes into the holy place, join with me, and say, Be ye open, O ye gates of the sanctuary; stand wide open, ye durable dooTS; and the King of incomparable majesty will enter, and, by the special token of his presence, dwell among us.

Psalms 24:8

Who is this King of glory? The, Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. And if any ask, who this King is, whose majesty we proclaim to be so transcendent, let them know it is the Lord, who made and governs the world: that most mighty and invincible Lord, by whose presence with me I have been victorious in so many battles.

Psalms 24:9

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors j and the King of glory shall come in. Therefore make no delay, O ye gates of the (heavenly] sanctuary; be ye open, wide open, O ye doors, which never shall decay; and the King of incomparable majesty, as I said, shall enter, and fix his seat in this holy place.

Psalms 24:10

Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. And if you ask again (as there is reason), with greater admiration, Who is this (see the Argument), the King of incomparable majesty? know that the Lord of the sun, moon, and stars, yea, of all the angelical powers; he is the King, whose transcendent majesty is come to make his residence here.

All the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. Nor shall the fame of thy wonderful works, O Lord, be confined within the narrow bounds of this one country; but spread itself to the farthermost parts of the earth; where they shall, with thankful commemorations of thy goodness, universally prostrate themselves before thee, and become thy subjects.

For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he is the governor among the nations. For the Lord is the sovereign of the whole world: and therefore, as all nations arc under his dominion, so they shall all submit unto his government.

All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust sliall bow before him; and none can keep alive his own soul. All they that are rich and powerful shall partake of his altar, and humbly vvorship him that bestows such benefits upon them: * and so shall all the poor and miserable also think thcmselvcp happy in his service. For he is the protector of them all; and the greatest, as well as the meanest, must acknowledge, that of him alone cometh their salvation. [*As they tltat ate of the sacrifices did, 1 Cor. x. 18.]

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. Their posterity likewise shall devote themselves unto him, and propagate his religion unto future generations; whom the Lord shall adopt into his family.

Tliey shall come, and shall declare his righteousness ttnto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. They shall join themselves to the society of his people; and publish to those that shall succeed them the loving-kindness and the faithfulness of tho Lord, in this wonderful deliverance, which he alone hath wrought for me.