Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 24 (MT) / Psalm 23 (LXX) is a royal-processional entrance liturgy, probably for the Ark's entry into the sanctuary. The 'lift up your heads, O gates' triple-acclamation (vv. 7, 9, 10) became Christian liturgical vocabulary for Christ's ascension and the eschatological entrance of the King of Glory into heaven. Paul cites 24:1 at 1 Corinthians 10:26 as the basis for the Christian freedom to eat any food.
Notable Variants
24:1 'the earth is the LORD's' cited at 1 Cor 10:26; the 'King of Glory' (basileus tēs doxēs) triple acclamation at 24:7–10; the 'clean hands and pure heart' entrance-ethics at 24:4.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 24 = LXX Ps 23. 10 verses.
Of David — a psalm. The earth belongs to the LORD, and everything in it — the world and all who live in it.
Masoretic (WLC)
לַיהוָה הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ תֵּבֵל וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ
The earth belongs to the LORD, and everything in it — the world and all who live in it
Septuagint (LXX)
τοῦ κυρίου ἡ γῆ καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ
The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it — the world and all who dwell in it
1 CORINTHIANS 10:26 CITATION. Paul cites this verse verbatim in its LXX form as the theological-basis for Christian freedom: "Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For 'the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.'" (tou kyriou gar hē gē kai to plērōma autēs).
The ownership-by-God of all creation supplies the argument: no food is inherently unclean because all belongs to the LORD.
For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
Creation-foundation tracks MT.
Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? And who may stand in his holy place?
'Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?' tracks MT. The ascension-question is the entrance-liturgy's theological-ethical screening. The question recurs in Christian tradition as 'who shall dwell with God?' — answered with Christ's sacrificial-provision (Heb 10:19–22).
The one with clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
'Clean hands and pure heart' tracks MT. Matthew 5:8 ('blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,' hoi katharoi tē kardia) cites this LXX Psalm-24 entrance-purity directly. The Beatitude is the Christological-intensification of the Psalm-24 liturgy.
He will carry away blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
'Carry away blessing and righteousness' tracks MT.
This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah.
'Generation of those who seek him' tracks MT. The 'seeking God' vocabulary is paradigmatic biblical faith-action (Heb 11:6 'he rewards those who seek him').
Lift up your heads, O gates! Be lifted up, O ancient doors! Let the King of Glory come in!
Masoretic (WLC)
שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד
Lift up your heads, O gates! Be lifted up, O ancient doors! Let the King of Glory come in!
Septuagint (LXX)
ἄρατε πύλας οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν καὶ ἐπάρθητε πύλαι αἰώνιοι καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης
Lift up gates, O your rulers, and be lifted up, O eternal gates, and the King of Glory shall come in
'KING OF GLORY' LITURGY. The ho basileus tēs doxēs acclamation became the Christian liturgical formula for Christ's ascension and second-advent. The 'eternal gates' (pylai aiōnioi) — heavenly portals — supplies patristic ascension-imagery.
1 Corinthians 2:8 ('had they understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,' ton kyrion tēs doxēs) and James 2:1 ('our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — 'the Lord of glory') deploy the 'Lord of glory' title Christologically.
Patristic tradition (Athanasius, Origen, Augustine) read Psalm 24:7–10 at the Ascension as the cosmic-gates-opening for the risen Christ. Byzantine and Orthodox liturgies preserve this reading.
The LORD, strong and mighty — Who is this King of Glory? the LORD, mighty in battle!
'The LORD, strong and mighty' tracks MT. The dialogic-question — 'who is this?' answered by divine-warrior self-identification.
Lift up your heads, O gates! Lift them up, O ancient doors! Let the King of Glory come in!
Repetition of v. 7 tracks MT — liturgical-amplification.
The LORD of Hosts — Who is he, this King of Glory? he is the King of Glory! Selah.
'LORD of Hosts' closing acclamation tracks MT. The 'kyrios tōn dynameōn' (LORD of hosts/powers) title closes the psalm with maximum cosmic-authority.