Psalm 24 Study Notes
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24:1-2 Everything on earth belongs to the Lord by right of creation (Dt 10:14). World (Hb tevel) refers to the inhabited world (see note at 19:4-6). According to the ancient Israelite conception, the earth rested on the waters (136:6; Ex 20:4); the seas and rivers are what was seen of this phenomenon. The earth was set on a firm foundation, so it was stable and secure (104:5; Is 51:13).
24:3-4 The use of rhetorical questions about those who are worthy to enter into the Lord’s presence is similar to Ps 15. Clean hands and a pure heart represent innocence and integrity (73:13) in a similar sense as a person who “lives blamelessly” (see note at 15:2).
24:5 Righteousness can mean “vindication” here.
24:6 Inquire or “seek” means more than looking for something that is lost or hidden. It means turning to someone for advice and help; it is thus synonymous with trust (9:10). This is reinforced with the fact that seeking the Lord results in life (Am 5:6).
kavod
| Hebrew pronunciation | [kah VOHD] |
| CSB translation | glory, honor, wealth |
| Uses in Psalms | 51 |
| Uses in the OT | 200 |
| Focus passage | Psalm 24:7-10 |
Kavod relates to verbal kaved and adjectival kaved, which indicate heaviness. Kavod describes God’s glory (Ex 16:7). The King of glory (Ps 24:10) is Israel’s Glory (Jr 2:11), manifesting glory (Ex 24:17). The ark of the covenant represents Israel’s glory (1Sm 4:22). People give glory to God (Jr 13:16). Earthly kings (Is 8:7) and thrones (Jr 17:12) have kabod. It is associated with natural (Is 60:13) or manufactured (Ex 28:2) beauty. Especially in Proverbs, kabod signifies honor (Pr 3:35). An antonym is disgrace (Hab 2:16). Kavod means wealth (Gn 31:1), riches (Is 61:6), abundance (Nah 2:9), splendor (Is 14:18), or reward (Nm 24:11). It implies burden (Is 22:24). A nation’s kavod is its nobility (Mc 1:15) or dignitaries (Is 5:13). Kavod indicates the self, translated as I (Gn 49:6), soul (Ps 57:8), or whole being (Jb 29:20; Ps 16:9; 108:1). Adjectivally, kavod is glorious (Is 3:8); rendered as a noun, it is honor (Pr 20:3).
24:7-10 Lift up your heads is a poetic way of saying “extend your height” in reference to the gates. Some think that ancient doors refers to the “gate of heaven” (Gn 28:17). These doors are represented in the earthly gates of the city of Jerusalem. There is certainly a connection between the heavenly throne as the temple of God and the temple existing on earth among his people, so this is a possibility. While “armies” can refer to the objects in the sky (sun, moon, stars, etc.; Dt 4:19), it can also refer to military divisions (Ex 7:4) as it does here. The Lord of Armies portrays the Lord as Warrior and King returning from battle (1Sm 17:45).