Psalm 24:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?

NIV: Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

NASB: Who may ascend onto the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?

CSB: Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

NLT: Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

KJV: Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

NKJV: Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?

David asks a basic question about approaching God. He ponders who can climb the hill to worship in the tabernacle and who can enter the Lord's presence. Because God is holy and man is sinful, no one in his natural state can worship God acceptably or enter His presence (Exodus 33:20).

The Samaritan woman, with whom Jesus conversed at Jacob's well, believed worship involved a special place. She told Jesus, "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain" (John 4:20). But Jesus assured her that true worship is not about a place but about the condition of the heart. He pointed out that worshipers must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Many religious people believe they cannot truly worship without being in church, surrounded by religious symbols. Or they feel they must repeat certain religious prayers or follow prescribed rituals. David's question, therefore, carries relevance for people today as well as for his original readers.

Psalm 24:1–6 affirms what is declared in John 1:1–3 and Genesis 1—2: that God created everything. The people at worship or a chorus sang the first two verses, and a leader asked the question in verse 3. Psalm 15 echoes the truth taught in Psalm 24:4–6, and Matthew 5:6–8 reinforces the fact that only the righteous can see God. Tradition says this psalm celebrates David bringing the ark of the covenant back from Obed-edom's house (2 Samuel 6).

Tradition suggests this psalm celebrates the return of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. David declares God's role as Creator and Sovereign. He points out the need for worshippers of God to be sincere, truthful, and righteous. The psalm then calls out to the city of Jerusalem to welcome the "King of glory."

Psalm 24 follows logically after Psalms 22 and 23. Psalm 22 depicts the Good Shepherd's suffering on the cross. Psalm 23 depicts the depths of His care of his sheep. Psalm 24 depicts his return to rule as king. The cross is seen in Psalm 22. The shepherd's crook is seen in Psalm 23. The shepherd's crown is in view in Psalm 24. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, died for us (Psalm 22), cares for us (Psalm 23), and is coming for us (Psalm 24). Psalm 15 is a parallel to this passage.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 10:05:03 AM