Psalms 24 · The Lantern

Of David. A psalm. To the LORD belongs the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the compass of the world, and all they that dwell therein" [Psalm 24:1]; when the Lord, being glorified, is announced for the believing of all nations; and the whole compass of the world becomes His Church.

Having set forth the tribulation and the divine help, here the Psalmist commends the power of the one who assists. The title is not new in the Hebrew; but in the Latin is added "on the first day of the week." Here it should be known that, as it says in Ex. 20: "Remember to keep holy the sabbath day," etc., this is the third commandment.

The Earth Is the LORD’s

For he founded it upon the seas, and upon the rivers he established it.

"He has founded it above the seas." He has most firmly established it above all the waves of this world, that they should be subdued by it, and should not hurt it. "And has prepared it above the rivers" [Psalm 24:2].

The Psalm says: "Upon the seas he founded it"; and elsewhere: "Who founded the earth upon its own stability." Some mocked David because he said that God founded the earth upon the waters.

Next he gives the reason for the aforesaid, because namely "he founded it upon the seas"; as if to say: that belongs to the craftsman which the craftsman himself makes. But God made the earth and the things that are on the earth. Therefore the earth and its fullness are his. But some say that God's providence does not extend to earthly things.

Who may go up on the mountain of the LORD? And who may stand in his holy place?

I think that the discourse, wishing to show a general cleanness which is not only in acts but also in knowledge, says in the twenty-third Psalm: who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? he that is innocent in hands and pure in heart, and in the Proverbs: who shall boast that he has a chaste heart?

After he taught briefly that everything which the Lord created belongs to him, he now embarks on the second section with a question; he answers by telling what sort of people they ought to be who desire to say that they are his.

"Who shall ascend?" As if to say: he is great, and how shall one approach him? Eccl. 2: "Who is the man that can follow the king his maker?" And therefore he teaches the manner of reaching him: hence concerning this he does two things. First he poses the question.

He of clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to emptiness and has not sworn deceitfully.

Let no one speak deceitfully to his neighbor. The mouth of the malevolent is a deep pit. The innocent person, while he believes easily, falls readily; but though he falls, he rises; and the shuffler, with all his arts, goes headlong to ruin, from which he can never rise or escape.

It is appropriate, he is saying, for him who desires to ascend that mountain both to purify his soul of idle thoughts and to keep his hands away from such pursuits. He put "hands" in place of pursuits, and by "heart" he implied desires: with the latter we form our intentions, and by the former we put them into action.

"The innocent." And first he shows this in general. Second, in particular: "This is the generation." Concerning the first he does two things. First he proposes the merit.

He will lift up a blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face — Jacob. Selah.

Lift up your heads, you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And let the King of glory come in.

Solomon was not the Lord of hosts. But, when our Christ arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, the heavenly princes chosen by God were ordered to open the gates of heaven that the King of glory might enter and sit at the right hand of the Father until he makes his enemies his footstool.

As our Lord ascends to the Father in triumph, he issues commands to the angels saying, "Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord." These are the gates of which in the twenty-fourth psalm the angels were speaking while they were preparing for the entrance of the Lord: "Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the K…

"Lift up." This is the third part of the Psalm: in which he foretells how it was to come about that God would be worshipped in the whole world, as the literal sense explains. God is said to dwell in man through faith: Eph. 3: "That Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts": and through charity: 1 Jn.

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

Christ must be understood to be an exterminator of spiritual foes, who wields spiritual arms and fights in spiritual strife.… It is of such a war as this that the psalm may evidently have spoken: "The Lord is strong, the Lord is mighty in battle." For with the last enemy death did he fight, and through the trophy of the cross he triumphed.

"Who is this King of glory?" Mortal nature is awe-struck in wonder, and asks, "Who is this King of glory?" "The Lord strong and mighty." He whom you deemed weak and overwhelmed. "The Lord mighty in battle" [Psalm 24:8]. Handle the scars, and you will find them made whole, and human weakness restored to immortality.

He overcame the world, despoiled Hades, and restored Paradise. Hence in the Psalm: "Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the King of Glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty." We want to hear this: "Lift up, O gates, your lintels! Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty!" He, then, is the Strong One.

Lift up your heads, you gates! And lift them up, you everlasting doors! And let the King of glory come in.

But after he had destroyed his enemies through his passion, the Lord, who is mighty in battle and strong, … goes, bearing victory and trophies, with the body that arose from the dead.… Certain powers say, "Who is this that is coming from Edom, with scarlet garments from Bosra, so beautiful?" And those escorting him say to those stationed at the gates of heaven, "Lift up your ga…

"Take away your gates, you princes." Let us go hence straightway into heaven. Again, let the Prophet's trumpet cry aloud, "Take away too, you princes of the air, the gates, which you have in the minds of men who 'worship the host of heaven.'" [2 Kings 17:16] "And be lifted up, you everlasting gates." And be lifted up, you doors of everlasting righteousness, of love, and chastit…

Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD of hosts — he is the King of glory. Selah.

But this is said twice in one and the same psalm: Lift up your gates, O princes; and be lifted up, O eternal gates, and the king of glory will enter in. And this very thing is repeated after the same words, as if it is thought superfluous and unnecessary. But in the repetition of the same words, observe the ends, and notice why it was said twice.

Gabriel, who is called the strength of God, is also sent to Mary. For he came to announce him who deigned to appear humble to conquer the powers of the air. Of whom it is said through the Psalmist: "Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory?

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The Earth Is the LORD’s