Salmos 24
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 24
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS This is a psalm about YHWH as creator (Ps. 24:1-2) and warrior (Ps. 24:8) those who can approach Him to worship Him (Ps. 24:3-6) Notice the consistent use of synonymous parallelism SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREWE POETRY, III Notice the VOCATIVES O gates, Ps. 24:7,9 O ancient doors, Ps. 24:7,9 Jacob, Ps. 24:6 may be "O Jacob" Notice the titles and descriptive phrases the God of his salvation, Ps. 24:5 (cf. Ps. 18:46; 25:5; 51:14; 79:9) the King of glory, Ps. 24:7,8,10 (twice) YHWH strong and mighty, Ps. 24:8 YHWH mighty in battle, Ps. 24:8 YHWH of hosts, Ps. 24:10 Numbers 3,4,5 have a military connotation. Notice how those allowed to approach YHWH in worship (vv. 3-6; cf. Psalm 15) at His tabernacle/temple are characterized. he who has clean hands, cf. Ps. 26:6; Job 17:9; 22:30 he who has a pure heart, cf. Ps. 73:1; Matt. 5:8 he who has not lifted his soul to falsehood, cf. Ezek. 18:15 he who has not sworn deceitfully (i.e., at court) those who seek Him, cf. Ps. 9:10; 27:4,8; 27:8; 34:4; 69:32 This may have been a liturgical chant by Levites as worshipers came on a set feast day. Remember, Psalms was written under a performance-based covenant under the worldview of the Two Ways (cf. Deut. 30:15,19; Psalm 1)
Salmos 24:1-6
24:1-2 These verses emphasize YHWH as creator (cf. Genesis 1-2; Exod. 9:29; 19:5; Ps. 50:12; 89:11; Psalm 104), both inanimate and animate, both animals and humans (cf. Ps. 146:6; Jer. 27:5; 51:15). In Ps. 24:2 the figurative imagery is of the earth founded on water (cf. Ps. 104:3,5; 136:6). Water (both fresh [i.e., rivers] and salty [i.e. seas]) is not said to have been created in Genesis 1. In ANE mythology water referred to a chaos monster. For more information see notes on Gen. 1:2 in Genesis 1-11 online free at www.freebiblecommentary.org NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 545-549, "Divine Warrior"). In the Bible God controls water (cf. Amos 9:6). He, not the fertility gods, uses it for His purposes. creation and judgment sustain plant and animal life (i.e., annual rains) SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WATERS 24:1 "earth. . .world" The first word (BDB 75) is very common and has a wide semantic field, see SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND, COUNTRY, EARTH. The second word (BDB 385) is a poetic SYNONYM used mostly in Psalms and Isaiah. 24:2 "founded. . .established" These two VERBS (cf. Prov. 3:19) BDB 413, KB 417, Qal PERFECT BDB 465, KB 414, Polel IMPERFECT are in a parallel relationship. They both assert that YHWH, the creator God, firmly founded the dry land on pillars (cf. 1 Sam.2:8; Job 9:6; Ps. 75:3), which reached to the ocean floor and mountain roots (cf. Job 38:4-6; Ps. 18:7,15; Jonah 2:6). This is not a modern scientific description but pre-scientific poetic imagery! The Bible was not written to answer or inform modern western science. It is an Ancient Near Eastern book, written in phenomenological language (i.e., as things appear to the five human senses). See "Opneing Statement on the Study of Genesis" online. 24:3-6 This may be a separate strophe (see first page of English translation's literary units). It discusses those who seek to worship the God of creation (cf. Ps. 24:6 and Contextual Insights, E). The place to worship Him is in His tabernacle/temple in Jerusalem (Ps. 24:3). The temple is a symbol of the whole world (cf. Jewish Study Bible, p. 1308, Ps. 24:1-2 and NASB Study Bible, p. 762, Ps. 24:2). A new book that has helped me understand Genesis 1-2 as YHWH building His temple is John Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One. I hope you will look at it. It has the potential to solve, or at least reduce, the conflict over the age of the earth evolution purpose of Genesis 1-2 how Genesis relates to other ANE creation accounts (see SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE CREATION AND FLOOD MYTHS) In order to do this, covenant obedience (cf. Psalm 15) is required (cf. Ps. 24:4). The ones who are obedient will receive a blessing from YHWH, Ps. 24:5 righteousness (i.e., vindication, cf. Isa. 54:17) from the God of his salvation, Ps. 24:5 Psalm 24:4-6 answer the two questions posed in verse 3. This strophe seems to be ascension liturgy, sung by Levites as worshipers climb to the tabernacle/temple on Mt. Moriah. 24:4 "lift up" This VERB (BDB 669, KB 724) is used several times in this Psalm. Ps. 24:4 – who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood (Qal PERFECT) Ps. 24:5 – he shall receive (lit. "carry away") blessing (Qal IMPERFECT) Ps. 24:7,9 – lift up your heads, O gates (Qal IMPERATIVES) Ps. 24:7,9 – be lifted up, O ancient doors (Qal IMPERATIVE) ▣ "soul" This is the Hebrew term nephesh (BDB 659). See note at Ps. 3:2 and Gen. 35:18 online. SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH ▣ "to falsehood" "to an idol" NRSV, REB "in what is false" "worship idols" "vainties" "false oath" "to what is vain" The word (BDB 996) basically means "empty," "vain," or "nothingness." It is used in several senses. See Special Topic below. SPECIAL TOPIC: EMPTY, VAIN, FALSE, NOTHINGNESS (BDB 996) 24:5b If Ps. 24:4 has four characteristics of a true faithful follower, and if the second line is parallel to the third, then they both must refer to true testimony in court, instead of Ps. 24:4b referring to idolatry. The use of "righteousness" in a judicial sense (cf. Ps. 24:5b) gives credence to this. Also note NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 153, where "clean hands" are imagery of a judicial acquittal. 24:6 "seek. . .seek" These translate two different but parallel Hebrew roots. BDB 205, KB 233, Qal PARTICIPLE (MT ‒ SINGULAR, Qere ‒ PLURAL), cf. Ps. 78:34 BDB 134, KB 152, Piel PARTICIPLE, cf. Deut. 4:29; 1 Chr. 16:11; 2 Chr. 7:14; Ps. 27:8; 105:4; Hos. 3:5; 5:15; Zeph. 1:6; 2:3 This verse denotes those who seek YHWH in prayer. ▣ "—even Jacob" This could be understood in more than one way. the God of Jacob (LXX) seek God as Jacob sought Him another name for the covenant people (like "generations"); Jacob = Israel SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (the name) ▣ "Selah" See note at Ps. 3:2 and in Introduction to Psalms, VII.
Salmos 24:7-10
24:7-10 The gates/ancient doors must refer to the gates of Jerusalem at the temple/tabernacle (Ps. 24:3). They are personified so as to greet the King of glory, YHWH, as He comes to His house/temple after a victory (cf. Exod. 14:14; 15:3; Deut. 1:30; 3:22, i.e., holy war). It is probable that a procession with the ark of the covenant symbolized YHWH's coming back to the temple. Notice all the commands. lift up your heads – BDB 669, KB 724, Qal IMPERATIVE be lifted up – BDB 669, KB 724, Niphal IMPERATIVE that the King of glory may come in – BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense lift up your head – same as #1 be lifted up – same as #2, but Qal IMPERATIVE same as #3 The UBS Handbook (p. 241) suggests that Ps. 24:7 is the liturgical cry of the pilgrims coming to worship. If so, then Ps. 24:8 and 10 might be a liturgical Levitical response. I think Ps. 24:1-6 comprises a Levitical liturgy spoken by the gatekeepers of the temple/tabernacle. 24:10 There is no VERBAL in this verse. The "to be" VERB is supplied for English readers as it was expected to be by ancient Hebrew readers. ▣ Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS ▣ "He is the King of glory" The victorious Israeli King returning from a victorious battle accompanied by the Ark of the Covenant (i.e., symbol of YHWH's presence with the troops). The crowd acknowledges the earthly king but, in reality, all glory going to the Divine King. ▣ "glory" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (OT)