Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 24

The earth is the Lord’s — The whole world belongs to God. He is the Creator of the earth and, therefore, its Proprietor; or, in other words, “the property vests in him.”

It belongs to Him in a sense somewhat similar to our right of property in anything that is the production of our hands, or of our labor or skill. We claim that as our own. We feel that we have a right to use it or dispose of it as we choose. No other person has a right to take it from us or to dictate to us how we shall employ it.

Thus, God, in the highest possible sense, has a right to the earth and to all that it produces, as being all of it the creation of His hands and the fruit of His culture and skill. He has a right to dispose of it as He pleases—by fire, flood, or tempest—and He has an equal right to direct humanity in how they shall employ that portion of the earth's productions that may be entrusted to them. All the right that any person has to any portion of the earth’s surface, or to what is treasured up in the earth, or to what it is made to produce, is subordinate to the claims of God, and all should be yielded up at His bidding, whether He comes and claims it to be employed in His service, or whether He comes and sweeps it away by fire or flood, by the locust, or by the palmer-worm.

And the fulness thereof — All that it contains, everything that goes to “fill up” the world: animals, minerals, vegetables, people. All belong to God, and He has a right to claim them for His service and to dispose of them as He pleases. This very language—so noble, so true, and so suitable to be made conspicuous in the eyes of human beings—I saw inscribed in a place where it seemed to be most appropriate and most adapted to arrest and direct the thoughts of people: on the front of the Royal Exchange in London. It was well to remind the great merchants of the largest commercial city in the world of the truth that it contains; it does much to describe the character of the British nation that it should be inscribed in a place so conspicuous and, as it were, on the wealth of that great capital.

The world — The word used here—תבל têbêl—is a poetic word, referring to the earth considered as fertile and inhabited—the “habitable” globe; the same as the Greek, οἰκουμένη oikoumenē.

And they that dwell therein — All the inhabitants of the earth, embracing humans and animals of all kinds. . God has a claim on people—upon their services, upon their talents, upon all that they can acquire by labor and skill; He has a right to all that fly in the air, or that walk the earth, or that swim in the sea. On the occasion on which it is supposed that this psalm was written, in bringing up the ark of God and placing it in the tabernacle provided for it in the capital of the nation, no sentiment could be more appropriate than that which would recognize the universal supremacy of God.

For he hath founded it upon the seas - That is, the earth, or the habitable world. The ground of the claim to the earth and all that it contains, which is here asserted, is the fact that God had created it, or “founded” it. The language used here - he hath founded it, that is, he has laid the foundation of it, upon the seas and the floods - is in accordance with the usual mode of speaking of the earth in the Scriptures as laid upon a foundation - as a house is raised on a firm foundation. See the notes at Job 38:6.

As the earth appeared to be surrounded by water, it was natural to speak of it as “founded” also upon the waters. There is probably an allusion here to the statement in Genesis 1:9-10, where the waters are said to have been so gathered together that the dry land appeared. Above all the waters the earth was established, so as to become the abode of plants, animals, and man.

And established it upon the floods - The streams; the torrents. The earth has been elevated above them, so as to be a residence for animals and for men. The essential thought is, that this earth has become what it is by the fact that God has founded it; and, therefore, what it produces belongs of right to Him.

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? - Mount Zion; called the hill of the Lord, because it was the place designated for His worship, or the place of His abode. See the notes at (Psalms 15:1). The idea here is, “Who shall ascend there with a view of abiding there? Who is worthy to dwell there?” The question is equivalent to asking, What constitutes true religion? What is required for the acceptable worship of God? What will prepare a person for heaven?

Or who shall stand in his holy place? - In the tabernacle, or in the place where He is worshipped. Compare the notes at (Psalms 1:5). Who is worthy to stand before God? Who has the qualifications requisite to constitute the evidence of His friendship?

He that has clean hands - In the parallel passage in (Psalms 15:2), the answer to the question is, He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness. The sentiment is substantially the same there as in the passage before us. The meaning is, that he who would be recognized as a friend and worshipper of Yahweh must be an upright man; a person not living in the practice of iniquity, but striving always to do that which is right. The “hands” are the instruments by which we accomplish anything; and hence, to have clean hands is equivalent to being upright. See (Job 17:9; Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 59:3; Acts 2:23; Psalms 26:10). The margin here, as the Hebrew, is “the clean of hands.”

And a pure heart - Not merely the one whose external conduct is upright, but whose heart is pure. The great principle is here stated which enters always into true religion, that it does not consist in outward conformity to law, or to the mere performance of rites and ceremonies, or to external morality, but that it controls the heart, and produces purity of motive and of thought.

Who has not lifted up his soul to vanity - To that which is “vain,” or which is “false.” This expression might refer to one who had not devoted himself to the worship of an idol - regarded as vain, or as nothing (1 Corinthians 8:6; Isaiah 41:24; Psalms 115:4–8); or to one who had not embraced that which is false and vain in opinion; or to one who had not sworn falsely, or taken the name of God in vain (Exodus 20:7). The probable meaning is, that he has not set his heart on vain things, or that which is false. He has sought after substantial truth, alike in the object of worship, in that which he professes to believe, and in the statements and promises which he makes to others. He aims to secure that which is true and real.

He is in no sense “carried away” with that which is unreal and false.

Nor sworn deceitfully - This is one form of that which had been just specified - his love of truth. The idea here is, that he has not affirmed under the solemnities of an oath, that which was false; and that he has not, under similar solemnities, promised what he has not performed. He is a sincere man; a man seeking after the true and the real, and not running after shadows and falsehood; a man true to God and to his fellow-creatures; a man whose statements are in accordance with facts, and whose promises may be always relied on. In the parallel passage, in (Psalms 15:2), the statement is, he that speaketh the truth in his heart. See the notes at that passage.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord - literally, “He shall bear away a blessing from Yahweh.” The blessing here referred to means His favor and friendship. He shall be recognized and treated as His. In other words, God bestows His favor on those who possess the character here referred to.

And righteousness from the God of his salvation - He shall be regarded and treated as righteous. Or, he shall obtain the divine approval as a righteous person. The idea of the psalmist would seem to be, not that he would obtain this as if it were a gift, but that he would obtain the divine “approval” of his character as righteous; he would be recognized and dealt with as a righteous man. He would come to God with clean hands and a pure heart (Psalms 24:4), and would be welcomed and treated as a friend of God.

The wicked and the impure could not hope to obtain this; but he who was thus righteous would be treated according to his real character, and would meet with the assurances of the divine favor. It is as true now as it was in the days of the psalmist, that it is only the man who is in fact upright and holy who can obtain the evidences of the divine approval. God will not regard one who is living in wickedness as a righteous man, nor will He admit such a man to His favor here, or to His dwelling-place hereafter.