John Calvin Commentary Psalms 24

The earth is Jehovah’s. We will find in many other places the children of Abraham compared with all the rest of humankind, so that the free goodness of God, in selecting them from all other nations and in embracing them with his favor, may shine forth more conspicuously. The object of the beginning of the psalm is to show that the Jews had nothing of themselves that could entitle them to approach nearer or more closely to God than the Gentiles.

As God by his providence preserves the world, the power of his government is equally extended to all, so that he ought to be worshipped by all, even as he also shows to all people, without exception, the fatherly care he has for them. But since he preferred the Jews to all other nations, it was indispensably necessary that there should be some sacred bond of connection between him and them, which might distinguish them from the heathen nations.

By this argument David invites and exhorts them to holiness. He tells them that it was reasonable that those whom God had adopted as his children should bear certain marks peculiar to themselves, and not be altogether like strangers. It is not that he incites them to endeavor to prejudice God against others, in order to gain his exclusive favor; but he teaches them, from the end or design of their election, that they will then have secured to them the firm and peaceful possession of the honor that God had conferred on them above other nations, when they devote themselves to an upright and holy life.

In vain would they have been collected together into a distinct body, as the peculiar people of God, if they did not apply themselves to the cultivation of holiness. In short, the Psalmist pronounces God to be the King of the whole world, to let all people know that, even by the law of nature, they are bound to serve him.

And by declaring that he made a covenant of salvation with a small portion of humankind, and by the erection of the tabernacle, gave the children of Abraham the symbol of his presence, thereby assuring them of his dwelling in their midst, he teaches them that they must endeavor to have purity of heart and of hands, if they would be accounted members of his sacred family.

With respect to the word fullness, I admit that it includes all the riches with which the earth is adorned, as is proved by the authority of Paul; but I have no doubt that the Psalmist intends by the expression human beings themselves, who are the most illustrious ornament and glory of the earth.

If human beings should fail, the earth would exhibit a scene of desolation and solitude, no less hideous than if God should despoil it of all its other riches. For what purpose are so many kinds of fruit produced, and in such great abundance, and why are there so many pleasant and delightful countries, if not for the use and comfort of human beings?

Accordingly, David explains, in the following clause, that he is principally speaking of human beings. It is his usual manner to repeat the same thing twice, and here the fullness of the earth and the inhabitants of the world, have the same meaning. I do not, however, deny that the riches with which the earth abounds for the use of human beings are included in these expressions. Paul, therefore, (1 Corinthians 10:26) when speaking about food, justly quotes this passage in support of his argument, maintaining that no kind of food is unclean, because the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.

For he hath founded it upon the seas. The Psalmist here confirms the truth that men are rightfully under the authority and power of God, so that in all places and countries they ought to acknowledge him as King. And he confirms it from the very order manifested in creation, for the wonderful providence of God is clearly reflected in the whole face of the earth.

To prove this, he brings forward the proof of it, which is most evident. How is it that the earth appears above the water, if not because God purposely intended to prepare a habitation for men? Philosophers themselves admit that, since the element of water is higher than the earth, it is contrary to the nature of the two elements for any part of the earth to remain uncovered by the waters and habitable.

Accordingly, Job (Job 28:11, 25) extols, in magnificent terms, that remarkable miracle by which God restrains the violent and tempestuous ragings of the sea, so that it may not overwhelm the earth—which, if not so restrained, it would immediately do, producing horrible confusion. Nor does Moses forget to mention this in the history of the creation.

After narrating that the waters were spread abroad so as to cover the whole earth, he adds that by an express command of God they retired into one place to leave empty space for the living creatures which were afterwards to be created (Genesis 1:9). From that passage we learn that God cared for men before they existed, since he prepared for them a dwelling place and other conveniences; and that he did not regard them as complete strangers, since he provided for their necessities no less liberally than the father of a family does for his own children.

David does not here dispute philosophically concerning the situation of the earth when he says that it has been founded upon the seas. He uses popular language and adapts himself to the capacity of the unlearned. Yet this manner of speaking, which is taken from what may be judged by the eye, is not without reason.

The element of earth, it is true, insofar as it occupies the lowest place in the order of the sphere, is beneath the waters. However, the habitable part of the earth is above the water. And how can we account for this separation of the water from the earth remaining stable, if not because God has put the waters underneath, as it were, for a foundation?

Now, since God extended his fatherly care to all mankind from the creation of the world, the prerogative of honor by which the Jews excelled all other nations proceeded only from the free and sovereign choice by which God distinguished them.

Who shall ascend to. It being very well known that it was by pure grace that God established His sanctuary and chose for Himself a dwelling-place among the Jews, David makes only a tacit reference to this subject. He insists chiefly on the other point contained in the verse: distinguishing true Israelites from the false and illegitimate.

He takes his argument for exhorting the Jews to lead a holy and righteous life from the fact that God had separated them from the rest of the world to be His peculiar inheritance. The rest of mankind, it is true, since they were created by Him, belong to His dominion; but he who occupies a place in the church is more nearly related to Him.

All those, therefore, whom God receives into His flock He calls to holiness, and He places them under obligation to follow it by His adoption.

Moreover, by these words David indirectly rebukes hypocrites, who did not hesitate to falsely take to themselves the holy name of God. We know that they are usually lifted up with pride because of the titles they take without having the excellencies these titles imply, contenting themselves with bearing only outward distinctions.

Indeed, he purposely magnifies this singular grace of God, so that every man may learn for himself that he has no right of entrance or access to the sanctuary unless he sanctifies himself to serve God in purity.

The ungodly and wicked, it is true, were in the habit of resorting to the tabernacle. Therefore, God, by the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 1:12), reproaches them for coming unworthily into His courts, and wearing the pavement thereof. But David here treats of those who may lawfully enter God’s sanctuary.

The house of God being holy, if any rashly and without a right rush into it, their corruption and abuse are simply polluting it.

Therefore, since they do not go up there lawfully, David takes no account of their going up. Indeed, these words include a severe rebuke of the conduct of wicked and profane men in daring to go up into the sanctuary and pollute it with their impurity.

On this subject I have spoken more fully on Psalm 15. In the second part of the verse, he seems to denote perseverance, as if he had said, Who shall go up into the hill of Sion, to appear and stand in the presence of God? The Hebrew word קום, kum, it is true, sometimes signifies to rise up, but it is generally taken for to stand, as we have seen in Psalm 1.

And although this is a repetition of the same idea stated in the preceding clause, it is not simply so. Instead, David, by expressing the end for which they ought to go up, illustrates and amplifies the subject; and we find him often making use of this repetition and amplification in other psalms.

In short, however much the wicked were mixed with the good in the church in the time of David, he declares how vain a thing it is to make an external profession unless there is, at the same time, truth in the inward man. What he says concerning the tabernacle of the covenant must be applied to the continual government of the church.

He who is clean of hands, and pure of heart. Under the purity of the hands and of the heart, and the reverence of God’s name, he encompasses all religion and signifies a well-ordered life. True purity, no doubt, has its seat in the heart, but it manifests its fruits in the works of the hands.

The Psalmist, therefore, very properly joins the purity of the whole life to a pure heart; for the person who boasts of having a sound heart acts foolishly if they do not show by their fruits that the root is good. On the other hand, it will not be enough to conform the hands, feet, and eyes to the rule of righteousness, unless purity of heart precedes outward continence.

If anyone should think it absurd that the first place is given to the hands, we answer without hesitation that effects are often named before their causes—not because they precede them in order, but because it is sometimes advantageous to begin with things that are best known. David, then, intended for the Jews to bring pure hands into the presence of God, along with a sincere heart.

To lift up, or to take his soul, I have no doubt here means to swear. Therefore, it is required of God's servants that when they swear, they do so with reverence and in good conscience; and this specific example, by synecdoche, signifies the duty of observing fidelity and integrity in all affairs of life.

That oaths are mentioned here is apparent from the words that immediately follow, And has not sworn deceitfully, which are added to explain what precedes it. However, as there is a twofold reading of the Hebrew word for soul (meaning, it may be read as my soul or his soul because of the vowel point hirek), some Jewish commentators read, Who has not lifted up my soul to vanity, understanding the word my as spoken by God—an interpretation I reject as harsh and strained.

This way of speaking carries great emphasis, for it means that those who swear offer their souls as pledges to God. Some, however, may prefer the opinion that to lift up the soul means to apply it to lying—an interpretation I do not strongly object to adopting, as it makes little difference to the meaning.

A question may be raised here: why does David not say anything about faith and calling upon God? The reason for this is easily explained.

Since it seldom happens that a person behaves uprightly and innocently toward others unless they are endowed with the true fear of God so as to walk carefully before Him, David very rightly assesses people's piety toward God by the nature of their conduct toward their fellow human beings.

For the same reason, Christ (Matthew 23:23) represents judgment, mercy, and faith as the principal points of the law; and Paul calls charity at one time the end of the law (1 Timothy 1:5) and at another the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14).

He shall receive blessing. To more effectively move the minds of the Israelites, David declares that nothing is more desirable than to be numbered among the flock of God and to be members of the church. We must here consider that there is an implied contrast between true Israelites and those of them who were degenerate and illegitimate.

The more license the wicked give themselves, the more presumptuous they are in pretending to the name of God, as if He were under obligation to them because they are adorned with the same outward symbols or badges as true believers. Accordingly, the demonstrative pronoun this, in the following verse, is of great weight, for it expressly excludes all that illegitimate generation which gloried only in the mask of external ceremonies.

And in this verse, when he speaks of blessing, he intimates that it is not those who boast of being the servants of God, while they have only the name, who shall be partakers of the promised blessing, but only those who answer to their calling with their whole heart and without hypocrisy.

It is, as we have already observed, a very powerful inducement to godliness and an upright life when the faithful are assured that they do not lose their labor in following righteousness, since God has in reserve for them a blessing which cannot fail them. The word righteousness may be explained in two ways.

Indeed, David’s meaning is abundantly clear. He intends to show, on the one hand, that it is not to be expected that the fruit or reward of righteousness will be bestowed on those who unrighteously profane God’s sacred worship; and on the other hand, that it is impossible for God to disappoint His true worshippers, for it is His special role to give evidence of His righteousness by doing them good.