John Gill Commentary Psalms 24

The earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof
The whole universe, all the terraqueous globe, both land and water, and the circumambient air, and all that is therein; the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, all plants and vegetables that spring out of the earth, and metals and minerals in the bowels of it; all which are the riches of the Lord the earth is full of, (Psalms 104:24) ; see (Psalms 50:10–12) ;

the world, and they that dwell therein ;
the habitable world, and the dwellers on it, rational and irrational. These words may be interpreted of Christ, who is Lord of all; he made the world, and has a right and claim to all things in it; for the same person is here spoken of as in the preceding psalm, under the character of a shepherd; and this shows him to be very fit and proper for such an office, seeing he cannot fail of feeding and protecting his sheep; nor can they want any good thing, since the fulness both of nature and of grace is with him; and hence it is that all things are theirs, whether the world, or things present, or things to come; and though they seem to have nothing, yet possess all things, they possessing him whose all things are. The apostle makes use of this passage of Scripture, to prove, explain, and direct in the use of Christian liberty, with respect to the free use of creatures, they all being the Lord's; and therefore good, and to be received with thanksgiving: and yet, inasmuch as there is a variety of them, such should be abstained from, when to use them serves to embolden evil men in their wicked ways, or offend and grieve weak Christians, (1 Corinthians 10:25 1 Corinthians 10:26 1 Corinthians 10:28) .

For he has founded it upon the seas
Or "with" them, as some interpret ^F5 the particle (le) ; he has founded the earth and seas together, and both upon nothing; and yet are stable and firm; or "by the seas" ^F6 , near unto them, at the side of them; which, though higher than the earth, are wonderfully bounded by the power of God, so as not to return and cover the earth; see (Job 38:8–11) (Psalms 104:5–9) ; so the particle is used in (Psalms 1:3) (23:2) . Some have thought that the first earth, which Peter says was standing in the water, and out of the water, (2 Peter 3:5) , was made in the form of an egg, and that the waters were under the earth, and the earth was as a crust or shell over them, until the deluge came; and this crust then broke in, and formed the sea; and so it was literally true, that the earth was founded upon, or over the waters.

and established it upon the floods ;
the floods of the seas, or rivers of water running to and fro in it: this shows the ground and foundation of Christ's right and claim to the earth, and all that is in it; which is not by reason of his father's gift to him as Mediator, but by virtue of his concern in creation, the world, and all things in it, being made and established by him; in him do all things consist, (Colossians 1:16Colossians 1:17) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F5: R. Moses in Aben Ezra in loc.
• F6: (Mymy le) "juxta maria", Vatablus, Gejerus, Amama; so Kimchi & Ben Melech.

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ?
&c.] Though the Lord has a claim in general to the whole world, and all its fulness; yet there is a particular part of it, or spot in it, which is his special and peculiar property, and that is his church and people; for though some reference may be had, in this passage, to Mount Moriah, and the hill of Zion, on which the temple was afterwards built, and is called the hill of the Lord, where he desired to dwell, (Psalms 68:15Psalms 68:16) ;

yet the church is mystically intended, and is so called on account of its visibility, through a profession of faith in Christ, and for its immovableness, being built on him;

and who shall stand in his holy place ?
the same with the hill of the Lord; the temple being to be built upon it, where the Lord took up his residence, and was worshipped, and holiness becomes the house of God for evermore: the import of these questions is, who is a proper person to be an inhabitant of Zion, or a member of a Gospel church? and the answer to them is in (Psalms 24:4) , in which is a description much like that which is given of one hundred forty and four thousand seen with the Lamb on Mount Zion, (Revelation 14:1Revelation 14:4Revelation 14:5) ; compare with this verse.

He that has clean hands, and a pure heart
Though "clean hands" are mentioned first, as being more obvious to view, and better known, and more subject to the cognizance and observation of others; yet a "pure heart" is first in being and in order; from which cleanness of hands, when right and truth springs: no man has a pure heart naturally and of himself: the heart is desperately wicked; the imagination of the thoughts of it is evil continually; the mind and conscience are defiled with sin; nor can any man make his heart clean, or say he is pure from sin; but it is God that creates a clean heart, and renews a right spirit within men, and purifies the heart by faith, which is led to the blood of sprinkling, which purges the conscience, and cleanses it from all sin;

and from this purity of heart flows purity of life and conversation, signified by "clean hands"; the hand being the instrument of action, holy actions, or good works, performed from a principle of grace, are meant; the phrase is expressive of a holy, harmless, and innocent conversation, washing the hands being used to denote innocence, (Matthew 27:24) (Psalms 26:6) (73:13) ; not a conversation entirely free from sin, nor by which a man is justified before God; for though he wash his hands ever so clean, they will not be pure in his sight, and will need washing in the blood of the Lamb; but it denotes a conversation upright in general, and declares a man righteous in the sight of men, and distinguishes him from one of a dissolute life, whose hands are full of blood, and defiled with sin;

who has not lifted up his soul to vanity ;
or "set his heart upon" {g}, and desired vain things, as the phrase is sometimes used, (Deuteronomy 24:15) (Jeremiah 22:27) ; that is, the vain things of this world; as the riches, honours, pleasures, and profits of it; or has not served other gods, the idols of the Gentiles, which are lying vanities, but has lifted up his soul to God, and served him only:

or "who has not received his soul in vain" ^F8 ; from the hands of God, but loves him with all his soul, believes with the heart in Christ for righteousness, being sanctified by the Spirit of God; and so the desire of his soul is to his name, and the remembrance of him.

The "Keri", or marginal reading, according to the points, is, "who has not lifted up my soul to vanity" ^F9 ; that is, has not taken the name of God in vain, or swore falsely by his name; his soul being put for his name or himself; and by which he is said sometimes to swear, (Jeremiah 51:14) (Amos 6:8) ;

and this sense the Jewish interpreters ^F11 generally give into. The Targum seems to take in both the writing of the text and the marginal reading, as it often does, and renders the words, "who has not sworn in vain, to the condemnation of his soul"; though sometimes to his own disadvantage, yet not to the hurt of others; see (Psalms 15:4) ; it follows,

nor sworn deceitfully ;
by bearing false witness against any man; or by cheating him out of his substance through a false oath.

FOOTNOTES:

• F8: So Pagninus.
• F9: "Animam meam", Montanus, Vatablus, Hillerus.
• F11: Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, & Ben Melech in loc.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord
Or "who receives" ^F12; the future for the present; and so is a continuation of the description of a person proper to enter and abide in the church of God, as (Psalms 24:6) seems to require; even one who has received every spiritual blessing in Christ in general, special grace out of his fulness; particularly the blessing of pardon, as also adoption, and a right to eternal life; though it may be that the following clause is explanative of this;

and righteousness from the God of his salvation;
from Christ, who is God his Saviour, the author of salvation; and who has brought in an everlasting righteousness, which is in him, and is a gift of his grace, and is received from him by faith, and is a great blessing indeed; it secures from condemnation and death, and entitles to eternal life.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: (avy) "qui accipit", Cocceius.