PSALM 23
This psalm speaks of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
I. His kingdom of providence, by which he governs the world (v. 1, 2).
(II.) Of the kingdom of His grace, through which He governs His Church:
(1) of the subjects of this kingdom (v. 4.6), and of their privileges (v. 5);
(2) about the king of this kingdom and the need for each of us to let Him in (vv. 7-10). It is supposed that this psalm was written on the occasion of David bringing the ark to the place that was appointed for it, and its chief purpose was to lead the people beyond pomp and outward ceremonies to a holy life and faith in Christ, of whom the ark was a type.
Psalm of David.
Verses 1-2
It says here
I. Of God's absolute right of ownership to that part of creation where it is our lot to be (v. 1). We should not think that the heavens, only the heavens and the numerous bright inhabitants of the upper world belong to the Lord, and the earth, being a small and insignificant part of creation and being far from the royal palace in heaven, remains neglected and uninteresting to God. No, even the earth, this lower world, belongs to Him; and though He has prepared the throne of His glory in heaven, yet His kingdom rules over all, and not even the worms of the earth are out of His sight and under His dominion.
(1.) When God gave the earth to the sons of men, He at the same time decided to retain the right of ownership, and gave it to them as temporary tenants, or tenants: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." The mines located in its depths, even the richest, the fruits that it produces, all the creatures of the forest and the cattle that graze on thousands of hills, our lands and houses and all the achievements created by man on this earth thanks to skill and hard work - everything belongs to Him. . Of course, in comparison with the kingdom of grace, all these blessings seem insignificant, for they are vanity of vanities and give nothing for the soul; but to the kingdom of providence they represent abundance. “...The earth is full of Your works. This is a great and spacious sea...” All parts and regions of the earth belong to the Lord; everything is under His watchful eye and in His hand, so that wherever the child of God goes, he can console himself that God is with him and that he does not leave his Father's land. What has befallen us on earth and its fruits is given to us for a time; it belongs to the Lord; that which in the eyes of the whole world belongs to us, is not so in the light of His rights. That which is farthest from us and passes through the paths of the sea or is hidden at the bottom also belongs to the Lord; and He knows where to find it.
(2.) The inhabited part of this earth (Prov. 8:31) belongs to Him in a special way: the universe and everything that lives in it. We ourselves - our bodies and our souls - do not belong to ourselves. “All souls are Mine,” says God, for He is the creator of our bodies and the Father of our spirit. Our tongues do not belong to us, they must be at His disposal. Even those children of men who do not know Him and are not related to Him belong to Him. And now the time has come to show that although God is pleased to accept prayers and His services chosen people(vv. 3-5), He does this not because their prayers and services are necessary or beneficial to Him, for the whole earth and what is on it belongs to Him (Ex. 19:5; Ps. 49:12). The same can be said of the dominion of Christ, as Mediator, over the most distant parts of the earth, which are given to Him for possession. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands, including authority over every flesh. The Apostle quotes this passage twice in his discussion of sacrifices to idols (1 Cor. 10:26,28): “If this meat is sold in the slaughterhouse, then eat it and do not ask questions, for the earth is the Lord's; this is good God's creation, and you are entitled to it. If a person told you that this meat was sacrificed to an idol, refrain, for the earth is the Lord’s, and besides this, there is enough else.” This is also a good explanation why we should be content with our lot in this world and not envy others; The Lord's earth, so why can't God give as much as He wants to His own, and give some more and others less, as He pleases?
II. About the basis for this legitimacy. The earth belongs to God by unassailable right, for he founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers (v. 2). She belongs to Him, for
(1.) He made it, formed it, founded it, and made it convenient for man. Her essence belongs to Him, since He created her from nothing; its form is His, since He created it according to the eternal purposes and ideas of His own mind. He made it himself, He made it for himself and is therefore the sole, sovereign and absolute owner; and no one can give us the right to possess any part except Him (see Ps. 89:12,13).
(2) No one else could have created her like this. It is the work of the Almighty, for it is founded on seas and rivers—weak and unstable foundations, as some would think, upon which to build the earth. But nevertheless, if the almighty power wishes, this foundation will serve and bear the weight of this earth. The water, which initially covered the earth and was considered unsuitable for human habitation, was ordered to go underground so that a dry surface would appear, and therefore the water is, as it were, the foundation for it (see Ps. 104:8,9).
(3) The Lord preserves her; He founded it, established it (though one generation goes away, another comes), so that the earth endures (Eccl. 1:4). His providence is ongoing creation (Ps. 119:90). The foundation of the earth on streams of water should remind us how slippery and uncertain all earthly things are: their foundation is not only sand, but also water; Therefore, the person who builds on such a foundation is stupid.
Verses 3-6
From this world and its abundance the thoughts of the psalmist suddenly ascend to the great heights of another world, the foundation of which rests neither on seas nor on rivers. God has given the goods of this world to the sons of men, and we are greatly indebted to His providence for them; but they won't share them with us. And therefore,
I. Here the question is asked of what is best (v. 3). This earth is God's footstool; and no matter how much we have here, we will only be on earth for a short time and will soon leave here, and then who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord? Who will go to heaven after death and, as a guarantee of this, now has fellowship with God in decrees? The soul which knows and reflects upon its own nature, origin, immortality; which, considering the earth and its fullness, remains unsatisfied. Here among all creations there is no one who would help man, and therefore she thinks about ascending to God, about approaching heaven and asks: “What must I do to ascend to this high place, to this mountain, where the Lord lives and proclaims myself? What must I do to be in this happy holy place where He meets His people and makes them holy and happy? What should I do so that I can be among those whom God has chosen as His special people and who belong to Him, but not like the earth and all that fills it?” This question is very similar to the one asked in Psalm 14:1. Mount Zion, on which the temple was built, symbolizes the visible and invisible Church. When the people accompanied the ark to its holy place, David wanted them to think that these were images of divine goods, and through them they should be led to think about heavenly things.
II. Here is the answer to this question in which we have
1. The property of God's chosen people, who will have fellowship with Him in grace and glory.
(1) These are those who abstain from all gross sinful acts. Their hands are innocent; they are not stained with the filth of this world and the flesh. No one who was ceremoniously unclean could enter the temple mount, emphasizing purity of lifestyle as an essential requirement for those who wish to have fellowship with God. The hands raised in prayer should be clean hands, not even the smallest particle of unjust gain should stick to them, nor should anything that defiles man and offends the holy God.
(2) These are those who act according to their conscience and are inwardly the same as they appear outwardly. They have pure hearts. We get nothing from religion if it does not work on the heart. It is not enough for our hands to be clean before people, we must wash our hearts from depravity, not allowing ourselves any secret heart impurity that is revealed to the eyes of God. At the same time, it is in vain that those whose hands are defiled by sinful acts pretend that their hearts are pure and good. That heart is pure, which is sincere and does not deceive in its covenant with God; which is carefully guarded so that not a single wicked person, not a single unclean spirit touches it; which is purified by faith and conforms to the image and will of God (see Matt. 5:8).
(3) These are those who are not attached to the goods of this world, who have not sworn their souls in vain, whose hearts do not strive excessively for the riches of this world, for human glory or sensual pleasures, who do not choose all these as their part and do not strive for them , because they believe that all this is in vain, uncertain and unsatisfying.
(4) These are those who are honest both before God and before man. In their covenant with God and in their contracts with men, they do not swear falsely, do not break promises, and do not take false oaths. And those who do not respect their duties to do justice and honor the name of God are unworthy to be on the holy mountain of the Lord.
(5.) They are a praying people (v. 6): “This is the generation of them that seek Him.” In every age there is a remnant of people who have these characteristics, who will be called the Lord's forever (Ps. 21:31). Such are those who seek God—those who seek your face, O God of Jacob!
They unite themselves with God to seek Him, not only by earnest prayer, but by earnest effort to obtain His favor and maintain themselves in His love. Having made this the pinnacle of their happiness, they make it the pinnacle of their aspirations and strive first of all to be admitted to Him and therefore make efforts to be approved by Him. We must ascend the mountain of the Lord and, as we ascend to the top, do everything in our power and seek diligently.
They join God's people to seek God together. Having fellowship with God, they have fellowship with the saints; imitating the examples of the saints who went before them (as some understand this passage), they seek the face of God, like Jacob, who later began to be called Israel, because he wrestled with the Lord and prevailed, sought Him and found Him; and, in accordance with the saints of their time, they will seek the favor of the church of God (Rev. 3:9) and will be glad to be acquainted with the people of God (Zech. 8:23); they will unite themselves with them, and when they write with their hand: “I am the Lord’s,” they will be called by the name of Jacob (Is. 44:5). As soon as Paul was converted, he accosted the disciples (Acts 9:26). They will seek the face of God in Jacob (as some understand this passage), that is, in the assemblies of His people: “Thy face, O God of Jacob!” - so we can understand this place. Since all believers are spiritual descendants of Abraham, everyone who fights in prayer is a spiritual descendant of Jacob, to whom God never said, “Ye seek me in vain.”
2. The privileges of God's chosen people (v. 5). They will be truly and eternally happy: they will receive the blessing of the Lord, all the fruits and gifts of God's favor, according to His promise; and those whom God blesses are certainly blessed, for it is God's prerogative to command blessings.
(2) They will be justified and sanctified. They will receive spiritual blessings, even righteousness - exactly what they longed for and strived for (Matt. 5:6). Righteousness is bliss, and we can expect it only from God, for we have no righteousness of our own. They will receive a reward for their righteousness (as some understand this passage) - a crown of righteousness, which the Lord will give (2 Tim. 4:8).
(3) They will be saved, for God himself will be the God of their salvation. Notice that where God gives righteousness, He is certainly going to give salvation. He who is made fit for heaven will be brought safely into heaven, and then he will obtain that which he sought for his infinite satisfaction.
Verses 7-10
These verses repeat what has already been said once; such repetitions are common in songs, and they give them beauty. In them
(1) the demand for admission to the king of glory is heard again; the gates and doors must be wide open for Him to enter, for He stands at the door knocking, ready to enter.
(2) Once again the question is asked of this majestic ruler who is required to be admitted: “Who is this King of glory?” - this happens in the same way as when someone knocks on our door, and usually we ask: “Who is there?” (3.) The answer given to the question concerning this royal personage who demands to be admitted is: "The Lord mighty and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts" (v. 8, 10).
I. The magnificent entry here described may mean the solemn carrying of the ark into the tent which David had built for it, or into the temple of Solomon; for when David prepared the materials for the building of the temple, it is quite possible that he composed a psalm dedicated to its opening. In these verses the doorkeepers are commanded to open the doors, which are called “everlasting doors,” because they are more durable than the doors of the tabernacle, which was only a curtain. They are taught to ask the question, “Who is this King of glory?” And those who carry the ark are taught to respond with the phrases given here, since the ark was a symbol or evidence of God's presence (Josh. 3:11). Or these poems can be taken as poetic imagery intended to present a theme more expressively. God in His Word and decrees commands us to greet Him in this way.
(1.) With great readiness: doors and gates must be opened to Him. Let the Word of the Lord take the deepest and largest place in our souls; if we had 600 necks, we would have to bow them all to this power.
(2) With all reverence, remembering how great is the God whom we approach.
II. Of course, this passage points to Christ, whose prototype was the ark with the mercy seat.
(1.) We may also suppose that this passage speaks of Christ's ascension into heaven, and of the splendid reception he received there. Having completed His work on earth, He ascended with the clouds of heaven (Dan. 7:13,14). Then the gates of heaven were to be opened for Him - those doors that could truly be called the “everlasting gates” that were closed to us to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). Our Redeemer saw that they were closed, but by paying for sin with His Blood, He made atonement, and this qualified Him to enter the sanctuary (Heb. 9:12). As having the right and power, He demanded a solemn entry, but not only for Himself, but also for us; for, being the Forerunner, He came and opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. In His hands must be given not only the keys to hell and death, but also to heaven and life. Since His entry was very majestic, the angels came to ask: “Who is this King of glory?” for they guard the gates of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:12). When the only begotten ascended into the upper world, the angels had to worship Him (Heb. 1:6); and accordingly here they ask with surprise: “Who is it that comes in scarlet vestments from Bosrah? (Isa.63:1-3), for He came into the world as a Lamb that was slain.” In response, the words are heard that he is strong and strong, strong in battle, who saves His people and subdues them and their enemies.
(2.) We may also apply these verses to the triumphal entry of Christ into the souls of men by His word and Spirit, that they might become His temples. The presence of Christ in them acts like the presence of the ark in the temple - it sanctifies them. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” says Jesus (Rev. 3:20). It is therefore necessary that the doors and gates of the heart should be thrown open to Him, not only as a sign to the guest that he is admitted, but as a sign that the possession has been transferred to the true owner, who has won the right to it. This is the call and demand of the Gospel that we let Jesus Christ, the King of glory, into our souls and greet Him with the hosanna: “Blessed is he who comes.” To do all this right, we must ask the question, “Who is this King of glory?” to find out in whom we should believe and love above all else. And the answer is ready: “He is Jehovah, Jehovah is our truth, our all-sufficient Savior, if only we let him in and accept Him. He is strong and strong, the Lord of hosts; and therefore we run great risks by refusing to let Him in, lest He might avenge the insult. He can forcefully make His way and break into pieces with His rod those who do not submit to His golden scepter.”
As we sing these verses, may our hearts joyfully respond to this call, which sounds in the first words of the following psalm: “To Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”
“The earth is the Lord’s and what fills it, the universe and everything that lives in it.” I wonder if the church has a correct understanding of what this verse says about God?
This is an astonishing statement and there is always the possibility that it will fall on deaf ears as some biblical rhetoric, a pleasing word to the ear, and that its content will therefore be lost to us.
The land is the Lord's because "He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers." In other words, the Earth and everything living on it is the Lord’s, because He is its Creator. What God produces is His and belongs to Him for His purposes.
Imagine announcing to humanity that all their territories, which they called by their national names, are in fact the Lord's and exist for His purposes. Those who live on it live on it for His sake, and not for their own sake.
It's so amazing in every way fundamental truth, which requires a thorough audacity to not only believe it, but also to proclaim it. We must allow only the Word of God to instruct us, and what God says about the earth and the world is the truth. And we need to be aware of what this means for ourselves and for those who live on earth.
The psalmist says that He established the earth “on the seas and on the rivers.” It sounds like poetry, but the deepest truth is presented here. Rivers (streams) and seas always symbolize the primitive and ancient enemies of God. What He has established upon them is His triumph over every hostile force that opposes God. He has won something by His greatness from the powers of darkness who compete and compete with Him over whose land it is.
We must be careful not to let this concept become commonplace scientific fact or technical information. This is the highest spiritual reflection and truly the whole basis of reality and existence itself.
We must strive for the significance of the earth as the property of the Lord, and the world, and those living in it, and not allow it to be reduced by the world to banality. The whole psalm is given, among other things, to lift up the church to God's appointed purpose, and perhaps that is why it begins with this fundamental statement.
“Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?”
Unless a deeply rooted understanding of God as Creator becomes the foundation of our existence, ascension is impossible. This is more than simply accepting the truth that the earth and the world belong to the Lord.
It is being in this reality, and then from there we can talk about going up to the mountain of the Lord. The pronoun "who" in the expressions "Who will ascend the mountain" and "who will become" implies that there are a few. And maybe the only one is actually the Lord Himself, and that only those who can be partners with Him are those who are in Him.
This implies that it is not for many, but for few. And it is as if God is challenging: “Who dares to climb this mountain?” And then a demand is given.
“He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who did not swear with his soul in vain and did not swear falsely (did not lift up his soul to vanity and did not swear to deceit - English, Hebrew)”
Innocent hands and a pure heart require a conscious decision of the will. Innocent hands are something external. A pure heart is something internal. Therefore, the fundamental requirement for every ascendant is at least this minimum requirement.
Clean hands are not those who dealt with deeds that were offensive in the eyes of God. And we need to turn to the Blood often to cleanse those hands, even if we have unintentionally indulged in something that was disrespectful to God.
Do we pray: “Purify our heart as You are pure.” It should always be daily prayer. There is a constant process of purification going on because attacks on the purity of the heart are carried out daily.
Much hangs in the atmosphere in what we say, hear and respond.
And the main place in the church where the cleansing process takes place is among our brothers. He is available to us in the God-given relationship with the saints in the organic reality of what is called “the church.”
If we don't find purity of heart in this place, we simply won't find it. In the church, God meets, identifies and shows us things that challenge the purity of the heart, and where He will work on it and speak. And this can be whenever the Word of God is proclaimed, whether in a Bible study, morning service, or even in conversation.
The pure heart that we think will come in monastic isolation is a deception. It is in the church that we are brought to the awareness of those places where we are unclean, and only then can we accept the correction, admonition and reproof necessary for a pure heart.
The most precious provision that God has given to the saints is correction in the Body of Christ through the work of God by the Spirit. Until we know what this provision is - and, thank God for it - we will never achieve this purity. The book of Proverbs is full of references to those who are grateful for God's chastisement, correction, and discipline.
Only fools and despisers are reluctant to accept correction. But the saints recognize that this is a very great and necessary provision from God, otherwise we will not ascend the holy mountain.
A pure heart means that there is no impurity in it. This is the problem. There are literally legions of things that influence us: mixed motivations and desires, mixed ambitions, contempt and criticism of other people or ministries.
This is a sensitive issue and I am always deeply reserved when the topic comes to discuss other ministries. Perhaps it is to some extent necessary in this age of deception to find out and speak often with each other in the fear of the Lord about what is deception in our age, but this is always risky in that we ourselves may become tainted. And when I am involved in such conversations, I always and without exception pray:
“Lord, by Your Blood cleanse me now from everything unintentional that has entered, even with the necessary and correct discussion of other people and ministries in our age. For we know that there is a subtle temptation to exalt oneself at the expense of another.
Therefore, Lord, whatever the need for this study, protect my heart, and let Your Blood wash away everything that I do not know about and to which I have surrendered.” It is precisely this kind of diligent attention that a pure heart requires.
What do we say about “failure to ascend to the vanity of your soul?” It's like choosing between two things: either you lift your soul to the Lord, or you lift it to futility. But the key to what we allow our souls to do is ourselves. Vanity, of course, means something vain, something that does not bring benefit. But for those who wish to climb this mountain, it is not simply a matter of surrendering their souls to something carnal.
What will attack us will most likely be biblical and even spiritual, if He Himself has not called us to it. There is something in a person that welcomes the dedication of the soul to something for the special joy of achieving something with it.
For example, we can find delight in the book of Daniel and the study of prophecies that are themselves valid. But if we pursue it with a view to the concrete satisfaction of our soul in the process of this inquiry, I would say that it risks being a futility.
While it is legitimate and biblical and worthy of investigation, if it is a subtle means by which our soul is lifted up to a satisfaction that would not come to us through the flesh, then it is a futile endeavor.
This is how demanding and exacting the climb must be. Ascent means overcoming gravity and every force that wants to keep us on the earthly plain. Those who can ascend the holy mountain of God and can stand before the Lord are those who are so demanding and attentive to what they commit their souls to.
We should not be controlled by our inclinations, or surrender our souls to them because of the satisfaction we desire to receive. We need the Lord Himself to guide us and we need to be careful in ascending, because the question is still “Who will ascend.”
Who is THAT attentive and THAT interested in their soul? Who is so interested in a fraudulent oath?
These phrases are so comprehensive. This does not simply mean swearing a false oath or taking the Lord's name in vain. This is the most flagrant and obvious form of an oath to deceive.
Any use of language that is false, although correct, but used for false purposes is an oath to deceive. This is an abuse of the privilege of speaking and using words.
He who wishes to ascend the mountain of God must be as attentive to what he says as to what his soul delights in. That's why only a few will climb it Holy place. As we will see later,
it is not simply a matter of individuals achieving a certain desired place before God.
It is a matter of opening the gates for the King of Glory to enter. This is how Psalm 23 ends. It begins with “The Land of the Lord” and ends with the King of Glory standing at the gate. He cannot enter yet, for the meaning is, “Who will go up the mountain to remove the bolt that opens the gate, so that the King of Glory may enter? Whose hands are clean and whose heart is pure to ascend to this place?
For the question of the coming of the King of Glory is not only His desire and satisfaction, but the salvation of the world. The King of Glory waits at the gate, but it is the GATE that prohibits entry. Where is the connection here? The key to opening the gate is found in the address to him in the last verses of this Psalm:
“Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in.”
Does God speak to an inanimate object? Is He really talking to a literal gate of iron or a door of wood? Or can this verse be understood as a hint that WE AS THE CHURCH ARE THIS GATE? Are we the gate and the key, therefore, to the coming of the Lord Himself as the King of Glory on His own Earth? Isn't that why He turns to US?
The Lord stands and limits Himself, waiting for the gate to open, for the door to be opened by those who MAKE this door or gate, and which can only be opened by ascending the holy mountain.
Our entry into this kind of relationship with the Lord is a matter of the entry of the King of Glory. What makes Him the King of Glory is His desire to limit Himself, and wait, and trust those who will ascend this mountain at His invitation.
He could have done it without us, but what glorifies God is His use of us, not that we are an afterthought. But He uses a metaphor as if we ourselves are the gate and door for His entry. What is prohibited? “Open, open,” but how, but with what? By climbing this mountain with clean hands and a pure heart, without giving up your soul to vanity or using your lips in a deceptive manner.
So here we need vigilance, and I would even say sacrifice, offering. This is the Cross. And perhaps we will not do this for our own satisfaction, unless we know that this is also the key for the entrance of the King of Glory to bless humanity, which does not know that the Earth and the world and those who live in it are the Lord's.
“This is the generation of those who question Him, who seek Your face, the family of Jacob. Sela" (Hebrew, English)
The word "genus" means a forty-year period. But in this context it means a certain type or special quality of an individual. Who will rise? The same one who will ask the Lord. And although I do not know what your experience is, my experience in seeking and questioning the Lord tells me that there is no more strenuous and demanding activity before us as believers.
It's as if absolutely everything is against us. I'm not just talking about phone calls and other distractions. Our flesh resists and does not want. And then God goes even further: “seek His face.”
So no one can see the face of God and live. It's like an invitation to death. In fact, if you seek the Lord this way, it IS an invitation to death!
To seek the Lord is to experience some event in the soul. Something happens in the search because it is too contrary to everything that is in the flesh and in the soul. The very activity and desire to seek Him has the potential to purify the soul.
And we remain in a desolate state due to lack of effort to climb the holy mountain and seek the Lord. Notice that it does not say to seek the Lord for any good, but rather to “seek Him.”
Thus, the search is different from the search. And for most of us, if we engage in questioning in any way, it is because of problems that we have faced, because of questions, because of a need that we want the Lord to answer and solve.
But that is not what Scripture says. It says “ask Him, seek His face.” There is another state, another quality of seeking beyond what pertains to our need, and only a few will seek the Lord for His own sake.
That is why it is said: “This is the race, this is the type of believer who will reach the holy mountain.” And at this time, the King of Glory is waiting for exactly this to happen.
Time itself wars against such a decisive quest, and our inner disposition does not give us incentive. It will take ruthlessness towards the flesh, laziness, indifference, negligence, and spiritual self-satisfaction.
Maybe we're too pleased with ourselves, or we think we've achieved, or at least we're heads and shoulders above and better than that or otherwise. All of this works against rising to seek the Lord.
Therefore, we need to pray about God’s dissatisfaction with where we are and what we have, and find out that we are so lacking in what will still allow the King of Glory to enter. We ourselves will not have the order and discipline to make time for the Lord, which will find ourselves in the quiet time of the early morning spent to seek Him, not for gain, but for Himself, if we have none already, discipline.
If we don't have discipline in other and ordinary aspects of life, do you think we will find discipline for this? There is very little need for discipline in our lives, or even an understanding of the meaning of the word.
The root of the English word "discipline" (disciple) is the same as that of "discipline". You don't become a student without some measure of order, organization, attentiveness, dedication. This is all discipline to the flesh, which is lazy, slow, indifferent, careless and fickle.
Discipline is a requirement for climbing this mountain in spite of every impulse that wants to hold us back. It is the enemy's design and strategy to not only keep our spiritual life to a minimum, but also to keep the King of Glory from entering.
“Who is this King of glory? “The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.”
He is strong and strong, but He will not break in on the basis of His Strength and Strength. He waits at the gate and at the door, so that the one whose hands are clean and who can climb the mountain and remove the bolt will allow the King of Glory to enter.
This is what glorifies God: that He does not use His Strength and Strength to achieve His purposes. He expects us to participate with Him, for that is what glorifies Him. There is no visible glory without a temple. God requires a home. We are this building.
There is no such glorification of God in His coming to the earth that He created, except through the instruments of His choice, the beggars whom He took from the rubbish heaps, and whom He set with princes. He is glorified by what He accomplishes and achieves through those He has saved. In fact, this entire psalm is an invitation to remind us that His power will produce any effect if we present the willingness of our self.
Karl Barth, the Swiss theologian, asks: “This is the right word, but why does it enlighten us so little? Why doesn't it penetrate our ears and leave our lips? Why do we not rise and stand, even in the midst of those needs that surround us in a holy place. Why is this not true and real to us? Why don’t we live by this word “The Land of the Lord”? Why do we live as if this is not true, if it is true?
We live our days as if not a single ray of light will open. How meager are our words. How darkened our spirits are. How little we seem to be able to answer the great need and darkness of our times, that the earth is the Lord's.
Even ours christian words, our sermons, our observations of helpless stumbling and lack of light and spirit. The saddest thing of all is that we hear and speak the Word of God as if it were only the word of man: it no longer holds its unique power and meaning.”
Barth continues: “Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and who is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek His face? Such earnest striving for the truth or abundant prayer is in vain, because we will never please God in these ways. The holiest thing is missing, although we talk about it a lot.
Such deep respect for the greatness of God, such truly reverent respect is a feeling of lack... Experiencing the lack of this sincere premise of knowing God, not what I think, intend, and say, but only His name, His Kingdom, His will...
And when it is a lack, it is not only a lack of something, but a lack of everything. When there is this feeling of lack, then nothing will achieve the goal, everything is an unclear and empty teaching, even if it is ten times true.”
Only a pure heart can desire to ascend. If we have no desire, this is ipso facto evidence that our hearts are not pure. If they were pure, we would have a desire from God to ascend. We have allowed a mixture of many things. Our first prayer should have been to ask the Lord to purify our hearts as He Himself is pure.
We need to ask Him to cleanse our hearts of everything that hardens them and keeps them from wanting what He wants. We cannot even correctly recognize what is associated with our heart, but we know that if we lack the desire to ascend, and we do not see ourselves included in this “Who,” then this is evidence of impurity.
I would like Israel and the Palestinians to bow to this word, who in currently time they dispute each other's possession of the (Holy) Land. It is the Lord's, and He will give it to whom He wills, when He wills, and on the terms He wills.
But the very fact that they argue and compete about it shows that they are outside the context of this statement, and they are outside it, because we as a church are outside it.
In fact, this squabbling and arguing that is now going on in Israel cannot be smoothed over or settled by anything less than the revelation of God in His glory as King. No diplomacy and negotiations will work, only the revelation of God, who created the earth and everything in it, coming as the King of Glory, can bring a resolution to this conflict, which threatens to tear apart not only the Middle East, but the entire world.
The problems of this age are of such a nature that only revelation and the actual coming of the King in His Glory can solve them. If God is not God and is not revealed in glory as the Creator, and that the earth is the Lord, and the fullness of it, and those who live on it, then there is no hope for humanity.
Recognizing God as Creator requires submission to the One who created. This is so critical and God puts all the emphasis on the “gate” and “door” that will open to allow His entry, which is us as the church in right relationship with Him on the holy mountain.
The world does not know that the earth is the Lord's. He sees it only as a geophysical accident, and not as a result of His creation. Likewise, the church did not properly recognize that its physical life belonged to the Lord.
We are dust, and therefore we are the Lord's. We are as much His creation as the physical “terra firma” on which we are placed. But if we do not live as if our bodies belong to the Lord, then how can we expect the world to understand that the greatness of the Earth is the Lord's? The question is us.
It is one thing to recognize in our minds that this piece of land is the Lord’s, but do we live in the truth of this recognition? And if this is all His, then it is His to guide and use, Him to do as He wants.
If we ourselves usurp, control and direct our lives and intentions, we are contrary to God's witness to the whole earth. Therefore, the Earth remains in the dark about whose it is, because we as a church do not testify to it that our own land is the Lord's.
I want to pray that we will hear this as the Word of God speaking to our careless Christian mentality and attitude that has never even thought of climbing the holy mountain of God.
This was not the priority nor the intention, and yet it can be said that the redemption of mankind awaits the entry of the King of Glory. He will not use His strength and power to do this, but waits until the gates are opened only by those who can ascend the mountain with a pure heart and clean hands, and without giving themselves up to futility.
This is a decisive requirement for the church and it is also a matter of the Glory of God for humanity. They need to know that “the earth is the Lord’s and they who dwell in it.”
Prayer.
Lord, I speak on behalf of our entire body and myself. We were lazy, indifferent, careless and content only with what was right in words. We ask, God, that you would speak to us through this psalm and through these comments, so that we may be part of a generation that inquires of the Lord and seeks His face.
We want to indulge in a quest that requires effort and which is itself a kind of death. And the very effort of this seeking is in itself a cleansing agent that will bring our hearts, God, to a state that gives us the strength to ascend.
We know we need frequent, if not constant, reminders. For the world, the flesh, and the devil seem to have such a powerful influence in giving our church life such a banal atmosphere, such a predictable daily appearance of ordinary quality.
There is such a lack of intensity, Lord, sincere desire, intention to ascend, and we thank you, Lord, that you are giving us an invitation. You are waiting to be looked for. And so, dear God, help us. Shake us in the depths.
Let us see the shallowness of our self-satisfaction, the lack of zeal for God, and what is at stake in the King of Glory, to reveal that glory in His creation.
Speak to us, O Lord, as to the gates and doors that hold You, waiting for those innocent hands that will rise up and draw back the bolt to open what prevents You and Your glory from entering Your creation. Thank You for Your zealous love, which will not leave us, which knows the truth of our heart and condition.
You know that we do not move from faith to faith, on the contrary, we are inert and predictable in what we are. No climbing. Awaken us, come, Lord, we pray. Turn us on inner man. Thank You that You have provided this ability to fulfill and that You have gone ahead and that there are tracks that we can follow and follow.
In the name of Jesus. Amen!
Psalm 23
This psalm was to be recited when the ark was brought into the Holy of Holies. It was compiled after David offered a burnt offering on Mount Moriah in the place where Adam, Noah, and Abraham sacrificed, and it was revealed to him in a prophetic vision where the House of the Lord would be located, as stated in the Chronicles
28 At this time David, seeing that the Lord had heard him at the threshing floor of Orna the Jebusite, offered a sacrifice there.
29 Now the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering [were] at that time on the high place in Gibeon.
30 And David could not go there to seek God, because he was terrified by the sword of the Angel of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 21:28-30)
1 And David said, “This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar for the burnt offerings of Israel.”
(1 Chronicles 22:1).(Radak)
And as soon as he saw this place, he began to measure and say, “From here to here is the courtyard of the Temple, from here to here is the Holy of Holies”... (Psikta Rabati 43)
The ancient fathers and teachers of the Church saw in this psalm a prophecy about the ascension of Christ into heaven and the ascension of believers to spiritual Jerusalem (Athanasius, Theodoret, Chrysostom, Cyprian).
23.1 Psalm of David. (David's psalm = LEDAVID MIZMO¢Р)The earth is the Lord's and what fills it, the universe and everything that lives in it,
a7 GDнz earthS, and3 and3fulfillment є3S, the universe and3 all2 living on it.
1. LEDAVID MIZMOR, PALMYhAAPEC UMLOA, TEVEL VEYOSHEVE VA.
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לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר לַיהוָה הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ תֵּבֵל וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ׃ |
Literally: Although the whole earth belongs to the Lord, this mountain is rightly called the mountain of the Lord, for the place of His Sanctuary is located opposite the throne of Glory. (Radak)
But in Jewish commentaries (Chafetz Chaim Rambam and others) the Mountain of the Lord is understood to mean the world to come. “Everything we see in this world has an analogue in spiritual world. There is Jerusalem below, and there is the heavenly “Jerusalem above”. There is a mountain of the Lord, those. The Temple Mount is below, and above there is a place called the Mount of the Lord...” (Shmirat Halashon ch5)
The Levites sang this psalm on the first day of the week (the Lord's earth (for on the first day the heavens and the earth were created and the Lord became their Ruler) (VT Rosh Hashanah 31a.)
Land = Land of Israel. World = rest of the countries (Rashi)
Morally ascetic: There are two verses in the book of Tehillim that, at first glance, contradict one another. In chapter 24 we read: “The earth belongs to the Lordand everything on it", and in chapter 115 - "AlandHe gavesons of man" Is it possible for both to be true? The sages answer: yes, the first verse implies the moment before the blessing is pronounced, and the second - after. That is, the Almighty, who created the earth and everything that is on it, gives us the right to use all this for our benefit - however, only after we express recognition of the fact that it is He who gives us this benefit. This means that before we receive any benefit or any pleasure from this world, we must say a blessing. (Jude Com.)
These words are pronounced when a person is buried in the earth. (PV)
23:2 For He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.
v7 T0y on the sea њsnoval yu5 є4st and3 on the rivers ўgot0val yu5 є4st.
2. KI-hU¢ AL-YAMIM ESADA, VEAL-NOThAPOT EKHONENEhA.
Perhaps David sang this psalm after the terrible incident with Uzzah (2 Samuel 6), during the transfer of the ark of the covenant to Zion (Grunzweig).
4 And they carried her with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio walked before the ark.
5 And David and all the children of Israel played before the LORD on all kinds of musical instruments of cypress wood, and on harps, and on psalters, and on timbrels, and on sistres, and on cymbals.
6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacho, Uzzah stretched out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen had tilted it.
7 But the Lord was angry with Uzzah, and God struck him there for his insolence, and he died there by the ark of God.
8 And David was sad because the Lord had struck Uzzah. This place is still called: “the defeat of Uzzah.”
9 And David feared that day of the Lord, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come unto me?
(2 Samuel 6:4-9)
Who can, or who will be worthy, to ascend His mountain and stand in His holy place? The prophet here names the mountain, of course, not the earthly one - Zion or any other, but the heavenly mountain about which the Apostle Paul writes in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem(Heb. 12:22). (Razumovsky)
Who will rise... who will stand- it is bad when a person, in great inspiration, achieves holiness for a short moment, because a fall from a height can lead to very serious consequences for his entire spiritual life. Therefore, the psalm says: Whoever rises and whoever stands must rise in order to stand in holiness (hAflaa).
In the face of God in the world to come, who can stand before His Glory? All? No, not all. But only…. (see next verse) (PV)
23.4 He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain and has not sworn falsely -
e7 He has an unhinged hand and3 is 1pure in his heart, and 4doesn’t waste his whole soul2 and3 doesn’t indulge in flattery and his sincereness:
4. NEKIHAPAYIM UVAR-LEVAV, ASHER LO-NASALASHAIN NAFSHI, VELONISBALEMIRMA.
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נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר־לֵבָב אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נָשָׂא לַשָּׁוְא נַפְשִׁי וְלֹא נִשְׁבַּע לְמִרְמָה׃ |
Innocent hands- freedom from evil deeds
pure heart- freedom from evil desires and intentions.
How important it is to keep your promises by fulfilling them, and how important it is not to associate deception with the name of God. (PV)
But still, innocent hands alone are not enough to enter into communication with God. It is necessary that outward piety be associated with a “pure heart.” True religion resides in the heart. You can wash the outside of the vessel for as long as you like, but if the inside is full of filth and impurity, then we are completely defiled in the eyes of God, for we are our heart, not our hands. We can lose our hands, and this will not prevent us from living, but if we lose our heart, we will lose our life. The source of life is in the heart, so we must keep it pure. Grace must act in a person's heart and influence his actions, otherwise our faith is a deception. (Spurgeon)
To add to Spurgeon: How, if a man has lost " clean hands"(for some reason to do good deeds), life for God does not end there if he still has “ pure heart"(good intentions and desires). But a person is deprived of eternal life, even if he has lost “ dirty hands"(no longer does evil deeds), but continues to have " dirty heart"(has evil intentions and desires). (PV)
Insignificant earthly pleasures should not rule over a person’s soul. Born Again " I did not swear with my soul in vain"(in English - " didn’t give my soul to vanity" — Note. ed.). Each person has his own pleasures in which his soul finds joy. A carnal man delights his soul with carnal pleasures, which are nothing more than vanity. The saint has a passion for more significant things, and, like Jehoshaphat, “does what is right in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 22:43). Anyone who has enough pig horns will be counted among the pigs. If we feed on the breast of this world, which lies in evil, receiving satisfaction and consolation, then we thereby show that we are its true children (children of this world). Does the world satisfy you? If yes, then you have already received your reward; squeeze all the juice out of it, for you will never see other joys. (Spurgeon)
This verse names three human manifestations: action, thought and speech. In all three respects, a person must be blameless: pure in his actions, clear in his heart (thoughts), and faithful in his speech. (Radak)
23.5 [he] will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior.
є7 this will receive a blessing t year and 3 million t bGa sp7sa itsgw2.
5. YISAVERAHAMEET ADONAY, UTSDAKAMEELOhEYISHO.
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יִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת יְהוָה וּצְדָקָה מֵאֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעוֹ׃ |
One should not think that holy people are saved by their own merits. On the contrary, their deeds are evidence that they are truly children of God. This verse shows that the saints live by grace and grace alone. These people wear the royal livery because the King, out of His great love, gave them this robe. A true saint wears wedding clothes, recognizing that he received them from the Master of the feast without money and without payment. (Spurgeon)
23:6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob! (SELAh = forever).
ѕ7 This is a family of both 4sensing people, and 4sensing facesE bGa їakwvlz.
6. ZE DOR DORESHAIN, MEVAKSHEFANEHA YAACOV SELAh.
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זֶה דּוֹר דֹּרְשׁוֹ (דֹּרְשָׁיו); מְבַקְשֵׁי פָנֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה׃ |
The Face of God is like Mercy and Truth in this world. God is love. Those who seek His face seek Truth and Mercy. Those who seek are enlightened by the Light of His Face. Those enlightened by the Light of the Creator become like Him. God makes those who seek His Face like Himself (PV).
And here another translation of the verse is possible (translation by F. Gurfinkel) - This is the generation of those who inquire of the Lord, and these are the sons of Jacob. Ktiv and Cree:
דָּרַשׁ
A(qal): 1. take care, bake;
2. inquire, search;
3. demand, exact;
4. search, search.
B(ni): to be found.
Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord and to the place of His Shrine, with clean hands and a clear heart?
So it was in the days of Solomo, who built the House of the Lord.
Ktiv and Cree: The spelling DORSHO = seeker (singular) refers to the generation as a whole, and the spelling DORSHAV = seekers (in plural) applies to all its representatives. (Radak)
SELA = forever. (see Psalm 3). Such people who seek His Truth, such a generation of those who seek His Face will be SELA = Always. (PV)
23.7 Lift up your heights, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in!
h7 Take up the gates of the prince to yours, and3 take up the gates to the top: and3 the king of glory will enter.
7. SEUSHEARIM RASHHEHEM BEhINASEUPITHEOLAM, VEYAVOMELECHhAKAVOD.
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שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד׃ |
Literal meaning (psat): Rise higher, gate!- this part of the prayer was added during the time of King Shlomo, at the time of the consecration of the Temple, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Holy of Holies. King Solomon himself then said: The heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain You (the Creator), but still I have built a Temple for You. Here this thought is repeated in poetic form: You, the Creator, cannot be contained by any building on earth, and therefore, let the temple gates open to the entrances of eternity, so that the Radiance of the Most High can fill the Temple. (Jud. Com)
Messianic interpretation: The last few verses show our great Substitute, the Messiah, who has fully satisfied the requirements set forth in the first verses and has acquired the full right to ascend the holy mountain of God. The Lord Jesus Christ could ascend the mountain of the Lord because His hands were innocent and His heart was pure. If we are transformed into His image by faith, we will also ascend to God. (Spurgeon)
23.8 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.
and7 Kt0 є3 is this king of glory; Where is strong and strong, Where is strong in battle.
8. MI ZE MELECHhAKAVOD, ADONAI IZUZ VEGIBOR, ADONAI GIBOR MILHAMA.
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מִי זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד יְהוָה עִזּוּז וְגִבּוֹר יְהוָה גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה׃ |
The heavenly powers (princes), as if amazed by such an extraordinary event that they saw a true man in the flesh ascending to heaven, above the heavenly spirits, above the angels and archangels, and, moreover, one who is called the King of Glory, decide to ask: who is this King of Glory ? - and to their question they receive the answer that this is the Mighty, Almighty Lord, to whom all things were subdued, even in heaven and on earth(1 Cor. 15:27), which strong in battle and is the Conqueror of death and hell and the prince of darkness himself.
23.9 Lift up your heights, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in!
f7 Take the gate of the prince to the waz, and3 take the gate to the bcnaz: and3 the king of glory will enter.
9. SEUSHEARIM RASHHEHEM USYUPITHEOLAM, VEYAVOMELECHhAKAVOD.
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שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד׃ |
IN asctic aspect interpretation. What gate? - the gate of our heart, which is controlled by various passions: pride, anger, carnality, laziness, disobedience, hard-heartedness. These passions enslave the human soul and prevent the Lord from entering it and dwelling in it. The princes (of passion) dominate these gates and do not allow the King of glory to enter through them. This is an instruction for a Christian to be worthy of acceptance into the heart of the Lord. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev. 3:20) (Church Fathers).
23.10 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.
‹ Who is this king of glory; gDy si1l, t0y є4st is the king of glory.
10. MIhU ZE MELECHhAKAVOD, ADONAI TsevaoThU MELECHhAKAVOD SELA
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מִי הוּא זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת הוּא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד סֶלָה׃ |
Lord of hosts it must be understood in the sense that people in that generation will be like the Lord’s angels. Now the army means the army of heaven. (Radak)
1 Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord's and what fills it, the universe and everything that lives in it,
2 For He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.
3 Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?
4 He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain and has not sworn falsely -
5 [he] will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob!
7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in!
8 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in!
10 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.
(Ps.23:1-10)
King and prophet David dedicated his life to serving the Lord; he not only sincerely believed, but also spoke about his faith to other nations. David continually praised God and desired to make Jerusalem his home, but the Lord opposed this. But David was able to move the Ark of the Covenant, dedicating several songs to this event, one of which was Psalm 23.
Text of prayer Psalm 23
In Church Slavonic with accents
Psalm to David, one from the Sabbaths
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness, the world, and all who live on it.
2 He founded food on the seas, and prepared food on the rivers.
3 Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who will stand in the place of His saints?
4 He is innocent in hand and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain, and does not swear to his sincere flattery.
5 This one will receive blessings from the Lord, and alms from God his Savior.
6 This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
7 Lift up the gates of your princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle.
9 Lift up the gates of your princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.
In Russian
Psalm of David, on the first day of the week.
1 The earth is the Lord's and the things that fill it, the world and everything that lives in it,
2 For He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.
3 Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?
4 Innocent hands and pure in heart who did not give up his soul to vanity and did not swear with deceit to his neighbor
5 he will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob!
7 Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, O everlasting gates, and the King of Glory will enter.
8 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in!
10 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.
History of writing
The history of writing the psalm refers to events that took place 3000 years ago, even before the birth of Christ. The transfer of the Ark of the Covenant became a great and significant holiday. From the house of Abaddar, the shrine was transferred to storage in the tabernacle, located on one of the hills of Jerusalem, Zion. Several songs of praise were written in honor of this solemn event. The text of Psalm 23 tells of the approach of the ark, accompanied by a long procession, to the gates of the holy city.
When to read Psalm 23?
During church services it is customary to use texts in Old Church Slavonic, but at home it is allowed to read Psalm 23 in Russian. You should dim the light and calm down before reading the prayer, so that extraneous thoughts do not interfere with the sacrament of turning to the Lord. All words and general meaning should be clear, and thoughts should be focused on the song.
Psalm 23 is read without intonation and quietly, but this should be done only at special times, when the state of the soul is close to the content of the text. The song is usually sung to praise the Lord, to express gratitude to God for life and all the blessings given.
Interpretation
To understand the general meaning of the song, you should analyze each verse. Interpretation of Psalm 23:
- Verse 1-2 - these lines say that the Lord created the earth and everything that is on it, which means that all this is in the hands of the Creator and is connected with him. Even the moving element of water does not violate the hardness and strength of the Lord’s earth.
- Verse 3-5 - the author describes a person worthy to take a place next to the Lord, who has earned mercy and forgiveness by living a righteous life and observing the laws of God.
- Verse 6-7 - the words in these verses should be understood as instructions before meeting God. The interpretation is twofold: from a historical point of view, this refers to the upcoming appearance of the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem, from a spiritual point of view, it refers to the meeting with the Lord that awaits everyone after death.
- Verse 8-10 - King David asks who he is - the Lord? And he himself gives the answer to his own question, praising the power of the Lord and thanking him for protecting the Jewish people in multiple wars with ignorant pagans.
Psalm 23, like other songs, is part of the Psalter. Its author was extremely religious person and in any situation, be it happiness or sorrow, he turned to the Lord. Psalm 23 refers to texts that glorify the greatness of the Creator. Let's talk more about this song in this article.
The History of Psalm 23
Most of these religious songs were written by one author, namely the Jewish king David. Each psalm contains an appeal to God as the Creator of everything on earth and as a protector and patron. If you carefully examine the structure of the text and try to understand the meaning, it is easy to notice that Psalm 23 has much in common with Psalm 14. Scientists believe that the reason for their writing was the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. This text was written after the end of David's persecution.
Psalm 23 was written after the end of David's persecution
Interpretation and meaning of prayer
If we talk about general meaning throughout the song, it is addressed to the greatness of the Lord. His holy deeds are glorified and how he created the earth is told. Since the psalm speaks of events that took place when David had already become king, then main goal The song is not a request, but a gratitude. The song itself is quite short compared to others and has only 10 verses. Let's talk about them in more detail:
- Verses 1 and 2 describe the story of the creation of the world. These parts are similar to the first chapters of Genesis.
- Verses 4 and 5 talk about who is worthy to be near God. There are several theories about what David was talking about or about whom. Some scientists believe that we are talking about the Savior, others are sure that it is about ordinary believers.
- Verses 6 and 7 warn people about meeting the Lord. They serve as a reminder that a person can appear before God at any moment.
- The last lines are a kind of question about who God is.
There is a part in the song with these words: “Lift up your heights, O gates.” This is considered a kind of call to people to raise the gates of the city higher. This was necessary for the convenient passage of the procession to Jerusalem to transfer the ark.
Video “Reading Psalm 23”
This video features an audio recording of a prayer written by the prophet David.
How and when to read
In churches the psalm is read in Church Slavonic language. At home you can pronounce the text in Russian.
In churches, prayers are read in Church Slavonic. At home, psalms are read in Russian. A candle is lit in front of the icon.
Text of Psalm 23 in Russian
1 The earth is the Lord's and the things that fill it, the world and everything that lives in it,
2 For He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.
3 Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?
4 He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain and has not sworn falsely [to his neighbor]—
5 he will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob!
7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in!
8 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in!
10 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.
Like any other prayer, the psalm should not be read according to cold calculation. If a person has sincere faith in what he says in his heart, then the Lord will always help.
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