2021-07-27 – Considering the Bible

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book. Lets read it before we consider the message the psalmist is communicating

Psalm 24:1-10
1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

Such a rich psalm.

This psalm speaks of the Lord’s ownership the earth/land, of all things on/in the earth/land , and all that dwell in the world.

I start off with these either/or statements since it is not clear (at least to me) what exactly the psalmist is referring to in the first verse.

The hebrew word (‘ereṣ) translated earth could be translated two different ways, that is “earth” or “land”. As a matter of fact, ereṣ is translated as “land” twice as many times as “earth” in the Old Testament. I know that proves nothing, but it was surprising when I first found this out.

If the term is to be understood as land, does that imply that the Lord only owns the “land” of Israel, which would be understood by the ancients? Not at all, since the psalmist, within the very first verse qualifies the extent of the LORD’s ownership, by stating He owns “the world” and all that dwell therein.

So, if my understanding is correct, the psalmist is telling me…

The land of Israel is the LORD’s, and all that is therein, but not only that, He owns the entire world, and every body/soul on it!

He is not a simple or tiny god that oversees a nation, or a people group, but He is the LORD who owns His people, and even those who know him not.

This psalm is so rich, that when I first sat down to consider this passage, my eyes were drawn to verses 3 – 6 to discuss. Alas, this portion will have to await for my next blog, since I have found a blessing in the first verse that I would like to dwell on for the day.

Hope you also, in considering this passage, experience a fleeting glimpse of the LORD and the extent of His possessions. The implications can be life changing!