Psalm 24:1 ¶ «A Psalm of David.» The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
David’s acknowledgement that the earth and its inhabitants are the
sole possession and property of the Lord God is a very important and
fundamental doctrine of the Bible. In verse 2 he also states an important
scientific fact that can be gleaned from the clear statements of Genesis as
well as the limited understanding of modern science.
Genesis 1:9 ¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 7:11 In the six
hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the
month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the
windows of heaven were opened.
Psalm
95:5 The sea is his, and he made it: and
his hands formed the dry land.
Theoretical
scientists presume as much or more water under the earth’s crust as above it,
in the oceans.[1]
Skeptics used to ask where did this water from underneath come from and where
did it go after the Flood. Those whose faith was solid did not worry about this
question as they should not worry so much about any question regarding the
Bible’s accuracy. If science is diligent it may catch up to the Bible in each
point of question.
Scientists now
believe that there is enough water under the ground to cover the continents in
600 feet of water if it were above the ground, according to a November 17, 2015
news article on The Christian Science Monitor website.[2] A
March 12, 2014 article on the Scientific American website also confirmed that
scientists believe there is as much water in the earth’s mantle in a particular
zone as there is in the earth’s oceans.[3]
Psalm 24:3 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
David’s context for this passage suggests his longing to build God’s temple on Mount Moriah, where Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac, the hill of the LORD.
Psalm 68:15 ¶ The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan. 16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
Who then, under the dispensation of the Old Testament, of the Law given to Moses, is worthy to enter into the Lord’s house? That question David answers.
Prophetically, this shows those who are purified not by their own works but by Christ’s righteousness. Justified by Christ the Christian has been made clean and pure as God sees them through the lens of His own perfection and holiness.
Again, I can’t help but be turned back to Psalm 22, referenced by Christ from the Cross.
Psalm 22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Personally, we have a call to how we are to act as Christians. We will never be worthy apart from Christ to stand in God’s dwelling place. But we should aspire to live as God would have us live.
Titus 2:11 ¶ For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
We are given guidance as to what a person of God looks like, how they act. There are many clear admonitions in the Psalms and the rest of the Bible as to what God commends as living as He wants us to live. It is a challenge for many of us.
Psalm 24:7 ¶ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall 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 ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
David makes an interesting declaration in verse 7. John Gill notes that early Jewish interpreters said David was referring to the gates and the doors of the temple that Solomon would build and in which God would dwell with His people. David had wanted to build the temple but was denied that honor. See 1Chronicles, chapters 17 and 22.
God would dwell with His people, the Israelites.
1Chronicles 13:6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
It is important to note that this is a strong indicator of the intention to build a temple for God
Prophetically, the Holy Spirit uses figures of speech to personify concepts for us elsewhere such as in the writings of Paul.
Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The idea is used in Job as well.
Job 28:12 But where shall
wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. 14 ¶ The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
God’s glory would fill the temple Solomon built.
2Chronicles 7:1 ¶ Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.
But this is a strong reference to Christ in His Millennial reign. Christ is the entry door to salvation and life eternal. Notice how he likens Himself to the door of a sheepfold for His followers, His sheep.
John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
This figure of speech is confirmed by several commentators I’ve read.
For us personally, this should be a reminder of what is to come,
the entry of the triumphant king of the universe into the world to take control
of the earth. We might possibly pray this to look ahead to eternity when we
abide with our Creator for ever.
[1] Mark Prigg, “Revealed:The vast reservoir hidden beneath
the Earth's crust that holds as much water as ALL of the oceans,”
DailyMail.com, March 12, 2014.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2579584/The-vast-reservoir-hidden-Earths-crust-holds-water-ALL-oceans.html#ixzz47Uti24Se
[2]
Lucy Schouten, “Scientists Tally Earth’s Hidden Mega-stashes of Groundwater,” The Christian Science Monitor, November
17, 2015 (accessed July, 28, 2016).
[3]
Becky Oskin, “Rare Diamond Confirms that Earth’s Mantle Holds an Ocean’s Worth
of Water,” Scientific American, March
12, 2014 (accessed July 28, 2016).
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