Psalm 24--A Heavenly Ascent

Many of the psalms deal with temple themes and Psalm 24 is one of the finest. The overall scriptural purpose of the temple is to come back into God's presence. This psalm covers several temple themes in just a few verses.

The Creation

Central to the temple are the pillars of eternity--Creation, Fall, and Atonement. The first two verses of this psalm speak of creation:

"The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

"For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods" (Psalm 24:1-2).

Notice the double parallelism with the words founded and established paired together, and seas and floods paired together. Water, in the context of a flood, represents chaotic, unorganized matter. But God was able to organize such element into a complete world for the benefit of mankind who would dwell therein.

Foundation

The Hebrew word for founded in verse 2 is the same as the noun form of foundation used three times in 1 Kings 5-7. In First Kings it's used to describe the foundation of the temple. In scriptural terms a foundation is a meeting point between heaven and earth, and defines a major purpose of the temple. In Jacob's dream there is a ladder (or staircase) connecting heaven and earth with messengers ascending and descending (see Genesis 28:12).

Many Bible scholars refer to a "foundation stone" as a focal point or sacred center. It is believed by many to be the first land appearing after the waters of creation receded. The foundation stone was centered on the Temple Mount, in the center of Jerusalem, which would be the center of Israel, which would be the center of the world. The Holy of Holies would be in the center of the temple.

Ascent to the Holy

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?" (v. 3).

The temple is often represented in scripture as hill, mount, or mountain. The "mountain of the Lord’s house," as a prophecy of the latter-day temple, is a prime example. The ascent upward toward sacred space is in likeness to our mortal walk, as we journey back to the presence of God. You may notice in Psalms 120 through 134 an introduction to each psalm announcing it as a "song of degrees." As ancient Israelites approached the sacred center of Jerusalem, they sang these hymns as they were making their ascent to the temple, and these were sung at the three required feasts of Passover (or Unleavened Bread), Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and Feast of Tabernacles. They ascended the temple mount in degrees (or steps). 

The commandment to "stand in holy places" and be not moved is an ongoing temple theme (see D&C 45:32; 87:8). 

Pure Heart and Clean Hands

Psalm 24, verse 4 answers the question of the previous verse of who may ascend to God's holy house:

"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."

Footnote b of this verse sends us to 1 Timothy 2:8, which reads, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." This describes a gesture of praise called the "Hallel Gesture" in ancient Israel. It is what Bible scholars call "a gesture of approach." As the worshiper approaches God there are at least three symbolic purposes. 

First, it is a prayer gesture as the worshiper petitions deity. 

Second, the person "spreads forth (his or her) hands" toward God. In Isaiah the Lord declares, "And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 1:15). Note the verse here also speaks of "many prayers." The uplifted hands reveal to God that our hands are clean, although not in the above Isaiah verse, as the Lord sees blood on the hands. This gesture also exposes the chest cavity and reveals a pure heart. Alma asks, "I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?" (Alma 5:19).

Third, it represents our surrender to Him. The verse in First Timothy describes the uplifted holy hands as being "without wrath and doubting." Our "confidence (can) wax strong in the presence of God" (D&C 121:45). We approach God with peaceful intent. The open hand hides no weapons, while the clenched fist represents a defiance of authority. We completely surrender our own will and say, "Thy will be done" (Matthew 26:42).

The Generation Seeks His Face

Verse 6 declares, "This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob."

Face is a leitwort (theme word) denoting the presence of God. The table of shewbread in the ancient tabernacle was "presence bread" or "bread of the face." Remember, the purpose of the temple is to prepare us to come into the presence of God. 

The word generation is very interesting in this context. The Hebrew word (dowr) means circuit or cycle (see Strong's H1755). It is translated as generation here because a generation is a repeating cycle of life. But the Hebrew root of this word (duwr) means "to go in a circle." This could represent a prayer circle seeking the presence of the Lord. 

This could be reminiscent of a scene among the Nephites in the Book of Mormon:

"So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him" (3 Nephi 17:12).

Keeper of the Gate

Psalm 24 ends with a dialog:

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in" (v. 7).

A question is then posed: "Who is this King of glory?" (vv. 8-10). The keeper of the gate would ask such a question to test the petitioner. The temple is the gate of heaven. After Jacob has a dream at Bethel (meaning "house of God"), he said, "This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17).

And another Jacob (in the Book of Mormon) describes the gate and the keeper of the gate:

"O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name" (2 Nephi 9:41).

And thus, the only way back to God's presence is through the ordinances of the holy temple.