What does Psalms Chapter 23 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The psalm declares the world and its inhabitants the Lord’s. It answers who may stand in His holy place with innocence, a clean heart and an honest oath. Repeated gate summons identify the coming King of Glory as the Lord of hosts.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Domini est terra. The separate heading concerns who shall ascend to heaven and Christ's triumphant ascension there. The inscription says the first day of the week, for David. The psalm declares the earth, its fullness, world and inhabitants the Lord's, founded upon seas and prepared upon rivers. It does not specify chaotic waters or the historical occasion of an Ark procession.

It asks who shall ascend the Lord's mountain or stand in His holy place. The answer describes innocent hands, a clean heart, a soul not taken in vain and no deceitful oath to a neighbor. Such a person shall receive blessing and mercy from God his Savior. This is the generation seeking Him and the God of Jacob's face. The text states these qualifications without contrasting them with sacrificial ritual or heritage.

Twice it calls princes to lift their gates and eternal gates to be lifted for the King of Glory to enter. The first question identifies Him as the Lord strong and mighty, mighty in battle; the second as the Lord of hosts, King of Glory. No watchmen, choral performers or completed earthly enthronement scene are identified.

The story inside

Opening: The psalm declares the world and its inhabitants the Lord’s. Development: It answers who may stand in His holy place with innocence, a clean heart and an honest oath. Conclusion: Repeated gate summons identify the coming King of Glory as the Lord of hosts.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The psalm declares the world and its inhabitants the Lord’s.
2
It answers who may stand in His holy place with innocence, a clean heart and an honest oath.
3
Repeated gate summons identify the coming King of Glory as the Lord of hosts.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 59015–59020
23:1. On the first day of the week, a psalm for David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein. 23:2. For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.
Lines 59022–59032
23:3. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place? 23:4. The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour. 23:5. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour. 23:6. This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lines 59034–59044
23:7. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in. 23:8. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle. 23:9. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in. 23:10. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.