Psalms

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Psalm 24

1 A psalm of David. The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. 2 For he set its foundation upon the seas, and established it upon the ocean currents.⁠ 3 Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may go up to his holy dwelling place? 4 The one whose deeds are blameless who has clean hands and a pure heart^*, who does not lie,⁠ or make promises with no intention of keeping them.⁠ 5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, and vindicated by the God who delivers them. 6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor, Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. (Selah) 7 Look up, you gates. Rise up, you eternal doors.⁠ Then the majestic king will enter.⁠ 8 Who is this majestic king? The Lord who is strong and mighty. The Lord a mighty man in battle.⁠ 9 Look up, you gates. Rise up, you eternal doors. Then the majestic king will enter. 10 Who is this majestic king? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He is the majestic king. (Selah)

Texts in conversation

Compare Book of the Dead 125 and Psalm 24:3

Ancient Near East, Egyptian · Hebrew Bible

Summary

Psalm 24 and the Egyptian Book of the Dead list conditions for entering sacred space, excluding liars, thieves, and the impure, following ancient Near Eastern tradition that the temple is a "heaven on earth," requiring moral and ritual purity to access.

Passages

Book of the Dead 125

Ancient Near East, Egyptian · Egyptian Funerary Text

See me: I have come to you free of wrongdoing, without deceit, innocent and truthful. Do not find me guilty. Let no judgment be rendered against me. I live by what is right; I am filled with honesty of heart. I have done what people expect and what pleases the gods. I have satisfied the god with offerings he loves. I gave bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, and a boat to the shipwrecked. I offered sacrifices to the gods and funerary gifts to the dead. Save me, protect me, and do not bring charges against me before the great god. I am one whose mouth is pure, whose hands are clean. Those who look upon me say, “Come, enter in peace.”

1550 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Book of the Dead

Psalm 24:3

Hebrew Bible

3 Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may go up to his holy dwelling place? 4 The one whose deeds are blameless who has clean hands and a pure heart^*, who does not lie, or make promises with no intention of keeping them. 5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, and vindicated by the God who delivers them. 6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor, Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. (Selah)

600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

References

"... Psalms 15 and 24 stand out as profiles of temple etiquette for Israel, but this type of instruction is known from other Ancient Near Eastern cultures as well. Psalm 24:3–6 poses the question: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?” The answer follows: “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. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of his salvation.” A similar question occurs in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, along with a list of affirmations which the entrant must recite in order to be found acceptable: “I have brought the incense that placates him who resides in it.” And who will arise? “One who is equipped, pure of arm and sweet of tongue, in the mouth without duplicity, and who spits not.” And what shall be done (to him)? “Let him be borne to the tents.” Motifs parallel to Psalms 15:1–3 and 24:3–4 are also found in other cultures: “One pure of hands and who trusts in pure words… (shall enter the temple)” and “Clean of hands and true of tongue, (he) who despises the wicked” ..."

Moshe Weinfeld, “Instructions for Temple Visitors in the Bible and in Ancient Egypt,” Scripta Hierosolymitana 28 (1982): 224–250.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Psalms150 psalms

Compare Book of the Dead 125 and Psalm 24:3

Summary

Passages

Book of the Dead 125

Psalm 24:3

References

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