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24 ‎[1] **By David, a psalm. The earth is the Lord’s, and all that it holds, **namely, **the world and all its inhabitants. **
‎[2] **For He founded it upon the seas. **The terrain of the earth towers over the ocean below, as a building rises above its foundations.** And **He **established it upon the rivers. **The water flowing in the rivers has its origin in subterranean springs.
‎[3] The focal point of the earth, its spiritual apex, is the Temple Mount, concerning which the psalmist asks: **Who may **be considered worthy to **ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? **In this verse, and throughout the psalm, the “mountain of the Lord” refers both to the visible, physical Temple and to the concept of spiritual holiness on high, something that is beyond the physical world.
‎[4] The psalmist answers the question posed in the preceding verse:* ***He who has clean hands and a pure heart, **one who is beyond reproach both in his deeds and in his thoughts; **he who has not raised up his soul for falsehood.**** **He does not yearn for the attainment of false, corrupt goals. **Nor** has he** sworn deceitfully. **In its plain sense, “sworn deceitfully” refers to a person who is not engaged in actual evil deeds but allows himself to sin through false speech, even swearing a false oath. The phrase can also be translated more literally as “nor sworn for deceit.” Not only is the virtuous man pure in deed and thought, as mentioned above, but he does not become involved in deceit practiced by others, through supporting them or obligating himself to ally with them through a covenantal oath.
‎[5] **He, **the virtuous man described above,** will receive the blessing of the Lord, righteousness from the God of his deliverance. **
‎[6] Of such people it may be said: **This is the generation of those who seek Him out, **who desire to follow His ways,** who seek Your countenance, the people of Jacob, Selah. **
‎[7] Until this point, the psalm has described those worthy of entering and worshipping in the Holy Temple; among their characteristics are modesty and humility. The psalmist now depicts God’s entrance to His Holy Temple, in grandeur and majesty.** **He addresses the gates of the Temple: **Lift up your heads, gates; be raised up, infinite portals, **as is befitting for the entrance of a visitor of great stature, **so the King of glory may enter. **
‎[8] **Who is the King of glory **that I refer to? Not a human warrior or a mortal of great renown, but** **rather **the Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, **who enters His palace in the manner of a warrior **mighty in battle, **entering in triumphal procession.** **
‎[9] The psalmist repeats his stirring call to the gates of entry to the Temple: **Lift up your heads, gates; raise yourselves up, infinite portals, so the King of glory may enter. **
‎[10] **Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, **the Ruler over all forces on earth and in the heavens, **He is the King of glory, Selah.**
Version: The Steinsaltz Tanakh - English
Source: https://korenpub.com/collections/the-steinsaltz-tanakh/products/steinsaltz-tanakh
License: Copyright: Steinsaltz Center