Psalms
Chapter 24
This psalm says the whole earth and everyone in it belong to the LORD, who set it in place. It then asks who may go up to God's hill and stand in his holy place, and answers: the person with clean hands and an honest heart. The last part calls the city gates to open wide, because the King of glory is coming in, and names him the LORD, strong and mighty in battle.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
1The earth belongs to the LORD, and everything in it. The whole world is his, and all the people who live there.
2For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
2He is the one who set the earth in place above the seas. He made it steady above the deep waters.
3Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
3Who may climb the LORD's hill? Who may stand in his holy place?
4He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
4The person whose hands are clean and whose heart is honest. He does not set his heart on worthless things or make promises he means to break.
"Lifted up his soul unto vanity" in the KJV does not mean being proud. "Vanity" here means something empty and worthless, like a false god.
5He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
5That person will be blessed by the LORD. God, who saves him, will declare that he is in the right.
6This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
6People like this are the ones who look for God. They come searching for your face, God of Jacob. Selah.
The KJV reads "O Jacob," which sounds like the psalm is talking to a man named Jacob. The line is addressed to God, called "the God of Jacob" after Israel's ancestor. "Selah" is an old music word in the psalms; nobody knows for certain what it meant.
7Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
7Open up, you gates! Lift yourselves high, you ancient doors! The King of glory is coming in.
8Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
8Who is this King of glory? It is the LORD, strong and powerful. It is the LORD, mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
9Open up, you gates! Lift yourselves high, you ancient doors! The King of glory is coming in.
10Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
10Who is this King of glory? The LORD who commands the armies of heaven. He is the King of glory. Selah.
"LORD of hosts" is an old title. "Hosts" means armies, so the name means the LORD who leads the armies of heaven.
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