home Psychotests Psalm 23 of David from the Old Testament interpretation. Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament. Psalter. for He founded it on the seas and established it on rivers

Psalm 23 of David from the Old Testament interpretation. Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament. Psalter. for He founded it on the seas and established it on rivers

“The earth is the Lord’s and what fills it, the universe and everything that lives in it.” I wonder if the church has a correct understanding of what this verse says about God?

This is an amazing statement and there is always the possibility that it will fly over our ears as some biblical rhetoric, a sweet word to the ear, and that its content will therefore be lost to us.

The land is the Lord's because "He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers." In other words, the Earth and everything living on it is the Lord’s, because He is its Creator. What God produces is His and belongs to Him for His purposes.

Imagine announcing to humanity that all their territories, which they called by their national names, are in fact the Lord's and exist for His purposes. Those who live on it live on it for His sake, and not for their own sake.

This is so astounding in all its fundamental truth that it requires thorough audacity, not only to believe it, but also to proclaim it. We must allow only the Word of God to instruct us, and what God says about the earth and the world is the truth. And we need to be conscious of what this means for ourselves and for those who live on earth.

The psalmist says that He established the earth “on the seas and on the rivers.” It sounds like poetry, but the deepest truth is presented here. Rivers (streams) and seas always symbolize the primitive and ancient enemies of God. What He has established upon them is His triumph over every hostile force that opposes God. He has won something by His greatness from the powers of darkness who compete and compete with Him over whose land it is.

We must be careful not to allow this concept to become mere scientific fact or technical information. This is the highest spiritual reflection and truly the whole basis of reality and existence itself.

We must strive for the significance of the earth as the property of the Lord, and the world, and those living in it, and not allow it to be reduced by the world to banality. The whole psalm is given, among other things, to lift up the church to God's appointed purpose, and perhaps that is why it begins with this fundamental statement.

“Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?”

Unless a deeply rooted understanding of God as Creator becomes the foundation of our existence, ascension is impossible. This is more than simply accepting the truth that the earth and the world belong to the Lord.

It's being in that reality, and then from there we can talk about going up to the mountain of the Lord. The pronoun "who" in the expressions "Who will ascend the mountain" and "who will become" implies that there are a few. And maybe the only one is actually the Lord Himself, and that only those who can be partners with Him are those who are in Him.

This implies that it is not for many, but for few. And it is as if God is challenging: “Who dares to climb this mountain?” And then a demand is given.

“He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who did not swear with his soul in vain and did not swear falsely (did not lift up his soul to vanity and did not swear to deceit - English, Hebrew)”

Innocent hands and a pure heart require a conscious decision of the will. Innocent hands are something external. A pure heart is something internal. Therefore, the fundamental requirement for every ascendant is at least this minimum requirement.

Clean hands are not those who dealt with deeds that were offensive in the eyes of God. And we need to turn to the Blood often to cleanse those hands, even if we have unintentionally indulged in something that was disrespectful to God.

Do we pray: “Purify our heart as You are pure.” This should always be a daily prayer. There is a constant process of purification going on because attacks on the purity of the heart are carried out daily.

Much hangs in the atmosphere in what we say, hear and respond.

And the main place in the church where the cleansing process takes place is among our brothers. He is available to us in the God-given relationship with the saints in the organic reality of what is called “the church.”

If we don't find purity of heart in this place, we simply won't find it. In the church, God meets, identifies and shows us things that challenge the purity of the heart, and where He will work on it and speak. And this can be whenever the Word of God is proclaimed, whether in a Bible study, morning service, or even in conversation.

The pure heart that we think will come in monastic isolation is a deception. It is in the church that we are brought to the awareness of those places where we are unclean, and only then can we accept the correction, admonition and reproof necessary for a pure heart.

The most precious provision that God has given to the saints is correction in the Body of Christ through the work of God by the Spirit. Until we know what this provision is - and, thank God for it - we will never achieve this purity. The book of Proverbs is full of references to those who are grateful for God's chastisement, correction, and discipline.

Only fools and despisers are reluctant to accept correction. But the saints recognize that this is a very great and necessary provision from God, otherwise we will not ascend the holy mountain.

A pure heart means that there is no impurity in it. This is the problem. There are literally legions of things that influence us: mixed motivations and desires, mixed ambitions, contempt and criticism of other people or ministries.

This is a sensitive issue and I am always deeply reserved when the topic comes to discuss other ministries. Perhaps it is to some extent necessary in this age of deception to find out and speak often with each other in the fear of the Lord about what is deception in our age, but this is always risky in that we ourselves may become tainted. And when I am involved in such conversations, I always and without exception pray:

“Lord, by Your Blood cleanse me now from everything unintentional that has entered, even with the necessary and correct discussion of other people and ministries in our age. For we know that there is a subtle temptation to exalt oneself at the expense of another.

Therefore, Lord, whatever the need for this study, protect my heart, and let Your Blood wash away everything that I do not know about and to which I have surrendered.” It is precisely this kind of diligent attention that a pure heart requires.

What do we say about “failure to ascend to the vanity of your soul?” It's like choosing between two things: either you lift your soul to the Lord, or you lift it to futility. But the key to what we allow our souls to do is ourselves. Vanity, of course, means something vain, something that does not bring benefit. But for those who wish to climb this mountain, it is not simply a matter of surrendering their souls to something carnal.

What will encroach upon us will most likely be biblical and even spiritual, if He Himself has not called us to it. There is something in a person that welcomes the dedication of the soul to something for the special joy of achieving something with it.

For example, we can find delight in the book of Daniel and the study of prophecies that are themselves valid. But if we pursue it with a view to the specific satisfaction of our soul in the process of this investigation, I would say that it risks being a vanity.

While it is legitimate and biblical, and worthy of investigation, if it is a subtle means by which our soul is lifted up to a satisfaction that would not come to us through the flesh, then it is a futile endeavor.

This is how demanding and exacting the climb must be. Ascent means overcoming gravity and every force that wants to keep us on the earthly plain. Those who can ascend the holy mountain of God and can stand before the Lord are those who are so demanding and attentive to what they commit their souls to.

We should not be controlled by our inclinations, or surrender our souls to them because of the satisfaction we desire to receive. We need the Lord Himself to guide us and we need to be careful in ascending, because the question is still “Who will ascend.”

Who is THAT attentive and THAT interested in their soul? Who is so interested in a fraudulent oath?

These phrases are so comprehensive. This does not simply mean swearing a false oath or taking the Lord's name in vain. This is the most flagrant and obvious form of an oath to deceive.

Any use of language that is false, although correct, but used for false purposes is an oath to deceive. This is an abuse of the privilege of speaking and using words.

He who wishes to ascend the mountain of God must be as attentive to what he says as to what his soul delights in. That is why only a few will ascend to this holy place. As we will see later,
it is not simply a matter of individuals achieving a certain desired place before God.

It is a matter of opening the gates for the King of Glory to enter. This is how Psalm 23 ends. It begins with “The Land of the Lord” and ends with the King of Glory standing at the gate. He cannot yet enter, for the meaning is, “Who will go up the mountain to remove the bolt that opens the gate, so that the King of Glory may enter? Whose hands are clean and whose heart is pure to ascend to this place?

For the question of the coming of the King of Glory is not only His desire and satisfaction, but the salvation of the world. The King of Glory waits at the gate, but it is the GATE that prohibits entry. Where is the connection here? The key to opening the gate is found in the address to him in the last verses of this Psalm:

“Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in.”

Does God speak to an inanimate object? Is He really talking to a literal gate made of iron or a door made of wood? Or can this verse be understood as a hint that WE AS THE CHURCH ARE THIS GATE? Are we the gate and the key, therefore, to the coming of the Lord Himself as the King of Glory on His own Earth? Isn't that why He turns to US?

The Lord stands and limits Himself, waiting for the gate to open, for the door to be opened by those who MAKE this door or gate, and which can only be opened by ascending the holy mountain.

Our entry into this kind of relationship with the Lord is a matter of the entry of the King of Glory. What makes Him the King of Glory is His desire to limit Himself, and wait, and trust those who will ascend this mountain at His invitation.

He could have done it without us, but what glorifies God is His use of us, not that we are an afterthought. But He uses a metaphor as if we ourselves are the gate and door for His entry. What is prohibited? “Open, open,” but how, but with what? By climbing this mountain with clean hands and a pure heart, without giving up your soul to vanity or using your lips in a deceitful manner.

So here we need vigilance, and I would even say sacrifice, offering. This is the Cross. And perhaps we will not do this for our own satisfaction, unless we know that this is also the key for the entrance of the King of Glory to bless humanity, which does not know that the Earth and the world and those who live in it are the Lord's.

“This is the generation of those who question Him, who seek Your face, the family of Jacob. Sela" (Hebrew, English)

The word "genus" means a forty-year period. But in this context it means a certain type or special quality of an individual. Who will rise? The same one who will ask the Lord. And although I do not know what your experience is, my experience in seeking and questioning the Lord tells me that there is no more strenuous and demanding activity before us as believers.

It's as if absolutely everything is against us. I'm not just talking about phone calls and other distractions. Our flesh resists and does not want. And then God goes even further: “seek His face.”

So no one can see the face of God and live. It's like an invitation to death. In fact, if you seek the Lord this way, it IS an invitation to death!

To seek the Lord is to experience some event in the soul. Something happens in the search because it is too contrary to everything that is in the flesh and in the soul. The very activity and desire to seek Him has the potential to purify the soul.

And we remain in a desolate state due to lack of effort to climb the holy mountain and seek the Lord. Notice that it does not say to seek the Lord for any good, but rather to “seek Him.”

Thus, the search is different from the search. And for most of us, if we engage in questioning in any way, it is because of problems that we are facing, because of questions, because of a need that we want the Lord to answer and solve.

But that is not what Scripture says. It says “ask Him, seek His face.” There is another state, another quality of seeking beyond what pertains to our need, and only a few will seek the Lord for His own sake.

That is why it is said: “This is the race, this is the type of believer who will reach the holy mountain.” And at this time, the King of Glory is waiting for exactly this to happen.

Time itself wars against such a decisive quest, and our inner disposition does not give us incentive. It will take ruthlessness towards the flesh, laziness, indifference, negligence, and spiritual self-satisfaction.

Maybe we are too pleased with ourselves, or we think we have achieved, or at least we are heads and shoulders above and better than this or that. All of this works against rising to seek the Lord.

Therefore, we need to pray about God’s dissatisfaction with where we are and what we have, and find out that we are so lacking in what will still allow the King of Glory to enter. We ourselves will not have the order and discipline to make time for the Lord, which will find ourselves in the quiet time of the early morning spent to seek Him, not for gain, but for Himself, if we have none already, discipline.

If we don't have discipline in other and ordinary aspects of life, do you think we will find discipline for this? There is very little need for discipline in our lives, or even an understanding of the meaning of the word.

The root of the English word "discipline" (disciple) is the same as that of "discipline". You don't become a student without some measure of order, organization, attentiveness, dedication. This is all discipline to the flesh, which is lazy, slow, indifferent, careless and fickle.

Discipline is a requirement for climbing this mountain in spite of every impulse that wants to hold us back. It is the enemy's design and strategy to not only keep our spiritual life to a minimum, but also to keep the King of Glory from entering.

“Who is this King of glory? “The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.”

He is strong and strong, but He will not break in on the basis of His Strength and Strength. He waits at the gate and at the door so that the one whose hands are clean and who can climb the mountain and remove the bolt will allow the King of Glory to enter.

This is what glorifies God: that He does not use His Strength and Power to achieve His purposes. He expects us to participate with Him, for that is what glorifies Him. There is no visible glory without a temple. God requires a home. We are this building.

There is no such glorification of God in His coming to the earth that He created, except through the instruments of His choice, the beggars whom He took from the rubbish heaps, and whom He set with princes. He is glorified by what He accomplishes and achieves through those He has saved. In fact, this entire psalm is an invitation to remind us that His power will produce any effect if we present the willingness of our self.

Karl Barth, the Swiss theologian, asks: “This is the right word, but why does it enlighten us so little? Why doesn't it penetrate our ears and leave our lips? Why do we not rise and stand, even in the midst of those needs that surround us in a holy place. Why is this not true and real to us? Why don’t we live by this word “The Land of the Lord”? Why do we live as if this is not true, if it is true?

We live our days as if not a single ray of light will open. How meager are our words. How darkened our spirits are. How little we seem to be able to answer the great need and darkness of our times, that the earth is the Lord's.

Even our Christian words, our sermons, our observations are helplessly stumbling and lacking light and spirit. The saddest thing of all is that we hear and speak the Word of God as if it were only the word of man: it no longer has its unique power and meaning.”

Barth continues: “Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and who is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek His face? Such earnest striving for the truth or abundant prayer is in vain, because we will never please God in these ways. The holiest thing is missing, although we talk about it a lot.

Such deep respect for the greatness of God, such truly reverent respect is a feeling of lack... Experiencing the lack of this sincere premise of knowing God, not what I think, intend, and say, but only His name, His Kingdom, His will...

And when it is a lack, it is not only a lack of something, but a lack of everything. When there is this feeling of lack, then nothing will achieve the goal, everything is an unclear and empty teaching, even if it is ten times true.”

Only a pure heart can desire to ascend. If we have no desire, this is ipso facto evidence that our hearts are not pure. If they were pure, we would have a desire from God to ascend. We have allowed a mixture of many things. Our first prayer should have been to ask the Lord to purify our hearts as He Himself is pure.

We need to ask Him to cleanse our hearts of everything that hardens them and keeps them from wanting what He wants. We cannot even correctly recognize what is associated with our heart, but we know that if we lack the desire to ascend, and we do not see ourselves included in this “Who,” then this is evidence of impurity.

I wish that Israel and the Palestinians would bow to this word, who at this moment in time are contesting each other's possession of the (Holy) Land. It is the Lord's, and He will give it to whom He wills, when He wills, and on the terms He wills.

But the very fact that they argue and compete about it shows that they are outside the context of this statement, and they are outside it, because we as a church are outside it.

In fact, this squabbling and arguing that is now going on in Israel cannot be smoothed over or settled by anything less than the revelation of God in His glory as King. No diplomacy and negotiations will work, only the revelation of God, who created the earth and everything in it, coming as the King of Glory, can bring a resolution to this conflict, which threatens to tear apart not only the Middle East, but the entire world.

The problems of this age are of such a nature that only revelation and the actual coming of the King in His Glory can solve them. If God is not God and is not revealed in glory as the Creator, and that the earth is the Lord, and the fullness of it, and those who live on it, then there is no hope for humanity.

Recognizing God as Creator requires submission to the One who created. This is so critical and God puts all the emphasis on the “gate” and “door” that will open to allow His entry, which is us as the church in right relationship with Him on the holy mountain.

The world does not know that the earth is the Lord's. He sees it only as a geophysical accident, and not as a result of His creation. Likewise, the church did not properly recognize that its physical life belonged to the Lord.

We are dust, and therefore we are the Lord's. We are as much His creation as the physical “terra firma” on which we are placed. But if we do not live as if our bodies belong to the Lord, then how can we expect the world to understand that the greatness of the Earth is the Lord's? The question is us.

It is one thing to recognize in our minds that this piece of land is the Lord’s, but do we live in the truth of this recognition? And if this is all His, then it is His to guide and use, Him to do as He wants.

If we ourselves usurp, control and direct our lives and intentions, we are contrary to God's witness to the whole earth. Therefore, the Earth remains in the dark about whose it is, because we as a church do not testify to it that our own land is the Lord's.

I want to pray that we will hear this as the Word of God speaking to our careless Christian mentality and attitude that has never even thought of climbing the holy mountain of God.

This was not the priority nor the intention, and yet it can be said that the redemption of mankind awaits the entry of the King of Glory. He will not use His strength and power to do this, but waits until the gates are opened only by those who can ascend the mountain with a pure heart and clean hands, and without giving themselves up to futility.

This is a decisive requirement for the church and it is also a matter of the Glory of God for humanity. They need to know that “the earth is the Lord’s and they who dwell in it.”

Prayer.

Lord, I speak on behalf of our entire body and myself. We were lazy, indifferent, careless and content only with what was right in words. We ask, God, that you would speak to us through this psalm and through these comments, so that we may be part of a generation that inquires of the Lord and seeks His face.

We want to indulge in a quest that requires effort and which is itself a kind of death. And the very effort of this search is in itself a cleansing agent that will bring our hearts, God, to a state that gives us the strength to ascend.

We know we need frequent, if not constant, reminders. For the world, the flesh, and the devil seem to have such a powerful influence in giving our church life such a banal atmosphere, such a predictable daily appearance of ordinary quality.

There is such a lack of intensity, Lord, sincere desire, intention to ascend, and we thank you, Lord, that you give us an invitation. You are waiting to be looked for. And so, dear God, help us. Shake us in the depths.

Let us see the shallowness of our self-satisfaction, the lack of zeal for God, and what is at stake in the King of Glory, to reveal that glory in His creation.

Speak to us, O Lord, as to the gates and doors that hold You, waiting for those innocent hands that will rise up and draw back the bolt to open what prevents You and Your glory from entering Your creation. Thank You for Your zealous love, which will not leave us, which knows the truth of our heart and condition.

You know that we do not move from faith to faith, on the contrary, we are inert and predictable in what we are. No climbing. Awaken us, come, Lord, we pray. Arouse us in the inner man. Thank You that You have provided this ability to fulfill and that You have gone ahead and that there are tracks that we can follow and follow.

In the name of Jesus. Amen!

Psalm 23, like other songs, is part of the Psalter. Its author was an extremely religious person and in any situation, be it happiness or sorrow, he turned to the Lord. Psalm 23 refers to texts that glorify the greatness of the Creator. Let's talk more about this song in this article.

The History of Psalm 23

Most of these religious songs were written by one author, namely the Jewish king David. Each psalm contains an appeal to God as the Creator of everything on earth and as a protector and patron. If you carefully examine the structure of the text and try to understand the meaning, it is easy to notice that Psalm 23 has much in common with Psalm 14. Scientists believe that the reason for their writing was the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. This text was written after the end of David's persecution.

Psalm 23 was written after the end of David's persecution

Interpretation and meaning of prayer

If we talk about the general meaning of the entire song, then it is addressed to the greatness of the Lord. His holy deeds are glorified and how he created the earth is told. Since the psalm talks about the events that took place when David had already become king, the main purpose of the song is not a request, but gratitude. The song itself is quite short compared to others and has only 10 verses. Let's talk about them in more detail:

Verses 1 and 2 describe the story of the creation of the world. These parts are similar to the first chapters of Genesis.
Verses 4 and 5 talk about who is worthy to be near God. There are several theories about what David was talking about or about whom. Some scientists believe that we are talking about the Savior, others are sure that it is about ordinary believers.
Verses 6 and 7 warn people about meeting the Lord. They serve as a reminder that a person can appear before God at any moment.
The last lines are a kind of question about who God is.

There is a part in the song with these words: “Lift up your heights, O gates.” This is considered a kind of call to people to raise the gates of the city higher. This was necessary for the convenient passage of the procession to Jerusalem to transfer the ark.

Video “Reading Psalm 23”

This video features an audio recording of a prayer written by the prophet David.

How and when to read

In churches, the psalm is read in Church Slavonic. At home you can pronounce the text in Russian.

In churches, prayers are read in Church Slavonic. At home, psalms are read in Russian. A candle is lit in front of the icon.

Text of Psalm 23 in Russian

1 The earth is the Lord's and the things that fill it, the world and everything that lives in it,

2 For He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.

3 Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?

4 He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain and has not sworn falsely [to his neighbor]—

5 he will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob!

7 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in!

8 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in!

10 Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.

Like any other prayer, the psalm should not be read according to cold calculation. If a person has sincere faith in what he says in his heart, then the Lord will always help.

The similarity (in content) between this psalm and Psalm 14 is striking (compare Ps. 23:3-4 with Ps. 14:1,3). There is an assumption that both of them were written regarding the transfer of the ark of the covenant from the house of Abeddar to the tabernacle built in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6); This will be discussed in more detail when analyzing the text.

A. Ascent to the Sanctuary (23:1-6)

Ps. 23:1-2. This doxology is expressed in recognition of the fact of the creation of the universe by the Lord and the fact that “founded and established” by Him, it belongs only to Him.

Ps. 23:3-4. The psalmist asks the question of who has the right to “ascend” to Zion, the mountain of the Lord, where His “dwelling place” is, and to stand in His holy place. (Perhaps during the divine service the answer (verses 4-6) was supposed to be given to the priests.) Only he has the right to this who does not sin in his actions (has “innocent hands”) and is pure in his heart, who does not give false oaths and does not violate the oath given to them.

Ps. 23:5-6. Only such people, from the “race” of those who seek the face of the God of Jacob, only they can hope for His mercy and blessing.

B. The King of Glory is Coming (23:7-10)

Ps. 23:7. The psalmist's exclamation in verse 7, repeated in verse 9, speaks in favor of the assumption that this psalm was written on the occasion of the bringing of the ark into Jerusalem (introduction to the commentary). Raise your tops, gates... The gates in ancient eastern cities were low, but their upper part was liftable. If we remember that the Levites carried the ark, the lid of which was decorated with cherubs, on their shoulders, it becomes clear that they could not enter them with their sacred burden: they had to raise the “tops of the gates.” The gates are called “eternal” because of their antiquity.

The place of the Lord’s symbolic “dwelling” was the lid of the ark: He “sat” on its cherubim. The more noble the person entering the gate, the more spacious his path should have been. But there was no one “more noble” than the Lord. Hence the solemn and jubilant “address” of King David to the ancient gates of Jerusalem is emphasized: rise up, eternal doors, and the King of glory will enter!

Ps. 23:8-10. An explanation follows of who this King of glory is: the Lord mighty and strong, the Lord who gives victory in battles (mighty in battle). The psalmist emphasizes the solemnity of the moment with deliberate repetitions: compare verses 7 and 9; verse 8 and 10.

David was an extremely devoted man to the Lord. He always trusted in Him and wanted to glorify his Creator. His main desire was to build a house for the Lord in Jerusalem, but because of the sin of adultery, God did not allow him to do this. All I could do was move the ark of the covenant and write down a few psalms on this occasion.

Other psalms of King David:

Psalm 23 is one of the songs of glory that David dedicated to God as he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.

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History of writing

Transferring the Ark of the Covenant from the House of Abaddar to the Tabernacle of Israel

On a note! The inscription states “on the first day of the week” - this means that the Jews sang this song every first day of the week, Saturday, and according to modern calculation on Sunday, remembering the displacement of the greatest value of their people.

Interpretation of the Psalm

The psalm describes the greatness of the Lord Creator, who created and is creating the earth. The song is usually interpreted in verse:

Verses 1-2: David describes the creation of the earth, focusing on the fact that the Lord established it and according to His word it stands. It is described that echoes the first chapters of Genesis. The connection between the created and the Creator can be traced, i.e. the earth and everything that resides on it belongs to the Almighty. At the same time, the firmness of her position is indicated, despite the movable elements (water) surrounding her.
Verses 4-5: He is described who is worthy to be with the Lord, who has earned it by his innocence. It is not entirely clear to whom exactly the author means: a person who fulfills the commandments of God and is considered righteous by law, or the words are prophetic and speak about Jesus Christ - the only righteous person.
Verses 6-7: The author encourages people to be ready to meet the Lord. In a historical context, this is the arrival of the ark in Jerusalem, in a spiritual context, a person’s meeting with the Lord during the second coming or after death.
Verses 8-10: David asks the people, who is their God? And he himself answers it - praising the works of the Lord and His intercession for the Jews in battles and battles with pagan enemies.

More interesting articles about Orthodoxy:

Regarding the place “Lift up your gates,” it is worth saying that this expression is quite incomprehensible today, although in ancient times it sounded quite natural - the gates in ancient cities were very low, with a rising mechanism. They were made this way to avoid attack and for maximum protection of the city. Therefore, David exclaims and calls on the inhabitants of Jerusalem to rise up, i.e. gate - after all, the procession was quite large, and the ark was carried on the shoulders of the Levites. The more respectable the person passing through the gate, the higher they rose.

Important! David calls to raise the gate as high as possible, because the Lord is the most revered Person and deserving of maximum glory.

Reading rules

The psalm is read during services in Church Slavonic:

The earth is the Lord's, and its fulfillment, the universe and all who live on it. He founded food on the seas, and prepared food on the rivers. Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who will stand in His holy place? He is innocent in his hands and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain, and does not swear by his sincere flattery. This one will receive blessings from the Lord, and alms from God, his Savior. This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.

In the text of Psalm 23, David lists the virtues that a person should have when entering the house of the Lord

At home, a parishioner can study the Psalter independently in Russian:

1 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness of it,
the universe and everything living in it.
2 For He founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.
3 Whoever goes up to the mountain of the Lord
or who will stand in His holy place?
4 He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure,
who has not sworn with his soul in vain
and did not swear falsely (to his neighbor);
5 he will receive a blessing from the Lord
and mercy from God, his Savior.
6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,
those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob!
7 Lift up your gates,
and rise up, eternal doors,
and the King of glory will come in!
8 Who is this King of glory? -
The Lord is mighty and strong,
The Lord is mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your gates,
and rise up, eternal doors,
and the King of glory will come in!
10 Who is this King of glory? -
Lord of hosts,
He is the king of glory.

You should focus on the text and dim the light - it is best to light a candle or lamp near Jesus Christ. Read the text in a low voice, without intonation. For a better understanding of what is written, you can simultaneously study the interpretations of the holy fathers on this place.

Advice! It is advisable to pronounce the text during a special state of the heart - when it praises and glorifies the Lord for everything that He has done in life. To do this, you can memorize the text so you can read it anywhere.

Psalter. Psalm 23

Details: Psalm 23 text - from all open sources and different parts of the world on the site for our dear readers.

Psalm to David, one from the Sabbaths	Psalm of David, on the first day of the week.
1 The earth is the Lord's, and its fullness, the world, and all who live on it.	1 The earth is the Lord's and the things that fill it, the world and all that live in it.
2 He founded food on the seas, and prepared food on the rivers.	2 He founded it on the seas and built it on the rivers.
3 Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who will stand in His holy place?	3 Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place?
4 He is innocent in hand and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain, and does not swear by his sincere flattery.	4 He who is innocent in his hands and pure in his heart, who has not given up his soul to vanity and has not sworn deceitfully to his neighbor.
5 This one will receive blessing from the Lord, and alms from God his Savior.	5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and mercy from God his Savior.
6 This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.	6 This is a generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in.	7 Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, O everlasting gates, and the King of Glory will enter.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle.	8 Who is this King of Glory? The Lord is mighty and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in.	9 Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, O everlasting gates, and the King of Glory will enter.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.	10 Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts is the King of Glory!
Glory:	Glory:

The earth is the Lord's, and its fulfillment, the universe and all who live on it. He founded food on the seas, and prepared food on the rivers. Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who will stand in His holy place? He is innocent in his hands and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain, and does not swear by his sincere flattery. This one will receive blessings from the Lord, and alms from God, his Savior. This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.

Glory:

A person who at least once in his life read the entire Psalter from the first to the last song could not help but notice the similarities between the texts of Psalm 23 and Psalm 14. This is not surprising, since the reason for their writing was the same event: the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant, the main Jewish sanctuary, from the house of Abaddar to the Israelite tabernacle. As we know from history, the first attempt at transfer ended in an incident: the Ark fell from the cart, which was pulled by the bulls, and the Levite Uzzah, who tried to lift it, fell dead for no apparent reason.

The interpretation of the Christian Psalm 23 tells that at that moment the Israeli king David, the author of the psalm, thought about who was worthy of touching God’s shrines, and these reflections prompted him to write another religious song.

In the Orthodox text of Psalm 23, David lists the virtues that a person should have when entering the house of the Lord and touching holy things: “He whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn in vain with his soul and has not sworn falsely” (Ps. 23:4 ). Listening and reading Psalm 23 is customary in cases when it is necessary to open a door to which the keys have been lost.

Listen to the video of the Orthodox prayer Psalm 23 in Russian

Read the text of the Orthodox prayer Psalm 23 in Russian

On the first day of the week.

Psalter, Orthodox text of Psalm 23 in Church Slavonic language

The earth is the Lord's, and its fulfillment, the universe and all who live on it. He founded it on the seas and prepared it on the rivers. Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who will stand in his holy place? He is innocent in hand and pure in heart, who does not take his soul in vain and does not swear by flattery to his sincere; this one will receive blessings from the Lord and alms from God after saving him. This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates; and the king of glory will come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates; and the king of glory will come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts is the king of glory.

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Contents [Show]

Interpretation of Psalm 23

The similarity (in content) between this psalm and Psalm 14 is striking (compare Ps. 23:3-4 with Ps. 14:1,3). There is an assumption that both of them were written regarding the transfer of the ark of the covenant from the house of Abeddar to the tabernacle built in Jerusalem (2 Kings 6); This will be discussed in more detail when analyzing the text.

A. Ascent to the Sanctuary (23:1-6)

Ps. 23:1-2. This doxology is expressed in recognition of the fact of the creation of the universe by the Lord and the fact that “founded and established” by Him, it belongs only to Him.

Ps. 23:3-4. The psalmist asks the question of who has the right to “go up” to Zion, the mountain of the Lord, where His “dwelling place” is, and to stand in His holy place. (Perhaps during the divine service the answer (verses 4-6) was supposed to be given to the priests.) Only he has the right to this who does not sin in his actions (has “innocent hands”) and is pure in his heart, who does not give false oaths and does not violate the oath given to them.

Ps. 23:5-6. Only such people, from the “race” of those who seek the face of the God of Jacob, only they can hope for His mercy and blessing.

B. The King of Glory is Coming (23:7-10)

The entire Psalm 23 is built on a description of the event that is associated with the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Abeddar to the tabernacle built in Jerusalem - the ascent to the sanctuary. Church Psalm 23 confirms the fact that the Universe was created by the Lord and that only when He created it, it belongs to Him.

Psalm 23 tells us that “he founded only her foundations by the seas and rivers.” The nature of the seas makes it clear an important thing - the sea never leaves its destined boundaries, designated by the Almighty. Likewise, a person should not transgress the boundaries destined for him by the Lord. The sea does not overflow with the waters entering it from the rivers, and a person chasing temptations will never be able to get enough of them. The psalmist in Psalm twenty-three asks himself the question of who has the right to ascend the Lord’s Mount Zion, where the dwelling of God is located, and to stand in His holy place. Asking this question, the king himself finds the answer. Only a sinless person has the right, who does not commit sinful acts, is pure in his heart, one who does not utter an oath in vain and does not break it. Only such righteous people, says the Psalm 23, can hope for the blessing and mercy of the Lord. Despite the fact that it is not easy to be a righteous person in an age built on dirt, there will be people whom the Lord will want to accept into His dwelling. Only those Christians who seek God and His ways become righteous. And there is no other way. Whoever rises will stand, says King David. After all, you need to rise in order to maintain holiness, since a fall from a height can have a very detrimental effect on the entire spiritual life of a believer.

Bringing the Ark into Jerusalem in the description of Psalm 23

The ark, which was to be brought into the city, was decorated with cherubs. The Levites carried him on their shoulders. This story is very accurately described in Psalm 23 by King David. The city residents had to raise the gates, since they were low, but their top was raised. These gates were called eternal due to their antiquity. The Lord sat on the very lid of the ark. The more noble the person entering these gates, the more spacious his path should be. Only God was considered the most noble of all.

In view of this, Psalm 23 describes the solemn and jubilant exclamation of King David to the ancient gates of Jerusalem. He asks the gates to rise and let the King of Glory through. In the last verses of Psalm 23, the Lord is called the King of Glory, who is described by the psalmist as strong and strong, giving victory in battles, and He alone is the king of all glory on earth and in heaven.

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Text in Russian Psalm 23

The earth is the Lord's and the things that fill it, the universe and everything that lives in it, for He founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers. Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place? The one whose hands are innocent and whose heart is pure, who has not sworn with his soul in vain and has not sworn falsely to his neighbor, will receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from God, his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, those who seek Your face, O God of Jacob! Lift up your heights, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will enter! Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is mighty and strong, the Lord is mighty in battle. Lift up your heights, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will enter! Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.

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