Psalms 24:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Who shall ascend, &c. Dr. Hammond infers from the composition of this Psalm, that it was intended to be sung by two companies or choirs, the one answering the other. To strengthen his conjecture that it was actually performed so, he observes, that upon very solemn occasions (and such this was) it was usual with the Jews to separate themselves, to divide into two companies, one standing on one side, and the other on the other. Thus, so long ago as Moses's time, six tribes stood on mount Gerizim, and the other six on the opposite mount, Ebel. And Nehemiah mentions two companies of them that gave thanks, Nehemiah 12:31, whereof one went to the right hand, Nehemiah 12:38, and the other over against them, Nehemiah 12:40. In like manner he thinks, at the solemn placing of the ark in Zion, the two choirs of singers might stand, one on one side of the tabernacle, and the other on the other, and repeat this Psalm. Dr. Delaney, improving on this idea, imagines that the king began the concert “with a solemn and sonorous recitative” of the first verse. The chorus, he thinks, was then divided, and each sung in their turns, both joining in the close, For he hath founded it upon the seas, &c. This part of the music, he supposes, lasted till the procession reached the foot of the hill of Sion, and that then the king stepped forth, and began in a solemn tone, Who shall ascend, &c. Then the first chorus of singers answered, Even he that hath clean hands, &c. The second chorus, That hath not lift up, &c., to the end of the 6th verse. “Let this part of the music,” says he, “be supposed to have lasted till they reached the gates of the city. Then the king began again in that most sublime and heavenly strain, Lift up your heads, O ye gates, &c., which all repeated in chorus. The persons appointed to keep the gates (or, perhaps, the matrons of Jerusalem, meeting David there, as they did Saul, upon his return from the conquest of the Philistines, 1 Samuel 18.) are supposed next to have sung, Who is the king of glory? and the first and second chorus to have answered, It is the Lord, strong and mighty, &c. And now let us suppose the instruments to take up the same airs, (the king, the princes, and the matrons moving to the measure,) and to continue them to the gates of the court of the tabernacle: then let the king again begin: Lift up your heads, O ye gates, &c., and be followed and answered as before: all closing instruments sounding, chorus singing, people shouting He is the King of glory. How others may think upon the point,” adds he, “I cannot say, (nor pretend to describe,) but for my own part I have no notion of hearing, or of any man's having seen or heard, any thing so great, so solemn, so celestial, on this side the gates of heaven.” Leaving the reader to judge of this hypothesis as it shall appear to him, we return to the consideration of some of the expressions occurring in the verses thus referred to. The hill of the Lord, mentioned in this verse, (Psalms 24:3,) was Sion, or Moriah, the place of God's sanctuary and special presence. The psalmist, having asserted and proved God's dominion over all mankind, and consequently their obligation to worship and serve him, now proposes a most necessary and important question, especially in those times, when all nations, except Israel, were in a state of deep ignorance and error respecting it, namely, where, and how, and by whom, God would be served, and his favour and blessing might be enjoyed. The place is here mentioned, and the qualification of the persons described in the following verses. Who shall stand To minister before him. Standing is the posture of ministers or servants. Who shall serve God with acceptance? In his holy place? The place he hath sanctified for his service.