On the first day of the week, a psalm for David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.

“The foolish person counts as his own possession that which never actually belongs to him, seemingly ignorant in his greed that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof," for "God is king of all the earth." It is the passion of having that gives people a false title of lordship over that which can never belong to them. "The earth," says the wise preacher, "abides forever," ministering to every generation, first one, then another, that is born on it. But people, though they are so little even their own masters that they are brought into life without knowing it by their Maker's will, and before they wish are withdrawn from it, nevertheless in their excessive vanity think that they are its lords; that they, now born, now dying, rule that which remains continually.”

“A Psalm of David: – David composed this Psalm that they might recite it as they brought the ark to the Most Holy House. And this was after he had offered a burnt-offering on Mount Moriah, and the place had been revealed to him, and he knew that there would be (built) the House of the Lord, as it is written in the Books of Chronicles (I. 22:1). And he says: The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; The world and they that dwell therein: – And although the earth is the Lord's, this mountain is called the mountain of the Lord and His Holy Place (specifically), because it is His Holy Place in truth, for it is a habitation (in the earth) corresponding to the Throne of Glory (in heaven). And the expression הארץ (the. earth) includes the whole of the earth, as (Gen. 1:1) “the heavens and the earth”; and the expression תבל (world) is equivalent to the inhabited parts; therefore, in connexion with earth, he uses the phrase its fulness, and with world (he uses) and those that dwell therein.”

“Having set forth tribulation and the divine help, here the Psalmist commends the power of the one who helps. The title is not new in the Hebrew; but in the Latin there is added "on the first of the sabbath." Here it must be known that, as is said in Exodus 20: "Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day," etc., this is the third commandment. For in six days God made heaven and earth and all things that are in them, and on the seventh he rested; so we too ought, out of reverence, to rest on the seventh day. Hence all the days of the week are called "sabbath," just as the Lord's day is called "the first of the sabbath." Matthew, last chapter: "And in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week." And thereafter the whole week is called "sabbath." Luke 18: "I fast twice in the sabbath"; hence this Psalm, "on the first of the sabbath," commemorates those things which pertain to the first day of the week, that is, to the Lord's day. On which three things were done: namely the creation of the world, the production of light, and the resurrection of Christ, as is found in the Gospel, Matthew 28. Of these, therefore, the Psalmist treats: namely of the power of the one creating, and the glory of the one rising again; and perhaps this Psalm used to be sung on the first of the sabbath, but it seems to be disjointed. Nevertheless it must be known that in the time of David, God was worshipped only in Judea; and David, considering that God is the God of the whole earth, and seeing in a prophetic spirit that it would come to pass that he would be worshipped in the whole world, made this Psalm; and of this he treats here. This Psalm, therefore, is divided into three parts. In the first he sets forth his universal dominion; in the second he sets forth, or shows, the manner in which men approach God, at the words "who shall ascend"; in the third he foretells the future worship of God through the whole world, at the words "lift up." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows that God's dominion is universal; secondly he sets down a sign or cause, at "because he hath founded it upon the seas." Or thus: in this Psalm he treats of three things. First, of creation; secondly, of illumination, at "who shall ascend"; thirdly, of the resurrection, at "lift up," or of the glorification of the one rising again. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the power of the Creator; secondly he adds the reason, at "because he hath founded it upon the seas." Now it must be known that "earth" can be considered in two ways: either as it is one element, or as it is the dwelling-place of men; and in both ways it is under the divine dominion. In the first way there were some who did not extend divine providence to corruptible things, but only to the heavens. Job 22: "The clouds are his covert; he walketh about the poles of heaven, and doth not consider our things." Ezekiel 9: "He hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord doth not see." The Psalm says, as it were, "you lie"; because "the earth is the Lord's," namely the very element over which he has dominion; or "earth," that is, the Church, which is the good earth that yields much fruit. Isaiah 40: "Who hath weighed with three fingers the bulk of the earth, and hath weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?" But he adds, "and the fullness thereof." Genesis 1: "the earth was void and empty," etc., because it was not full of trees and other things that pertain to the adornment of the earth, such as plants and grasses. Or, "the fullness of the earth," that is, the fullness of the graces of the Church. And this is Christ, who brought the whole fullness of graces in himself. Ecclesiasticus 15: "thy face is full of graces." 1 John 1: "of his fullness we have all received." In the second way also the world is said to be God's, that is, our habitable earth. "And all they that dwell therein," that is, all its inhabitants. Psalm 9: "he shall judge the world in equity, and the people in justice." Isaiah 45: "I have not created it (namely the earth) in vain: I formed it to be inhabited." The center is the lowest place in the world, toward which the earth tends by its own weight and all other things yield to it; and Psalm 103 says: "who hath founded the earth upon its own stability," because by weight it tends thither; "and upon nothing," because nothing underlies it; and Isaiah 40 says: "he weighed with three fingers the bulk of the earth," by coldness and the continuity of its parts. But because the earth is an element, and out of it together with the other elements a mixed body is made; and the earth is dry and cold, so that neither by motion nor by flow is one part continuous with another, it needs the moisture of water to contain and to hold it together, and thus it is founded, or made firm, upon the waters; and because in every part of the earth there is, as it were, a generation of waters, the whole earth can almost be said to be founded upon water; for which reason he says, "he hath founded it upon the seas." Or, just as a foundation holds together a building, so water holds together the earth, lest it fall apart. The discontinuity of the earth also causes the water, which is liquid and heavy, to flow as it were through the whole earth. Likewise by "the world" is signified the Church and all who dwell in it, namely the faithful; and we are all Christ's: and whether we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord's, as the Apostle says, Romans 14. Next he gives the reason for what was said above, namely, "because he hath founded it upon the seas"; as if he were to say: that belongs to the craftsman, which the craftsman himself makes. But God made the earth and the things that are in the earth. Therefore the earth and its fullness are his. But some say that there is no providence of God in earthly things. But against this, the arrangement of the waters in relation to the earth is a sign of great providence, because the lighter elements ought to be above the heavier. Likewise, therefore, as air surrounds water, so water ought to surround the earth. And the philosophers assign many causes for this. But the cause is divine providence, that there might be there a dwelling-place for men and animals; hence Moses, at the beginning, when he set down the creation of things, set down the earth first as formless; hence, "the earth was void," that is, formless, "and empty" of trees; and therefore he set it down as surrounded or covered by water, and "darkness," that is, the waters, "were upon the face of the deep," that is, upon the earth, and "the spirit of the Lord," that is, the air, "moved over the waters." Or "the earth was void," that is, invisible on account of the waters; hence it follows, "let the waters be gathered together," etc., "and let the dry land appear"; as if he were to say: because the earth is first according to the order of the elements, it was brought about by divine providence that it should be above the waters, so that men and animals might be able to live upon it, and that the waters might nonetheless occupy the earth as far as the seas extend; hence he says, "he hath founded it upon the seas," that is, "beside," as elsewhere. Psalm 136: "Upon the rivers of Babylon" (that is, beside the river of Babylon) "there we sat," etc. "He hath founded," that is, he made it firm, so that the sea might not occupy it: Job 38: "I set doors and bars to the sea, and said, hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves": Jeremiah 5: "who hath set the sand a bound for the sea, an everlasting ordinance which it shall not pass." "And upon the rivers he hath prepared it," that is, beside the rivers; and he says "prepared," not "founded," because for a preparation it is required that it be watered by a river; Psalm 64: "the river of God is filled with water: thou hast prepared their food, for so is the preparation thereof: fill up plentifully the streams thereof," etc. Or the Church is "founded upon the seas," that is, upon tribulations: Psalm 92: "wonderful are the surges of the sea." And "upon the rivers," that is, the persecutions by which the Church has been prepared unto the crowns of the martyrs. Or "upon the seas," that is, bitternesses; and yet its consolation is prepared by the rivers of consolations: Psalm 45: "the stream of the river maketh joyful," etc. "Who shall ascend?" As if he were to say: he is great, and how shall one approach him? Ecclesiastes 2: "who is the man that can follow the king, his maker?" And therefore he teaches the manner of arriving; hence concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the question. Secondly the response, at "the innocent in hands." In the question he asks two things: namely concerning the way or the motion, "who shall ascend"; and concerning the terminus, "or who shall stand." "Mountain" here signifies the height of divine justice or majesty: Psalm 35: "thy justice is as the mountains of God." The mountain, therefore, is the height of the divine majesty, or the sublimity of Christ, who is called a mountain; Isaiah 2: "in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of mountains, and it shall be exalted," etc. Who then shall ascend so far as to arrive at Christ and God? Holy men, who dispose ascents in their heart, shall ascend, as the Psalmist says. Likewise: who will be able to stand there, where he himself is who is the holy place, the place of glory? Jeremiah 17: "the place of our sanctification, the expectation of Israel." Exodus 3: "the place whereon thou standest is holy ground"; as if he were to say: who shall be made stable there? But elsewhere, in Psalm 121, he says that it is so: "our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem." Hence the response follows next. "The innocent." And first he shows this in general. Secondly in particular, at "this is the generation." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the merit. Secondly the reward, at "he shall receive." In the merit there is one thing that pertains to the innocence of deed; hence he says, "innocent in hands": Job 22: "the innocent shall be saved; yea, he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands." Psalm 25: "I have walked in my innocence." Another pertains to purity of heart: and as to this he sets down that the heart be kept pure from interior concupiscences; hence he says, "and clean of heart": Matthew 5: "blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." Likewise, from all cupidity for temporal things: "who hath not taken his soul in vain," that is, who has not poured it out upon vain things, or who does not vainly glory over his virtues, or who does not allow his sensuality to arrive at consent to sin. Jerome has, "who do not lift themselves up in vain," because from cleanness of heart some grow proud: Psalm 130: "Lord, my heart is not exalted." Likewise it pertains to the truth of the mouth; hence it follows, "nor hath he sworn deceitfully to his neighbor": Zechariah 8: "love not a false oath." "He shall receive." Here he sets down the reward. Now the reward consists in two things: namely in the obtaining of goods: "he shall receive a blessing" here, that is, goods from God: Proverbs 10: "the blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just." 1 Peter 3: "unto this you are called, that by inheritance you may possess a blessing." Likewise in liberation from evils: hence he says, "and mercy from God his saviour," who delivers from misery. Or otherwise: he who is innocent in hands can approach; because he can be innocent, on account of the fact that he will receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy, because he avoids sins; Romans 6: "it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Next he shows this manner in general: "this is the generation of them that seek the Lord"; as if he were to say: in general there are many such; and these are the whole generation of those seeking God who are innocent, etc. Hence Scripture speaks of the good as of one generation: Matthew 24: "this generation shall not pass," namely of the good, etc. And he describes it by two things: namely by its pursuit, because it seeks nothing but God; hence he says, "of them that seek God," even in this life: Isaiah 55: "seek ye the Lord while he may be found." To what end? That it may arrive at the vision of him; hence it follows, "of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob": Genesis 32: "I have seen the Lord face to face, and my soul has been saved." "Lift up." This is the third part of the Psalm, in which he foretells how it would come to pass that God would be worshipped in the whole world, as the literal sense explains. God is said to dwell in man through faith: Ephesians 3: "that Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts"; and through charity: John 4: "he that abideth in charity abideth in God, and God in him." Likewise, he is said "to enter" who begins to be where before he was not. Then, therefore, God enters into us, when we begin to have faith concerning him. Formerly the whole world did not have faith in God; and this came about on account of a twofold impediment: namely on account of the statutes of princes, and on account of ancient custom. The first came about because individual cities set up for themselves laws concerning idolatry, and established special gods; and this worship was, as it were, inveterate; the demons also procured this. Likewise the angels were worshipped, whom they called "the host of heaven"; and these impediments were gates or doors which, being closed, prevent the entrance into a house. Now he does three things. First he foretells that which is to come. Secondly he sets forth the question. Thirdly he adds the response. He says therefore, "O princes" — that is, O evil men, or O demons — "lift up your gates," that is, remove the impediments which you set up so that men may not approach God. Jerome has "elevate," as if he were to say, "remove," etc. Psalm 9: "thou hast lifted me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion." "And you, eternal gates," that is, the eternal and ancient impediment: "be lifted up," that is, be removed: Psalm 75: "thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting mountains"; as if he were to say, you ancient impediments, remove yourselves from the hearts of men; and then he who is the king of glory will enter into the world through faith and charity and worship. Or it can be said that there are two kinds of gates: some which are evil, which close off the approach to life; others good, by which the way of life is opened. Psalm 117: "open ye the ways of life," that is, of justice, etc. The evil gates are sins; the good, however, are the virtues. He says therefore, "O princes, lift up your gates," that is, open them, and remove sins; and acquire "eternal ones," that is, eternal gifts from the eternal God: "be lifted up" in your hearts, and the king of glory will enter. He speaks prophetically, because from the beginning not all believed at once, but doubted; as if they were to say: whom do we wish to believe, and whom do we wish to obey? Is it perhaps the God of the Jews? Exodus 5: "I know not the Lord, and Israel I will not let go." And therefore he shows this when he says, "Who is this king of glory?" And he answers, "the Lord who is strong and mighty." Someone appears glorious as a king from three things. Because he acquires great things first through strength; hence he says, "strong": Proverbs 12: "the strongest hand shall bear rule." Job 9: "if strength be demanded, he is most strong." Secondly, on account of power; and this he shows when he says, "the Lord mighty," because he is most powerful to rule: Job 36: "God casteth not away the mighty." Daniel 7: "his power is an everlasting power," etc. Thirdly, that he be a good warrior; hence he says: "the Lord mighty in battle," by which against death and the devil he conquered in all things: Apocalypse 5: "the lion of the tribe of Juda hath overcome." Or, strong in his own nature, mighty in jurisdiction over his own, and mighty against adversaries. As to what he says a second time, "lift up," etc., it can be said that this is a repetition; and this so that the hearers should not be in doubt as to who this mighty one is. Or, the former refers to the princes, that is, to the demons; but what he says here refers to the good angels, who also, by their dignity — though not by their own pursuit — were formerly worshipped by men, who used to worship them: 4 Kings 17: "they worshipped all the host of heaven"; as if he were to say: remove the impediments on account of which men worship you. And therefore here he says, "the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory." In the Gloss, however, there is another exposition. Christ descended to the netherworld and ascended into heaven; and he foretells these two things here. And first he admonishes those in the netherworld to open; hence he says, "lift up," etc. "O infernal princes, open your gates: and be lifted up," etc. "And the king of glory shall enter in." But when the demons would ask, "Who is this king of glory?", he answers: he who was strong and mighty in battle, against you. Secondly he admonishes — speaking over us — the citizens: "open the gates" of Paradise. Hence Christ, answering as it were with the voice of a herald, and taking his part, directing his voice to heaven, says: O heavenly princes, "lift up" — that is, open — "your gates," etc. "And he shall enter in," etc. And to them asking, he says: "the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory." Now it must be known, as Dionysius says, that this is not to be understood as though the angels were ignorant of the mystery of the Incarnation; but, marveling, they said, "Who is this king of glory?" because the glory of Christ surpasses all knowledge. For sometimes Christ himself teaches concerning himself through Scripture, as is said in Isaiah 63: "I, that speak justice," etc. Here, however, it is not he himself, but others concerning him, namely the angels, who answer, "the Lord of hosts," etc.; because some angels receive illumination immediately from God, as is said in Isaiah 6: "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated, and it was full," etc. Others receive it from those, as the middle and lowest ranks; and to these here the answer is given by the other angels.”

“Here is, I. God's absolute propriety in this part of the creation where our lot is cast, Psa 24:1. We are not to think that the heavens, even the heavens only, are the Lord's, and the numerous and bright inhabitants of the upper world, and that this earth, being so small and inconsiderable a part of the creation, and at such a distance from the royal palace above, is neglected, and that he claims no interest in it. No, even the earth is his, and this lower world; and, though he has prepared the throne of his glory in the heavens, yet his kingdom rules over all, and even the worms of this earth are not below his cognizance, nor from under his dominion. 1. When God gave the earth to the children of men he still reserved to himself the property, and only let it out to them as tenants, or usufructuaries: The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. The mines that are lodged in the bowels of it, even the richest, the fruits it produces, all the beasts of the forest and the cattle upon a thousand hills, our lands and houses, and all the improvements that are made of this earth by the skill and industry of man, are all his. These indeed, in the kingdom of grace, are justly looked upon as emptiness; for they are vanity of vanities, nothing to a soul; but, in the kingdom of providence, they are fulness. The earth is full of God's riches, so is the great and wide sea also. All the parts and regions of the earth are the Lord's, all under his eye, all in his hand: so that, wherever a child of God goes, he may comfort himself with this, that he does not go off his Father's ground. That which falls to our share of the earth and its productions is but lent to us; it is the Lord's; what is our own against all the world is not so against his claims. That which is most remote from us, as that which passes through the paths of the sea, or is hidden in the bottom of it, is the Lord's and he knows where to find it. 2. The habitable part of this earth (Pro 8:31) is his in a special manner - the world and those that dwell therein. We ourselves are not our own, our bodies, our souls, are not. All souls are mine, says God; for he is the former of our bodies and the Father of our spirits. Our tongues are not our own; they are to be at his service. Even those of the children of men that know him not, nor own their relation to him, are his. Now this comes in here to show that, though God is graciously pleased to accept the devotions and services of his peculiar chosen people (Psa 24:3-5), it is not because he needs them, or can be benefited by them, for the earth is his and all in it, Exo 19:5; Psa 50:12. It is likewise to be applied to the dominion Christ has, as Mediator, over the utmost parts of the earth, which are given him for his possession: the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand, power over all flesh. The apostle quotes this scripture twice together in his discourse about things offered to idols, Co1 10:26, Co1 10:28. "If it be sold in the shambles, eat it, and ask no questions; for the earth is the Lord's; it is God's good creature, and you have a right to it. But, if one tell you it was offered to an idol, forbear, for the earth is the Lord's, and there is enough besides." This is a good reason why we should be content with our allotment in this world, and not envy others theirs; the earth is the Lord's, and may he not do what he will with his own, and give to some more of it, to others less, as it pleases him? II. The ground of this propriety. The earth is his by an indisputable title, for he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods, Psa 24:2. It is his; for, 1. He made it, formed it, founded it, and fitted it for the use of man. The matter is his, for he made it out of nothing; the form is his, for he made it according to the eternal counsels and ideas of his own mind. He made it himself, he made it for himself; so that he is sole, entire, and absolute owner, and none can let us a title to any part, but by, from, and under him; see Psa 89:11, Psa 89:12. 2. He made it so as no one else could. It is the creature of omnipotence, for it is founded upon the seas, upon the floods, a weak and unstable foundation (one would think) to build the earth upon, and yet, if almighty power please, it shall serve to bear the weight of this earth. The waters which at first covered the earth, and rendered it unfit to be a habitation for man, were ordered under it, that the dry land might appear, and so they are as a foundation to it; see Psa 104:8, Psa 104:9. 3. He continues it, he has established it, fixed it, so that, though one generation passes and another comes, the earth abides, Ecc 1:4. And his providence is a continued creation, Psa 119:90. The founding of the earth upon the floods should remind us how slippery and uncertain all earthly things are; their foundation is not only sand, but water; it is therefore our folly to build upon them.”

“The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,.... The whole universe, all the terraqueous globe, both land and water, and the circumambient air, and all that is therein; the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, all plants and vegetables that spring out of the earth, and metals and minerals in the bowels of it; all which are the riches of the Lord the earth is full of, Psa 104:24; see Psa 50:10; the world, and they that dwell therein; the habitable world, and the dwellers on it, rational and irrational. These words may be interpreted of Christ, who is Lord of all; he made the world, and has a right and claim to all things in it; for the same person is here spoken of as in the preceding psalm, under the character of a shepherd; and this shows him to be very fit and proper for such an office, seeing he cannot fail of feeding and protecting his sheep; nor can they want any good thing, since the fulness both of nature and of grace is with him; and hence it is that all things are theirs, whether the world, or things present, or things to come; and though they seem to have nothing, yet possess all things, they possessing him whose all things are. The apostle makes use of this passage of Scripture, to prove, explain, and direct in the use of Christian liberty, with respect to the free use of creatures, they all being the Lord's; and therefore good, and to be received with thanksgiving: and yet, inasmuch as there is a variety of them, such should be abstained from, when to use them serves to embolden evil men in their wicked ways, or offend and grieve weak Christians, Co1 10:25.”

“Week. This title was found only in the common edition of the Septuagint. (Theodoret) — The Jews say the psalm was used on Sunday; (Berthier) and the Fathers explain it of the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, whom it regards in the more sublime sense, though it may also be literally explained of the temple, or translation of the ark, 2 Kings vi. 12. (Calmet) — David appointed when the psalms were to be sung, Ecclesiasticus xlvii. 12. This speaks of the creation. (Menochius) — St. Paul applies the first verse to Jesus Christ, whom he styles the Lord, (1 Corinthians x. 26.) and Creator, of whom David speaks. It is wonderful that so few have noticed this excellent proof of Christ’s divinity. The authors of Principles Discussed, according to their general system of two literal senses, explain this psalm of the re-establishment of the Jews after the captivity, and of the propagation of the Christian Church; and it is not clear that two senses ought not to be admitted. But we must, at least, admit that the prophet speaks literally of Jesus Christ (Berthier) as well as of the ark, &c. — Therein. Though God be the Creator of all, he seems to have made a particular choice of Sion. Before the coming of Christ, all, except a few Jews (Calmet) and enlightened Gentiles, like Job, (Haydock) were buried in sin and ignorance. But now his kingdom is propagated widely; and in every place the Father is adored in spirit and in truth. (St. Augustine, &c.) — All power is given to Jesus Christ, who rose again on the first day of the week. Not only the earth, but all that is in it, belongs to the great Creator. (Worthington)”

“Jahve, whose throne of grace is now set upon Zion, has not a limited dominion, like the heathen deities: His right to sovereignty embraces the earth and its fulness (Psa 50:12; Psa 89:12), i.e., everything that is to be found upon it and in it. (Note: In Co1 10:26, Paul founds on this verse (cf. Psa 50:12) the doctrine that a Christian (apart from a charitable regard for the weak) may eat whatever is sold in the shambles, without troubling himself to enquire whether it has been offered to idols or not. A Talmudic teacher, B. Berachoth 35a, infers from this passage the duty of prayer before meat: He who eats without giving thanks is like one who lays hands upon קדשׁי שׁמים (the sacred things of God); the right to eat is only obtained by prayer.) For He, הוא, is the owner of the world, because its Creator. He has founded it upon seas, i.e., the ocean and its streams, נהרות, ῥέεθρα (Jon 2:4); for the waters existed before the dry land, and this has been cast up out of them at God's word, so that consequently the solid land, - which indeed also conceals in its interior a תּהום רבּה (Gen 7:11), - rising above the surface of the sea, has the waters, as it were, for its foundation (Psa 136:6), although it would more readily sink down into them than keep itself above them, if it were not in itself upheld by the creative power of God. Hereupon arises the question, who may ascend the mountain of Jahve, and stand above in His holy place? The futures have a potential signification: who can have courage to do it? what, therefore, must he be, whom Jahve receives into His fellowship, and with whose worship He is well-pleased? Answer: he must be one innocent in his actions and pure in mind, one who does not lift up his soul to that which is vain (לשּׁוא, according to the Masora with Waw minusculum). (ל) נשׂא נפשׁ אל, to direct one's soul, Psa 25:1, or longing and striving, towards anything, Deu 24:15; Pro 19:18; Hos 4:8. The Ker נפשׁי is old and acknowledged by the oldest authorities. (Note: The reading נפשׁי is adopted by Saadia (in Enumoth ii., where נפשׁי is equivalent to שׁמי), Juda ha-Levi (Cuzari iii. 27), Abulwalid (Rikma p. 180), Rashi, Kimchi, the Sohar, the Codices (and among others by that of the year 1294) and most editions (among which, the Complutensis has נפשׁי in the text). Nor does Aben-Ezra, whom Norzi has misunderstood, by any means reverse the relation of the Chethb and Ker; to him נפשׁי is the Ker, and he explains it as a metaphor (an anthropomorphism): וכתוב נפשי דוך כנוי. Elias Levita is the only one who rejects the Ker נפשׁי; but he does so though misunderstanding a Masora (vid., Baer's Psalterium p. 130) and not without admitting Masoretic testimony in favour of it (וכן ראיתי ברוב נוסחאות המסורת). He is the only textual critic who rejects it. For Jacob b. Chajim is merely astonished that נפשׁו is not to be found in the Masoreth register of words written with Waw and to be read with Jod. And even Norzi does not reject this Ker, which he is obliged to admit has greatly preponderating testimony in its favour, and he would only too gladly get rid of it.) Even the lxx Cod. Alex. translates: τὴν ψυχὴν μου; whereas Cod. Vat. (Eus., Apollin., Theodor., et al.): τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. Critically it is just as intangible, as it is exegetically incomprehensible; נפשׁי might then be equivalent to שׁמי. Exo 20:7, an explanation, however, which does not seem possible even from Amo 6:8; Jer 51:14. We let this Kerמ alone to its undisturbed critical rights. But that the poet did actually write thus, is incredible. In Psa 24:5 (just as at the close of Psa 15:1-5), in continued predicates, we are told the character of the man, who is worthy of this privilege, to whom the question in Psa 24:3 refers. Such an one shall bear away, or acquire (נשׁא, as e.g., Est 2:17) blessing from Jahve and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psa 25:5; Psa 27:9). Righteousness, i.e., conformity to God and that which is well-pleasing to God, appears here as a gift, and in this sense it is used interchangeably with ישׁע (e.g., Psa 132:9, Psa 132:16). It is the righteousness of God after which the righteous, but not the self-righteous, man hungers and thirsts; that moral perfection which is the likeness of God restored to him and at the same time brought about by his own endeavours; it is the being changed, or transfigured, into the image of the Holy One Himself. With Psa 24:5 the answer to the question of Psa 24:3 is at an end; Psa 24:6 adds that those thus qualified, who may accordingly expect to receive God's gifts of salvation, are the true church of Jahve, the Israel of God. דּור (lit., a revolution, Arabic dahr, root דר, to turn, revolve) is used here, as in Psa 14:5; Psa 73:15; Psa 112:2, of a collective whole, whose bond of union is not contemporaneousness, but similarity of disposition; and it is an alliteration with the דּרשׁיו (Chethb דרשו, without the Jod plur.) which follows. מבקשׁי פּניך is a second genitive depending on דּור, as in Psa 27:8. Here at the close the predication passes into the form of invocation (Thy face). And יעקב is a summarising predicate: in short, these are Jacob, not merely after the flesh, but after the spirit, and thus in truth (Isa 44:2, cf. Rom 9:6; Gal 6:16). By interpolating אלהי, as is done in the lxx and Peshto, and adopted by Ewald, Olshausen, Hupfeld, and Bttcher, the nerve, as it were, of the assertion is cut through. The predicate, which has been expressed in different ways, is concentrated intelligibly enough in the one word יעקב, towards which it all along tends. And here the music becomes forte. The first part of this double Psalm dies away amidst the playing of the instruments of the Levitical priests; for the Ark was brought in בּכל־עז וּבשׁירים, as Sa2 6:5 (cf. Sa2 6:14) is to be read.”