Psalm 24

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David.)

Who Can Enter the Lord's Temple?

¹^(A) The earth and everything on it,
including its people,
    belong to the Lord.
The world and its people
    belong to him.
²The Lord placed it all
    on the oceans and rivers.

³Who may climb the Lord's hill^[a]
    or stand in his holy temple?
⁴^(B) Only those who do right
    for the right reasons,
and don't worship idols
    or tell lies under oath.
⁵The Lord God, who saves them,
    will bless and reward them,
⁶because they worship and serve
    the God of Jacob.^[b]
⁷Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king
    may come in.

⁸Who is this glorious king?
He is our Lord, a strong
and mighty warrior.

⁹Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king
may come in.

¹⁰Who is this glorious king?
He is our Lord,
the All-Powerful!

Footnotes

24.3 the Lord's hill: The hill in Jerusalem where the temple was built.
24.6 worship … Jacob: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “worship God and serve the descendants of Jacob.”