The Bible

 

Psalms 24

Study

   

1 The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

7 Lift up your head, O ye gates; and be ye Lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

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

9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even Lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

   

Commentary

 

Lift

  
Krishna Holding Mount Govardhan, by Mola Ram (1760-1833)

The idea of "lifting" is used in a number of different ways in the Bible. In general, it means connecting with a higher spiritual state for strength or enlightenment, though as with many verbs the context makes a great deal of difference. One of the most common uses comes as people lift up their eyes, which usually means coming into a state of perceiving what is true from the Lord. Lifting a hand or a rod means wielding power, making it common in the performance of miracles. Lifting the feet means elevating the most natural, external aspects of our day-to-day lives. Lifting objects means elevating them to higher uses, or sometimes just to protect them (Noah's Ark was "lifted up" in this sense). And so forth. In the negative sense, people can lift things up -- towers or other human structures -- representing a deeper state of the love of self.