I call upon You, Lord, God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob and Israel, You who are the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God who, through the abundance of your mercy, was well-pleased towards us so that we may know You, who made heaven and earth, who rules over all, You who are the one and the true God, above whom there is no other God; You who, by our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, give to every one who reads this writing to know You, that You alone are God, to be strengthened in You, and to avoid every heretical and godless and impious teaching.

St Irenaeus of Lyons, Against the Heresies 3:6:4


Monday, July 30, 2012

OUTLINE OF PSALM 24


I. Contemplating the creation’s Creator, YHWH (vv 1—2)

            A. The creational, universal dominion of YHWH (v 1a, b)

1. All the cosmos owned by YHWH: The whole earth is YHWH’s, (v 1a)

2. All the contents owned by YHWH: and fullness of it; (v 1b)

            B. The personal, universal dominion of YHWH (v 1c, d)

                        1. All the provinces owned by YHWH: the habitable world [is YHWH’s], (v 1c)

                        2. All the peoples owned by YHWH: and they that inhabit it. (v 1d) 

C. The grounds for YHWH’s universal dominion (v 2)

1. YHWH provided the world: For he founded it upon the seas, (v 2a)

2. YHWH prepared the world: and established it upon the moving waters. (v 2b)

II. Remembering Jacob’s Redeemer, YHWH (vv 3—6)

            A. Question: Who is right before the Redeemer? (v 3)

1. Who can approach YHWH: Who shall go up into the mountain of YHWH? (v 3a)

2. Who can abide with YHWH: Who shall stand up in his holy place? (v 3b)

            B. Answer: The proper consecration, individual and corporate (vv 4—6)

                         1. The worshipping individual’s identification, He (vv 4—5)

a. His inward qualities: He who has innocent hands, and a clean heart; (v 4a)

b. His outward behavior (v 4b, c)

i. His vertical piety: who does not lift up his soul to vain things, (v 4b)

ii. His horizontal purity: and he who does not swear deceitfully. (v 4c)

c. The benefits of the consecrated individual: He shall lift up a blessing from YHWH; righteousness from the God of his salvation. (v 5)

2. The worshipping community’s identification, them: Such is the generation of them that seek him, that seek his presence—[even] Jacob.  Selah.

III. Celebrating the King of the consummation, YHWH (vv 7—10)

            A. The entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem Q / A # 1 (vv 7—8)

1. The procession’s first request: Lift up your heads, O gates; lift up, O eternal doors, that the King of glory might come in. (v 7)

a. The city’s first question: Who is this King of glory? (v 8a)

b. The procession’s first identification of the King (v 8b, c)

i. YHWH, with power in himself: YHWH, strong and mighty; (v 8b)

                        ii. YHWH, with power in battle: YHWH, mighty in battle. (v 8c)

B. The entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem Q / A # 2 (vv 9—10)

1. The procession’s second request: Lift up your heads, O gates; lift up, O eternal doors, that the King of glory might come in. (v 9)

2. The city’s second question: Who is this King of glory? (v 10a)

3. The procession’s second identification of the King: YHWH of Hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (v 10b, c)  

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