The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 23
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 24 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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A Psalm for David on the first day of the week. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; The world, and all that dwell in it.
Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυὶδ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτου. Τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ γῆ καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ.
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the compass of the world, and all they that dwell therein"; when the Lord, being glorified, is announced for the believing of all nations; and the whole compass of the world becomes His Church.
He has founded it upon the seas, And prepared it upon the rivers.
Αὐτὸς ἐπὶ θαλασσῶν ἐθεμελιώσεν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐπὶ ποταμῶν ἡτοίμασεν αὐτήν.
"He has founded it above the seas." He has most firmly established it above all the waves of this world, that they should be subdued by it, and should not hurt it. "And has prepared it above the rivers". The rivers flow into the sea, and men of lust lapse into the world: these also the Church, which, when worldly…
Who shall go up to the mountain of the Lord, And who shall stand in his holy place?
Τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ τίς στήσεται ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ;
"Who shall ascend into the mount of the Lord?" Who shall ascend to the height of the righteousness of the Lord? "Or who shall stand in His holy place?". Or who shall abide in that place, whither He shall ascend, founded above the seas, and prepared above the rivers?
He that is innocent in his hands and pure in his heart; Who has not lifted up his soul to vanity, Nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbor.
Ἀθῶος χερσὶ καὶ καθαρὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὃς οὐκ ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ ματαίῳ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ὤμοσεν ἐπὶ δόλῳ τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ.
"The innocent of hand, and the pure in heart". Who then shall ascend there, and abide there, but the guiltless in deed, and pure in thought? "Who has not received his soul in vain." Who has not reckoned his soul among things that pass away, but feeling it to be immortal, has longed for an eternity steadfast and…
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, And mercy from God his Savior.
Οὗτος λήψεται εὐλογίαν παρὰ Κυρίου, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνην παρὰ Θεοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτοῦ.
"This man shall receive blessing from the Lord, and mercy from the God of his salvation".
This is the generation of them that seek him, That seek the face of the God of Jacob. Pause.
Αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων αὐτὸν, ζητούντων τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἰακώβ. διάψαλμα.
"Who is this King of glory?" What! dost thou too, prince of the power of this air, marvel and ask, "Who is this King of glory?" "The Lord of powers, He is the King of glory" (ver. 10). Yea, His Body now quickened, He who was tempted marches above thee; He who was tempted by the angel, the deceiver, goes above all…
"This is the generation of them that seek the Lord". For thus are they born that seek Him. "Of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Diapsalma." Now they seek the face of God, who gave the pre-eminence to the younger born. [Romans 9:12]
"Take away your gates, ye princes" (ver. 7). All ye, that seek rule among men, remove, that they hinder not, the entrances which ye have made, of desire and fear. "And be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates." And be ye lift up, ye entrances of eternal life, of renunciation of the world, and conversion to God. "And the…
"Who is this King of glory?" Mortal nature is awe-struck in wonder, and asks, "Who is this King of glory?" "The Lord strong and mighty." He whom you deemed weak and overwhelmed. "The Lord mighty in battle". Handle the scars, and you will find them made whole, and human weakness restored to immortality. The glorifying…
"Take away your gates, you princes." Let us go hence straightway into heaven. Again, let the Prophet's trumpet cry aloud, "Take away too, you princes of the air, the gates, which you have in the minds of men who 'worship the host of heaven.'" [2 Kings 17:16] "And be lifted up, you everlasting gates." And be lifted up,…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.