Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Parallel translations
- WEB Lift up your heads, you gates! Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in.
- BSB Lift up your heads, O gates! Be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may enter!
- NKJV Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.
- NASB ¶Lift up your heads, you gates, And be lifted up, you ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!
- NLT Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The ancient gates are commanded to open wide for the King of glory to enter. It is a triumphant summons to receive the LORD as King.
Overview
The scene shifts to a royal procession in which the city gates are called to lift up and admit the King of glory, likely picturing the ark's entry into the sanctuary. The language conveys the majesty of God coming to dwell among his people. Christians have long seen here a foreshadowing of Christ's ascension and his triumphant entry as the reigning King.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Isa 26:2Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
- Ps 118:19–20Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
- Ps 97:6The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
- Rev 4:11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
- 1 Cor 2:8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
- Eph 4:8–10Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
- Mal 3:1Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Hag 2:7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Num 10:35–36And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
- 1 Kgs 8:11So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
- 1 Pet 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
- Hag 2:9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Ps 68:16–18Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
- 2 Sam 6:17And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
- Mark 16:19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
- Ps 132:8Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
- 2 Pet 3:18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
- 1 Kgs 8:6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
- Jas 2:1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
- Ps 21:1The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
- Ps 21:5His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 24:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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