Overview

Background ideas

YHWH created everything
The waters, having been created first, needed to be subdued from their chaotic threat
After doing so, YHWH is considered victorious and rightly to be enthroned
Mount Zion represents both the centre of creation and the temple-city of YHWH's special presence
The temple/Ark presence involved 'military' language even in worship and sacrifice
The requirements to meet with YHWH include purity, integrity and honesty

Background situation

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

v.1

By David, a psalm. (Since YHWH created everything) The earth and its fullness belong to YHWH, the world and the inhabitants in it, (so he has authority over all of it),

v.2

because(, although the waters existed before the dry land), (and there was a time when the watery chaos seemed to reign), he founded it upon seas and established it upon oceans, (and establishing his authority over creation) (and both creating calm and stability for the earth and its inhabitants to flourish)

v.3

(and creating the conditions of stability to establish his special presence on a mountain. That is, Mount Zion), (the city-temple), (the centre of the inhabited world), (which belongs to YHWH, who has authority over all creation. As a mighty warrior and as YHWH of armies, he is due right worship, which means not everyone can enter his presence on this mountain, only those whom he has elected and who seek him rightly. So,) Who may go up on the mountain of YHWH? And who may stand within his holy place?

v.4

(The answer: Only) One with clean hands and a pure heart, who hasn't taken delight in falsehood, nor taken an oath deceitfully. (Some think that the person who offers sacrifices and participates in processions is the one who can enter YHWH's holy place, but YHWH doesn't need sacrifices to satisfy and appease him, since everything is his. So, without inner-outer and interpersonal holiness, procession and sacrifice are meaningless.)

v.5

(On the other hand, as for the person who rightly seeks YHWH -) He will receive blessing from YHWH and justice from the God of his salvation (- that is, permission to enter YHWH's presence) (after fulfilling the expectations of entry).

v.6

(Those without these attributes should not enter his presence, but those who rightly seek him, identified as the generation of Jacob, may.) (Just like Jacob, whom YHWH loved and chose for himself from before birth, though being the younger brother, so will this group who seek him. And, just like Jacob, who received YHWH's faithful covenant promises, even when he was not faithful, so will they.) Such(, that is, being able to enter YHWH's presence,) is the generation - those seeking him, those who seek your face - of Jacob. Selah.

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v.7

(So prepare to meet him, those approaching him in right worship as creator, the mighty warrior, YHWH of armies). (He is like a returning victor from battle entering his capital city, so) Lift up your heads (in expectation and hope), gates, (you who seek YHWH's face), and be lifted up (to open and welcome him), eternal doorways, so that the glorious king might enter (to be enthroned, victorious, over his cosmic temple), (and honoured by his people)!

v.8

Who is this glorious king? (The one who subjected the waters at creation), YHWH, (has shown himself to be) a mighty one and a warrior, (enthroned between the cherubim) (and assuming his rest in the cosmic temple after establishing order in the cosmos). YHWH is a battle warrior, (whose special presence is manifested by the Ark) (having returned from battle).

v.9

Lift up your heads, gates (of creation), (indeed, of all his created subjects), and lift up (to open and), eternal doorways, so that the glorious king might enter!

v.10

Who is this glorious king? YHWH of armies, (evident in the created stars and his heavenly army), He is the glorious king, (to whom belongs worship of the whole world). Selah.