The Meaning of "Doors" in Ps 24:7, 9

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Introduction

In Psalm 24:7 we read the command, "Lift up your heads, gates, and be lifted up, eternal doorways,[1] repeated almost verbatim in v. 9. Although modern translations do not differ widely in how they treat these clauses,[2] the identity of the doors is not immediately obvious and has been interpreted in the literature as either

  1. The gatekeepers
  2. The entrance of the temple
  3. The entrance of the city
  4. The entrance of the cosmos


We examine each of these interpretations in the argument maps below.

Argument Maps

Gatekeepers

Some suggest that the mention of "gates" refers to the "gatekeepers" themselves. 


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[Gatekeepers]: By addressing the doors/gates, the psalm really addresses the gatekeepers (Ḥakham 1979, 130 :C:; Craigie 2004, 214 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Participial form of שׁער>: The consonantal text should be revocalized as שֹׁעֲרִים ("gatekeepers" instead of "gates" (שְׁעָרִים). The verbal form of the root שׁער is used for gatekeepers. #dispreferred
  + [Participial form of שׁער]: "Berekiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers (שֹׁעֲרִ֖ים) for the ark" (1 Chr 15:23; cf. 2 Chr 34:13; Neh 10:40).#dispreferred
  - <The Second Line>: The parallel term "doorways" (פִּתְחֵי) in the second line requires the sense of "gates" (שְׁעָרִים).
 + <Metonymy>: The "gates" are metonymic for "gatekeepers" (just as, for example, "the law" can refer to police officers). #dispreferred
 - <"Ancient">: Gatekeepers cannot be described as "ancient" (עוֹלָם).


Argument Mapn0GatekeepersBy addressing the doors/gates, the psalm really addresses the gatekeepers (Ḥakham 1979, 130 🄲; Craigie 2004, 214 🄲). n1Participial form of שׁער"Berekiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers (שֹׁעֲרִ֖ים) for the ark" (1 Chr 15:23; cf. 2 Chr 34:13; Neh 10:40).n2Participial form of שׁערThe consonantal text should be revocalized as שֹׁעֲרִים ("gatekeepers" instead of "gates" (שְׁעָרִים). The verbal form of the root שׁער is used for gatekeepers. n1->n2n2->n0n3The Second LineThe parallel term "doorways" (פִּתְחֵי) in the second line requires the sense of "gates" (שְׁעָרִים).n3->n2n4MetonymyThe "gates" are metonymic for "gatekeepers" (just as, for example, "the law" can refer to police officers). n4->n0n5"Ancient"Gatekeepers cannot be described as "ancient" (עוֹלָם). n5->n0


The temple entrance

Some understand the "gates" to refer to the gates of the temple. 


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[Temple entrance]: The doors/gates refer to the entrance of the tabernacle/temple (Ibn Ezra :C:; Malbim :C:; Calvin 1571 :C:; Avishur 1996, 110 :C:; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 252 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Historic context of Psalm 24>: The entrance procession of the Ark of YHWH in 2 Samuel 6 is the historical background of the Psalm, and we know that the Ark entered the "tent." #dispreferred
  + [2 Samuel 6:17]: "They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it" (NIV).#dispreferred
 - <The temple structure>: The temple had not been built when the psalm was composed.
  <_ <Historical Reanalysis>: The entryway of the "tent" (2 Sam 6:17) could have become equated with the more permanent structure of the temple in the following generation. #dispreferred
   <_ <"Ancient">: The temple not having been built at this point, it is unlikely that the entryway to the tent David had established for the Ark would be described as "ancient."
 + <Ps 118:20–21>: The gates mentioned in Psalm 118:20–21 seem to refer to the temple itself.#dispreferred
  + [Ps 118:20–21]: "Open the gates of righteousness for me. I will enter through them. I will give thanks to Yah. This is the gate of YHWH. The righteous enter through it."#dispreferred
 + <Glory theme in Psalm 24>: The word "glory" is prominent in this psalm (see vv. 7-10), and the prototypical embodiment of "glory" is the tent/tabernacle structure (cf. Exod 40:34–35; 1 Kgs 8:11; Ps 29:9). #dispreferred


Argument Mapn0Temple entranceThe doors/gates refer to the entrance of the tabernacle/temple (Ibn Ezra 🄲; Malbim 🄲; Calvin 1571 🄲; Avishur 1996, 110 🄲; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 252 🄲). n12 Samuel 6:17"They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it" (NIV).n3Historic context of Psalm 24The entrance procession of the Ark of YHWH in 2 Samuel 6 is the historical background of the Psalm, and we know that the Ark entered the "tent." n1->n3n2Ps 118:20–21"Open the gates of righteousness for me. I will enter through them. I will give thanks to Yah. This is the gate of YHWH. The righteous enter through it."n7Ps 118:20–21The gates mentioned in Psalm 118:20–21 seem to refer to the temple itself.n2->n7n3->n0n4The temple structureThe temple had not been built when the psalm was composed.n4->n0n5Historical ReanalysisThe entryway of the "tent" (2 Sam 6:17) could have become equated with the more permanent structure of the temple in the following generation. n5->n4n6"Ancient"The temple not having been built at this point, it is unlikely that the entryway to the tent David had established for the Ark would be described as "ancient."n6->n5n7->n0n8Glory theme in Psalm 24The word "glory" is prominent in this psalm (see vv. 7-10), and the prototypical embodiment of "glory" is the tent/tabernacle structure (cf. Exod 40:34–35; 1 Kgs 8:11; Ps 29:9). n8->n0


Entrance of Zion (preferred)

Some understand the "gates" to refer to the city gates of Jerusalem. 


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[Entrance of Jerusalem]: The doors/gates refer to the entrance of Jerusalem (Hengstenberg 1863, 412 :C:; Kirkpatrick 1891, 127, 130 :C:; Briggs and Briggs 1906-7, 214 :C:; VanGemeren 2008, 262 :C:; Walton 2009, 342 :C:) as metonymous for the entire territory and indeed population (see Ps 87:2).
 + <Historic Context of Psalm 24>: The entrance procession of the Ark of YHWH in 2 Samuel 6 is the historical background of the Psalm, and we know that the Ark entered the "city of David." 
  + [2 Samuel 6:16]: "the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David" (NIV).
  + <Ancient Near Eastern Context>: The gates and gate structure were significant as business and administrative centers of the local populations in Ancient Near Eastern cities (Walton 2009, 342 :C:; cf. Ruth 4). So, as recently conquered by David (2 Sam 5), it would make good sense for the Ark of YHWH to enter through the gates of the same city, as the glorious King and battle warrior's (Ps 24:8) symbolic victory entrance.
 + <"Ancient">: The mention of the doors as "ancient" is appropriate for Jerusalem's entrance, since it had existed as a royal city for centuries before David’s conquest (VanGemeren 2008, 262 :C:; see Gen 14:18).
 + <"Holy mountain" as "Zion/Jerusalem">: Psalm 24:3 mentions both the "mountain of the Lord" and "his holy place." Elsewhere, YHWH's holy mountain is equivalent to Jerusalem (see, e.g., Ps 2:6; Ps 48).
  + ["Holy mountain" as "Zion/Jerusalem"]: "Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain (הַר־קָדְשׁוֹ). Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion (הַר־צִיּוֹן), the city of the Great King (מֶלֶךְ רָֽב)" (Ps 48:2–3, NIV), "As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever" (Ps 48:9, NIV).
 + <Other passage>: Elsewhere in the Bible, the population of Jerusalem is encouraged to rejoice at the king's entrance.
  + [Zechariah 9:9]: "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious" (NIV).


Argument Mapn0Entrance of JerusalemThe doors/gates refer to the entrance of Jerusalem (Hengstenberg 1863, 412 🄲; Kirkpatrick 1891, 127, 130 🄲; Briggs and Briggs 1906-7, 214 🄲; VanGemeren 2008, 262 🄲; Walton 2009, 342 🄲) as metonymous for the entire territory and indeed population (see Ps 87:2).n12 Samuel 6:16"the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David" (NIV).n4Historic Context of Psalm 24The entrance procession of the Ark of YHWH in 2 Samuel 6 is the historical background of the Psalm, and we know that the Ark entered the "city of David." n1->n4n2"Holy mountain" as "Zion/Jerusalem""Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain (הַר־קָדְשׁוֹ). Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion (הַר־צִיּוֹן), the city of the Great King (מֶלֶךְ רָֽב)" (Ps 48:2–3, NIV), "As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever" (Ps 48:9, NIV).n7"Holy mountain" as "Zion/Jerusalem"Psalm 24:3 mentions both the "mountain of the Lord" and "his holy place." Elsewhere, YHWH's holy mountain is equivalent to Jerusalem (see, e.g., Ps 2:6; Ps 48).n2->n7n3Zechariah 9:9"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious" (NIV).n8Other passageElsewhere in the Bible, the population of Jerusalem is encouraged to rejoice at the king's entrance.n3->n8n4->n0n5Ancient Near Eastern ContextThe gates and gate structure were significant as business and administrative centers of the local populations in Ancient Near Eastern cities (Walton 2009, 342 🄲; cf. Ruth 4). So, as recently conquered by David (2 Sam 5), it would make good sense for the Ark of YHWH to enter through the gates of the same city, as the glorious King and battle warrior's (Ps 24:8) symbolic victory entrance.n5->n4n6"Ancient"The mention of the doors as "ancient" is appropriate for Jerusalem's entrance, since it had existed as a royal city for centuries before David’s conquest (VanGemeren 2008, 262 🄲; see Gen 14:18).n6->n0n7->n0n8->n0


The entrance of the cosmos

Some understand the "gates" to refer to the entrance of the cosmos.[3] 


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[The doors are the entrance of the entire cosmos]: The doors/gates metaphorically refer to the entrance of the physical universe (Cross 1973, 98 :M:; Keel 1978, 172 :M:; Mowinckel 1962 vol. 1, 115-116 :M:; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 252 :C:; Walton 2018, 167-8 :M:).#dispreferred
 + <Liturgical use>: The procession liturgy of Psalm 24 probably reenacts YHWH's victory over the watery chaos "and his enthronement in the divine council, or, better, in his newly built (cosmic) temple" (Cross 1973, 93-94 :M:).#dispreferred
  + <Co-text>: Psalm 24:1–2 describes YHWH as victorious as the primaeval waters of chaos are conquered and brought into submission. So if returning from battle, as YHWH of armies (v. 10), the entire cosmos would be a fitting sphere for His entrance.#dispreferred
   + [Co-text of Ps 24]: "The earth and its fullness belong to YHWH, the world and the inhabitants in it, because he has founded it upon the seas and keeps it established upon the currents." (vv. 1–2), "Who is this, the glorious king? YHWH of armies, he is the glorious king. Selah." (v. 10).#dispreferred
 - <Historic Context of Psalm 24>: The entrance procession of the Ark of YHWH in 2 Samuel 6 is the historical background of the Psalm. Even if there were an allusion to the entrance into the cosmos, this would only be an extension of the sense of the psalm's original provenance.


Argument Mapn0The doors are the entrance of the entire cosmosThe doors/gates metaphorically refer to the entrance of the physical universe (Cross 1973, 98 🄼; Keel 1978, 172 🄼; Mowinckel 1962 vol. 1, 115-116 🄼; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 252 🄲; Walton 2018, 167-8 🄼).n1Co-text of Ps 24"The earth and its fullness belong to YHWH, the world and the inhabitants in it, because he has founded it upon the seas and keeps it established upon the currents." (vv. 1–2), "Who is this, the glorious king? YHWH of armies, he is the glorious king. Selah." (v. 10).n3Co-textPsalm 24:1–2 describes YHWH as victorious as the primaeval waters of chaos are conquered and brought into submission. So if returning from battle, as YHWH of armies (v. 10), the entire cosmos would be a fitting sphere for His entrance.n1->n3n2Liturgical useThe procession liturgy of Psalm 24 probably reenacts YHWH's victory over the watery chaos "and his enthronement in the divine council, or, better, in his newly built (cosmic) temple" (Cross 1973, 93-94 🄼).n2->n0n3->n2n4Historic Context of Psalm 24The entrance procession of the Ark of YHWH in 2 Samuel 6 is the historical background of the Psalm. Even if there were an allusion to the entrance into the cosmos, this would only be an extension of the sense of the psalm's original provenance.n4->n0


Conclusion (B)

The revocalization towards "gatekeepers" is ill-advised, while metaphorical extension of gates to gatekeepers is unlikely, due to the modification of "ancient" in the second line. The arguments against the temple reading are largely historical—the psalm's historical background being the procession of 2 Samuel 6, it is unlikely that the tent David established for the Ark of YHWH would be described as ancient. The "cosmic entry" interpretation also does little justice to the psalm's immediate historical background, though probably reflects an ancient Near Eastern understanding of a deity's dwelling place, and YHWH's cosmic reign in vv. 1–2.[4]

In sum, the best candidate of these options is the gates as the city entrance, often used interchangeably with "YHWH's holy place/mountain" (see Ps 2:6; Ps 48), which can indeed be described as "ancient" (Gen 14:18), and which fit the historical background of the psalm, in which we read explicitly that "the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David" (2 Sam 6:16, NIV).


Research

Translations

Ancient Translations

  • LXX: ἄρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐπάρθητε, πύλαι αἰώνιοι, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης.[5]
    • "Raise the gates, O rulers of yours! And be raised up, O perpetual gates! And the King of glory shall enter."[6]
  • Symmachus: μετάρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐπάρθητε πύλαι αἰώνιοι.[7]
    • "Lift up the doors, O rulers of yours, and be lifted up, ancient doors."
  • Theodotion: ἄρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν, ὑψωθήτωσαν δὲ αἱ πύλαι αἱ αἰώνιοι.[8]
    • "Lift up the doors, O rulers of yours, and let the ancient doors be lifted up."
  • Aquila: ἄρατε, πύλαι, κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐπάρθητε, ἀνοίγματα αἰώνια.[9]
    • "Lift up, doors, your heads, and be lifted up, ancient openings."
  • Jerome (Hebr.): levate portae capita vestra et elevamini ianuae sempiternae et ingrediatur rex gloriae
    • "Lift up, gates, your heads, and be lifted up, everlasting doors, and let the king of glory enter."
  • Peshitta: ܐܪܝܡܘ ܬܪ̈ܥܐ ܪ̈ܝܫܝܟܘܢ ܐܬܬܪܝܡܘ ܬܪ̈ܥܐ ܕܡܢ ܥܠܡ ܢܥܘܠ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܐܝܩܪ̈ܐ[10]
    • "Lift up your heads, gates; be lifted up, everlasting gates, so that the king of glories may enter."[11]
  • Targum: זקפו תרעי בית מקדשא רישיכון ואזדקופו מעלני עלמא ויעול מלך יקירא[12]
    • "Lift up your heads, O gates of the house of the sanctuary, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the king of glory may enter."[13]

Secondary Literature

Avishur, Yitzhak. 1996. "Psalm 24." Pages 108-111 in Psalms: Volume 1. Olam HaTaNaKh (Hebrew; תהלים א׳ עולם התנ׳׳ך). Tel Aviv: דודזון–עתי.
Briggs, Charles A. & Briggs, Emilie G. 1906-7. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms, International Critical Commentary. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons.
Calvin, John. 1571. Commentary on the Book of Psalms.
Craigie, Peter C. 2004. Psalms 1-50. Second edition. Nashville, TN: Nelson.
Cross, Frank M. 1973. Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. The Book of Psalms: Books 1-2 (Hebrew; ספר תהלים: ספרים א–ב). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.
Hengstenberg, E. W. 1863. Commentary on the Psalms. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
Ibn Ezra. Ibn Ezra on Psalms.
Jacobson, Rolf A. & Tanner, Beth. 2014. "Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1–41," in The Book of Psalms (NICOT). Grand Rapids, MI; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Keel, Othmar. 1978. The Symbolism of the Biblical World : Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms. New York, NI: The Seabury Press.
Kirkpatrick, Alexander, F. 1891. Psalms with Introduction and Notes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Malbim. Malbim on Psalms.
Mowinckel, Sigmund. 1962. The Psalms in Israel's Worship, volume I. Translated by D. R. Ap-Thomas. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
vanGemeren, Willem A. 2008. The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Psalms. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Walton, John H. 2009. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): The Minor Prophets, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Walton, John H. 2018. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

References

Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 24

24:7 Approved

  1. ↑ שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים ׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וְֽ֭הִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם.
  2. ↑ For the LXX's slightly different syntax of "heads" as "leaders" (cf. Symmachus, Theodotion), see the grammar notes.
  3. ↑ Nevertheless, Targum Psalms sees the need to vary between the Holy Temple (בֵית מַקְדְשָׁא) in v. 7 and the Garden of Eden (גִנְתָא דְעֵדֶן) in v. 9. Notice that other commentators support both the temple/city interpretation and simultaneously that of the cosmos. It is possible that the entire creation, from Eden onwards, is in view, if indeed “Israel sees the cosmos in temple terms and God’s rest as a result of having established order in the cosmos” (Walton 2018, 168). Nevertheless, being a metaphorical extension, the present exegetical issue is more concerned with the primary denotation in the psalm's original Sitz Im Leben. Similarly, Craigie notes, "though the language can be interpreted against an original liturgical background, it may also be read in terms of its transformed mythological undertones" (2004, 214).
  4. ↑ The cosmic imagery of vv. 1–2 invite the extension to everything the city-temple of Zion represents biblical-theologically. Just as Bethel was a historical location named after what it represented—the House of God (Gen 28)—here we have another historical location, Mount Zion, which represents more than just its historical location and probably encompasses the city which housed the temple and the cosmic reality which an ANE temple would denote.
  5. ↑ Rahlfs 1931, 113.
  6. ↑ NETS.
  7. ↑ https://septuaginta.uni-goettingen.de/hexapla/.
  8. ↑ https://septuaginta.uni-goettingen.de/hexapla/.
  9. ↑ https://septuaginta.uni-goettingen.de/hexapla/.
  10. ↑ CAL
  11. ↑ Taylor 2020, 83.
  12. ↑ CAL
  13. ↑ Stec 2004, 62. Verse 9 reads "Lift up your heads, O gates of the garden of Eden, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the glorious king may enter" (זקופו תרעי גינתא דעדן רישיכון ואזדקפו מעלני עלמא ויעול מלכא יקירא).