Mizmor 24: Ascending God's Mountain/2

Mizmor 24: Ascending God's Mountain

Exegetical Approaches

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Bringing the Ark to its Abode

The psalm was sung when the ark was brought to its resting place. This position subdivides as to the exact event which is referred to:

Inaugural Arrival of Ark

The psalm was composed to be said as the ark was brought to the Mikdash (or perhaps the City of David) for the first time. This represented Hashem's coming to dwell in the Mikadsh.  As such, on the grand occassion, the people sang a hymn celebrating the glory of God and His holy site.

Sources:Midrash Tehillim, Bavli ShabbatShabbat 30aAbout the Bavli, RashiTehillim 24About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RadakTehillim 24About R. David Kimchi

Specific Occasion – Commentators debate when the psalm was said:

• In the time of David – Radak and Hoil Moshe suggest that the psalm was sung when David brought the ark from the house of Oved Edom to the City of David as described in Divrei HaYamim I 15.¹
• In the time of Shelomo– The other commentators suggest that the psalm refers to the bringing of the ark to the Holy Sanctum during the dedication of the Mikdash.

Relationship between sections – Amos Hakham suggests that the psalm was recited during a procession towards the Mikdash, with each section of the psalm being recited at a different stage and location. 

• The first two verses were sung before reaching Mt. Moriah, with the people proclaiming that even though Hashem has decided to dwell in the Mikdash, really the whole world belongs to Him.² 
• Verses 3-6 were sung as the people reached the Temple Mount, leading them to ask: "who is worthy of ascending to God?"
• The final section was said as they reached the entrance to the Mikdash itself (or perhaps even to the Holy of Holies), where they ask leave for the ark,  symbol of the Divine presence, to enter. After clarifying that it i Hashem who is the King of glory, entrance is granted.

"God's mountain" – This approach reads these words to refer to a literal mountain, either to the Temple Mount (those commentators who set the psalm in the time of Shelomo),  or to Mount Zion (Hoil Moshe who sets it in David's time).

Who shall ascend

• According to those who place the psalm in the time of David, the question might be prompted by the fact that David's first attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem had failed. He thus asks, "who is worthy of ascending?"
• Alternatively, the question is prompted by recognition of the holiness of the site of the Mikdash and the knowledge that not all should be able to enter.

The chosen qualities

• Radak suggests that the various traits were chosen since together they refer to perfection in deed (נְקִי כַפַּיִם) , heart (בַר לֵבָב) and speech (לֹא נִשְׁבַּע לְמִרְמָה).
• Hoil Moshe notes that the psalmist's emphasis on the need for those who enter the Mikdash to be of "clean hands and pure heart"  highlights the uniqueness of Israelite religion which, unlike neighboring belief systems, did not view the Mikdash as a sanctuary for sinners.³

Returning the Ark After Battle

The psalm was recited as the people brought the ark back to its abode after having taken it to battle.

Taking the ark to battle –

This position assumes that, at least in certain eras, it was customary to take the ark to battle.  Several verses would appear to support such an assumption.  See Bemidbar 10:35-36, which states that as the ark traveled, Moshe prayed: "Rise up, Hashem, and let your enemies be scattered!"⁴  In addition, during the conquest of Yericho (Yehoshua 6), the battle against the Philistines (Shemuel I 4), and the battle against Amon (Shemuel II 11:11) the ark is explicitly mentioned as playing a role in battle.⁵

Battle imagery – The various depictions in verses 8-10 of Hashem as "strong and mighty", "mighty in battle" and as "God of armies" support the idea that the psalm relates to war, and might have been sung after victory upon returning the ark.

Vengeance in Messianic Times

The psalm speaks of Messianic times, when the "pure of heart" and those how seek Hashem (i.e. Israel) will merit "to ascend His mountain", while other nations will be judged and punished.

Sources:R"Y of Trani

Encountering the Divine

The psalm is about the ability and prerequisites necessary for man and God to connect.

Sources:MalbimTehillim Beur HaInyan 24About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

Relationship between sections – The psalm opens with a description of God as a providential creator, pointing to the possibility for God and humans to connect (verses 1-2).  It continues to describe the qualities that man must develop to be worthy of connecting and "ascending to God" (verses 3-6), and closes with a description of Hashem's descent to dwell among men,  the realization of the encounter (verses 7-10).

Structure parallels – There are several points of contact between the second and third sections of the psalm⁶ which serve to reinforce the theme of the hymn. The former mentions "going up" to God, while the latter speaks of Hashem "coming" down; together representing the meeting of man and God. In addition, each section discusses the unique qualities of one party in the encounter (man/God),  by asking a question ("Who shall  ascend" / "Who is the King of glory"),⁷ highlighting the search of each for the other.

"לַי״י הָאָרֶץ... וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ" – The psalmist emphasizes that the earth is God's to highlight that God does not desire that there be a divide, with the heavens being for Him and the earth for man.  Rather, He wants to dwell upon the earth and forge a relationship.

"...הוּא עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ" – These words allude to how Hashem moved the waters so that dry land could be revealed, while providing water for humans to live (עַל נְהָרוֹת יְכוֹנְנֶהָ). These acts further point to God's providence over and love for humankind and a desire for connection.

"Ascending God's mountain" – Malbim asserts that it was man's sins that caused distance in the relationship between man and God.  The psalmist thus lists qualities necessary for man to be worthy of "ascending God's mountain", metaphoric for coming close to God and the ability to forge a relationship.

The qualities needed

• R"A Baumol⁸ suggests that the common denominator between the various qualities listed is the need for one's external actions and internal thoughts to align for good.  It is not enough to be "clean of hands"; one needs also to be "pure of heart".  Similarly, one cannot swear falsely or be deceptive, stating one thing and doing another.
• Malbim does not attempt to find a common link between the various qualities listed, instead suggesting that the psalmist is asserting that man is required to do what is right both out of love and so as to fulfill his destiny. Thus, it does not suffice for a person to be "clean of hands" which might simply be due to fear of punishment, but he has to also to be "pure of heart", doing what is correct out of love. The warning against swearing falsely is understood as a metaphor. Man is created "sworn to do good". To merit an encounter with God, He must live a life that does not nullify this oath.

A worthy generation – The poet emphasizes that though it would appear difficult to find even worthy individuals, the entire generation that left Egypt merited this closeness, seeking out Hashem's presence.

Yaakov – Malbim suggests that the nation is referred to explicitly as Yaakov to show that they had reached the level of Yaakov who dreamed of a ladder connecting heavens and earth.  They, too, similarly merited to ascend a ladder to God.

Gates and entrances

• Malbim suggests that these refer to the openings that allow passage from the upper world to the lower world, through which Hashem can descend to dwell in His sanctuary.  Once man had ascended to God, Hashem can now descend to man.
• R"Y Bazak alternatively suggests that the gates are walls and screens, metaphoric for the various impediments that sometimes block an encounter. The psalmist prays that these be lifted, enabling a meeting. 

Hashem as Warrior – Malbim disassociates the image from battle, suggesting that it is a metaphor for God's control over the hosts of nature.  As such the description of " י״י גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה" is equivalent to verse 10's "י״י צְבָאוֹת", with both implying that Hashem's dominion will lead the gates to open for His presence to pass.

Use in the liturgy

¹ See also Shemuel II 6.

² See Radak who words this in the reverse, saying that the verses teach that even though the whole world is His, God has chosen the Mikdash as His special dwelling place.

³ This idea is emphasized in Yirmeyahu 7 at length, where the prophet chastises the people for thinking that they can lie and steal and murder and then come to the Mikdash and be saved.

⁴ See also Bemidbar 31:6 where Pinchas takes the "holy vessels" to war against Midyan.

⁵ See also Bemidbar 14:40-45 where people go t war against God's directive and the verse explicitly mentioned that the ark did not accompany them, implying that had their actions been favorable, it would have.

⁶ These have been pointed out by R"Y Bazak in his book, שיר שיל יום בתהלים (ירושלים: 1985) :15-16.

⁷ The two sections are further connected through the repetition of the root "נשא".

⁸ See his article "Mizmor 24: Standing in H(h)is Holy Place".