What does "He will receive blessing from the LORD" mean in Psalm 24:5? Canonical Placement and Authorship Psalm 24, attributed “to David,” stands in the closing triad of the so-called “Shepherd-King” Psalms (22–24). Psalm 22 portrays the suffering Messiah, Psalm 23 the Shepherd’s present care, and Psalm 24 the King’s triumphal entry into His holy place. The verse under study—“He will receive blessing from the LORD” (Psalm 24:5a)—occurs in a liturgical dialogue that distinguishes the one qualified to ascend Yahweh’s sacred mountain from those who are not. Immediate Literary Context Verses 3–6 form a chiastic thought-unit: A. Question: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?” (v. 3) B. Answer (positive): “He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (v. 4a) C. Answer (negative): “Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully” (v. 4b) B′. Result (positive): “He will receive blessing from the LORD” (v. 5a) A′. Result (expanded): “And vindication from God his Savior” (v. 5b) The structure shows that “blessing” parallels “clean hands and a pure heart,” while “vindication” (or “righteousness”) mirrors avoidance of idolatry and deceit. Thus verse 5 is not a generic promise; it is the divine response to covenantal fidelity. Old Testament Theological Background 1. Covenantal Reciprocity: Genesis 12:2–3 presents blessing as God’s foundational promise to Abraham and his seed; obedience engenders realized blessing (Deuteronomy 30:19–20). 2. Cultic Access: Psalm 15 sets identical entrance criteria—upright conduct yields God’s fellowship. Psalm 24 intensifies this by associating blessing with liturgical ascent to Zion. 3. Priestly Mediation: The Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) pronounces the divine name so that “they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them” (v. 27). Psalm 24 links personal purity with that same priestly assurance. Intertestamental and Manuscript Witness • 11Q5 (Dead Sea Scrolls, ca. 125 BC) preserves Psalm 24 virtually identical to the Masoretic text, corroborating its early fixed form. • The Septuagint renders v. 5 as λαβεται ευλογιαν παρα κυριου (“he will receive blessing from the Lord”), confirming semantic continuity into the Greek-speaking church. This manuscript harmony underscores trustworthiness, enabling confident doctrinal inference. New Testament Fulfillment Jesus perfectly embodies “clean hands and a pure heart,” qualifying Him uniquely to ascend and open the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 9:24). Believers united to Christ share His status: • Ephesians 1:3—“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.” • 1 Peter 3:18—Christ suffered “the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God,” fulfilling Psalm 24’s ascent motif. • Revelation 14:5 applies Psalm 24 language to the redeemed: “No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.” Thus the Psalm’s promise finds ultimate expression in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, imparted to His people. Dimensions of the Promised Blessing 1. Relational: restored fellowship (“the pure in heart shall see God,” Matthew 5:8). 2. Judicial: acquittal and credited righteousness (Romans 4:5-8). 3. Missional: empowerment to represent God’s character (1 Peter 2:9-12). 4. Eschatological: participation in the new creation where “the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23). Contemporary Application Behavioral science affirms that integrity (clean hands) and congruent motives (pure heart) correlate with psychological well-being, but Scripture anchors these traits in divine regeneration (Ezekiel 36:26). The Psalm therefore invites self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5) and the gospel solution: repentance and faith in Christ for imputed purity (1 John 1:9). Summary Definition “He will receive blessing from the LORD” (Psalm 24:5) means that the person characterized by covenantal purity is granted God’s favor—comprising relational nearness, judicial vindication, and material-spiritual benefit—ultimately realized and secured through the risen Christ, who shares His triumph with all who trust Him. |
    |