Suffering With Joy

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 24

June 26, 2010

On Saturdays Jenny at Just A Minute hosts this meme.  Join her to see thoughts other Catholic bloggers have on this psalm and join us if you have a mind to do so.

The Church prays this beautiful psalm on Mondays at the hour of Prime, a fitting beginning for the morning prayers of the week.  We are in procession to Mount Sion, our heaven, walking in the footsteps of Christ on the earthly pilgrimage to paradise. King David and his people sang this psalm at the solemn entry of God’s Ark to Mount Sion.  Its jubilant cry foreshadows the glory of the Risen Christ, our King.

This week I am using the CCD translation from my Short Breviary of 1962, the one used for the Psalms in the Novus Ordo.

David, assisted by Christ, lifts up a door and opens the entrance for Christ to come in, St. Alban's Psalter, 12th century

1  The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it. 2 For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

From the instant of conception we belong to God as does the entire earth and everything on it and in the heavens above. No amount of declaration of man’s superiority can change the fact that he is creature and God is God, the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving uncreated Being.  Man has been given authority over the earth by God as husbandman, to develop and care for it, but he is dust and to dust he will return.  May I be a good steward, O Lord, over my body, soul, and temporal things until You call me home.

3 Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain, nor swears deceitfully to his neighbor.

God sets four conditions upon us to enter His presence: clean hands, clean heart, a soul that is undivided in its pursuit of the holy, and a tongue that is truthful with our neighbor. God desires an inner moral holiness, not the mere ritual cleansing He set forth in the law to the Israelites.  O Lord, give me a pure heart, clean hands, a truthful tongue, and a thirst for You alone.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his savior. 6 Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

Through Christ’s blood, by the ineffable mercy of the Father, we of the Mystical Body of Christ will receive the greatest blessing possible: an eternity of joy in His presence if we seek His face in this life by imitating His Son.  Give me the grace, O Lord, to seek Your face without distraction, and to recognize You when I come upon You.

7 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in!

God is so great the gates are never high enough yet when we open the door of our hearts to Him, lifting up the portal, He always enters and expands His grace (glory) within us. Keep knocking at the door, O Lord, and take away my deafness, that I may hear Your voice.

8 Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.

The Victor over sin and death, Jesus Christ, is the Lord God of Hosts (Armies).  If we acknowledge Him as leader and take our place behind Him, His strength become our strength, His might, our might.  Through Him we join in the victory over the prince of darkness who can have no part in the glory we will all share. Let me serve You valiantly, O King of glory, never losing sight of the final prize.  With the armies of angels, let me sing Your praise.

9 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! 10 Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts; He is the king of glory.

All glory, laud and honor to Thee, Redeemer King.

Tags: psalms

3 Comments to Praying the Psalms – Psalm 24

1. 

   You had me at the “…instant of conception…” Thank you for this beautiful reflection.
Jenny on June 26th, 2010
2. 

   Barb,

   Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog! I enjoyed your meditation on Psalm 24 very much- especially how you dissect the verses and the pray them! I join you in praying for the grace to recognize Him in my life and to hear His voice when He speaks. Blessings to you!
Natalie on June 26th, 2010
3. 

   Your reflections are always so beautiful and heartfelt, Barb! I especially loved your thoughts on God entering our hearts when we open the door to Him “lifting up the portal” and that He “expands His grace within us”!

   I “hear” you on the taking away the deafness part, too Sometimes I feel as if I’m a little kid blocking my ears and saying, “Lalala! I can’t hear you!”

   Thank you for the great post!
Mary Nicewarner on June 27th, 2010

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