Bible Commentaries
Psalms 24

Introduction

In a sense this may well have been a propaganda Psalm, although with a very spiritual (and political) purpose in view. For David, having captured Jerusalem and having made it his capital (2 Samuel 5:9), erected a tent there which was to house the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH (2 Samuel 6:17). His desire was to see the independent city of Jerusalem, which he had captured from the Jebusites with ‘his men’, calling it the City of David (2 Samuel 5:9), accepted as the sacred city of Israel, and looked on as such by both Judah and Israel. In other words he wanted it to be seen by them as the place where YHWH dwelt, even though the Tabernacle (without the Ark) was erected elsewhere (1 Kings 3:4; 1 Kings 8:4). And to that end he provided a no doubt sumptuous tent so that he could bring the Ark in from where it was lying unutilised, (it had been out of sight for many years since its capture and subsequent release by the Philistines twenty years earlier) thus designating Jerusalem as the place where YHWH was enthroned (2 Samuel 6:0). This may well have been why, in a huge display of pageantry, he sought to fix these ideas in the people’s minds, with this Psalm intended to underpin the whole pageantry. This was the commencement of Israel referring to this mountain by the name Zion (1 Kings 8:1).

The Psalm commences with the fact that YHWH as Creator is Lord over the whole earth and subduer of the seas. It then asks who is fit to ascend the mountain that is to be YHWH’s dwelling place, and provides a detailed answer which reveals the high moral tone of Israel. After this it calls on the great gates of the city to open up so that YHWH may enter in triumph as the One Who is mighty in battle, for He has not only enabled the capture of the city (2 Samuel 5:6-9), but has also accomplished the defeat of the powerful Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25).

The Psalm splits up into parts, and it is probable that, as happens in other Psalms, different groups of singers were to sing different parts. Thus Psalms 24:1-2 may have been sung generally, followed by a group accompanying those who were bearing the Ark on its entry into the city singing Psalms 24:3-5 (or one group may have sung Psalms 24:3 with another group replying in Psalms 24:4-5), this being followed by a general response being made in Psalms 24:6. After that the group bearing the Ark calls on the gates to be opened in Psalms 24:7, with another group responding by asking the question in Psalms 24:8 a, followed by the first group then giving the reply in Psalms 24:8 b. We may then see the same process being repeated in Psalms 24:9-10, at which point the gates would be ceremonially opened and the Ark would enter and be set down in the Tent erected for it higher up the mountain, thereby demonstrating that YHWH had made the city and mountain His own.

We can compare this entry of the Ark into the city with how the Ark went before Israel on its journeying, and was each time set down within the newly erected Tabernacle, so as to demonstrate that YHWH was journeying with His people and going before them in the way (Numbers 10:33-36) with the purpose of seeking out a resting place for them. In the same way, having brought the Ark into Jerusalem in the first flush of their recent victories David clearly hoped that, as a result, they would from now on see a Jerusalem containing the Ark as evidence that YHWH had found a resting place for them with the independent Jerusalem as its capital. By doing so he hoped to remove all jealousy between Judah and Israel as to which should house the Dwellingplace of YHWH and at the same time made Jerusalem his own unique power base. One result of this was that he would take over the priesthood of Melchizedek, which was the ancient priesthood of Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18), submitting it to YHWH and incorporating it as a non-sacrificial, intercessory priesthood within the cult of Israel (Psalms 110:4).

The ceremony which celebrated the entry of the Ark might well then have been repeated annually at one of the great feasts. It would have especially suited the Feast of Tabernacles which, as ending the old year and bringing in the new, was associated with creation, kingship and victory. In this regard the significance of the Psalm would alter to indicate more generally YHWH’s triumph as the King of creation, and the Lord of battle. It might have gone thus:

IN UNISON

‘The earth is YHWH’s and its fullness,

The world, and those who dwell in it.

For he has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the floods.’

FIRST GROUP

‘Who shall ascend into the hill of YHWH?

And who shall stand in his holy place?’

SECOND GROUP OR IN UNISON

‘He who has clean hands, and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,

And has not sworn deceitfully.

He will receive a blessing from YHWH,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.’

IN UNISON OR FIRST GROUP

‘This is the generation of those who seek after him,

That seek your face, Oh Jacob. (Selah).’

FIRST GROUP

‘Lift up your heads, O you gates,

And be you lifted up, you everlasting doors,

And the King of glory will come in.’

SECOND GROUP OR IN UNISON

‘Who is the King of glory?’

FIRST GROUP

‘YHWH strong and mighty,

YHWH mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates,

Yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors,

And the King of glory will come in.’

SECOND GROUP OR IN UNISON

‘Who is this King of glory?’

FIRST GROUP

‘YHWH of hosts,

He is the King of glory.’ (Selah).

Comments.

Following on its use at the first introducing of the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH into Jerusalem, the Psalm would continue in use at the festal gatherings, and may well have been used at an annual repetition of the occasion. It is the significance of this on which we will now concentrate as we consider its permanent message.

‘A Psalm of David.’

This heading indicates that it is a Psalm connected with the house of David, either because it was written by him or one of his descendants, or because it was written concerning them.

Verses 1-2

The Glory of YHWH (Psalms 24:1-2 ).

Psalms 24:1-2

‘YHWH’s is the earth and its fullness,

The world, and those who dwell in it.

For HE has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the floods.’

Note the continual parallelisms throughout the Psalm where the second statement repeats the idea of the first in a different way, typical of Hebrew poetry.

The initial verses make clear that YHWH, the One who is to seek entry into Jerusalem, is the Creator of the whole earth, Who therefore possesses it by right, together with everything that is in it, including the peoples (its fullness, and those who dwell in it). In the Hebrew YHWH in Psalms 24:1 is emphatic, ‘To YHWH belongs the earth’, as is ‘He in Psalms 24:2. This vision of universality fits well with the ideas of worldwideness prevalent in David’s day, as evidenced by Psalms 2:0, where the expectation was that one day his descendants would rule the nations with a rod of iron, nations who were meanwhile seen as helpless before him because YHWH was with him and he was YHWH’s anointed. Compare also Exodus 19:5, ‘all the earth is Mine’; Deuteronomy 10:14, ‘to YHWH your God belongs the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all that is within it’; Psalms 50:12, ‘every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills’; Psalms 89:11, ‘the heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours, the world and its fullness You have founded them’.

And this world is seen as ‘founded’ (established securely) on the seas and the water sources that were under the ground, which regularly caused flooding (compare Psalms 33:7) but were controlled by YHWH, ‘you have set a bound that they may not pass, that they turn not again to cover the earth’ (Psalms 104:9). We are not to see this as a pseudo-scientific explanation of the world, (Israel were not into scientific investigation), but as a description based on observation (just as we speak of the sun going down) and on the records in Genesis 1:6-9. There too the earth came up out of the waters, and was established above them. And whenever they went to the edge of the seas and looked in they could see the earth going down to its foundations in the seas. So that is how they described it.

But they did not see the earth as simply resting on the waters, for they described YHWH as the One Who ‘laid the foundation of the earth that it should not be moved for ever’. He ‘covered it with the deep as with an undergarment, the waters stood above the mountains’, after which ‘at His rebuke they fled, at the voice of His thunder they hurried away, they went up by the mountains, they went down by the valleys, to the place which He had founded for them’. So the waters themselves were seen as established on solid earth, with dry land arising from them, and thus established upon them.

The major emphasis being brought out is that the earth on which men lived has been established by YHWH in the midst of the powerful and hostile seas which are, however, under YHWH’s total control (Job 38:11), and over the waters that are under the ground as revealed, for example, by the springs that poured forth water in abundance (‘the water under the earth’ - Exodus 20:4). The earth is firm and secure under His control, and all within it is His. All is thus submissive to His will, and man is kept safe within it, for floods will never again be allowed to destroy mankind (Genesis 9:11).

It is this Creator God Who will seek to enter Zion, the new city of David, and establish His dwelling in the holy mount.

Verses 3-6

Who May Enter The Holy Place Of YHWH? (Psalms 24:3-6 )

Psalms 24:3

‘Who will ascend into the hill of YHWH?

And who will stand in his holy place?’

But now having considered the greatness of YHWH an important question arises. Who is fitted to ascend into the place where this powerful Creator and Sustainer of the world will make His earthly dwellingplace? And especially who will be able to face up to His holiness, His total purity and ‘otherness’, and stand his ground before Him (compare Psalms 1:5) in that holy place. The thought is not of the Holy Place within the Tabernacle, for the Tabernacle was not yet there, but of the whole mountain seen as a holy place. (‘Holy place’ parallels ‘the hill of YHWH’). It is thus referring to the holy hill of YHWH, that is the holy hill of Zion (see Psalms 2:6; Psalms 3:4; Psalms 15:1; Psalms 43:3; Isaiah 2:2-3). At this stage ‘Zion’ is limited to the one mountain, later the name will expand to cover all Jerusalem, and then be used as a synonym for the inhabitants of Jerusalem (e.g. Zechariah 2:7). And the question is as to who is fitted to ascend and enter there so as to meet with YHWH. By this he was establishing central Jerusalem (the one time Jebusite fortress on what would be the Temple mount) as ‘the holy city’ (Isaiah 48:2; Isaiah 52:1), a description which would gradually spread to include its environs. See here Judges 1:8; Judges 1:21; where outer Jerusalem was settled by Judah and Benjamin, who were, however, unable to capture the Jebusite stronghold and the hill now taken by David, which has now here become ‘the hill of YHWH’. It was, however, a place full of sacred associations for Israel, for it was from there that the priest of the Most High God (El Elyon) had brought sustenance to their forefather Abraham and his men (Genesis 14:18-20), and had received tithes from him, at which Abraham had declared that YHWH was God Most High. Thus this was already the hill of YHWH, and had simply been awaiting His possession of it.

‘Who will ascend.’ The idea of ascending is regularly associated with worship ( 1Sa 1:3 ; 1 Samuel 1:22; Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 37:14; Isaiah 38:22).

For us, however, there is a new and even greater vision of Jerusalem because in the New Testament the true Jerusalem is now seen as being in Heaven where our Lord Jesus Christ is established on His throne (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22; and continually in Revelation) among His glorified people (Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 14:1). For in the end Jerusalem is a concept and not a place. It is the place where YHWH is seen as enthroned. The last thing that we can do is limit God to a piece of ground. Ezekiel saw this when he declared that the idealistic heavenly Temple was on a high mountain away from Jerusalem.

Psalms 24:4-5

‘He who has clean hands, and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,

And has not sworn deceitfully.

He will receive a blessing from YHWH,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.’

The question as to who is fitted to ascend into the hill of YHWH, the place where YHWH is to dwell, is now answered. It is those who are clean and pure, and this not just in ritual terms, but in terms of true purity of heart and life. It is those who are fulfilling the covenant that YHWH has made with them.

To have clean hands and a pure heart, is to have rid the hands and heart of all impurity by turning from sin and offering the appropriate sacrifice, having made any necessary compensation (Leviticus 1-7), thus being brought back into a state of full obedience to the Law, combined with having been rid of all ‘uncleanness’ in the ways prescribed in the Law (Leviticus 11-15), all as epitomised in the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:0). We can compare here Psalms 18:20; Psalms 18:24 where to have clean hands is to be righteous. In Christian terms it is to have admitted our sins, bringing them to God and finding cleansing in the blood of Jesus, so that He might justly forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9).

‘Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully.’ This may be succintly describing obedience to the Law in terms of total honesty before the judges of Israel, and the Great Judge Himself, or the idea may be of obedience to the covenant, with all its requirements, which Israel had sworn to keep (Exodus 24:3 along with its context; Psalms 19:5-8; Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 10:20). It is a reminder to us that we must deal honestly with God, and keep the promises that we have made to Him. This does of course include honesty towards our fellowmen, but its main emphasis is on honesty before God and obedience to His will, although in fact the two cannot be separated in practise, for to be honest towards God involves being honest to each other (see Matthew 5:23-24).

To ‘lift up the soul’ is to ‘set one’s mind and will on’ (Psalm 20:25; Psalms 25:1; Deuteronomy 24:15). ‘Falsehood.’ The word can indicate what is vain and empty (Job 15:31), what is false and hypocritical (Psalms 12:2), or what is basically wrong (Isaiah 5:18). Here, paralleled as it is with deceitfulness, it therefore tends towards signifying all that is false.

‘He will receive a blessing from YHWH, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.’ And it is the one who is true to His covenant and His commands, who will receive blessing from YHWH and righteous dealings from their saving God. Included in the idea of righteous dealings is the righteousness imputed to them because of their genuinely offered sacrifices, which are a part of His saving plan. But it also includes His righteous dealings in all that is to do with them, including deliverance from all who hate them. Such are YHWH’s blessings.

For us it is a reminder that having received righteousness once for all in Jesus Christ, we can only enjoy the full benefits of that righteousness by responding in righteousness in our lives. Thus, and thus only, can we be sure of a welcome when we go into God’s presence. ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart YHWH will not hear me’ (Psalms 66:18). Only the one who comes with a true and open heart can expect to be received.

Psalms 24:6

‘This is the generation of those who seek after him,

Who seek your face, Oh Jacob. (Selah).’

The whole people then respond that they are the generation who are truly seeking after Him, who are seeking the face of the God Who is there as the God of their father Jacob. He is addressed as Jacob because He represents all that Jacob stood for, and worshipped, and because He is the God of Jacob, and their obedience is to Him through Jacob. He is addressed as Jacob as the One to Whom Jacob pointed, and in Him Jacob still calls for their obedience. (Some, however, translate as ‘even Jacob’ signifying that they are, as ‘Jacob’, seeking His face).

Or ‘this is the generation’ may signify ‘this is the specific type of person’ with reference to the previous description (compare Psalms 12:7; Psalms 14:5; Psalms 73:15).

‘Who seek after Him, who seek Your face --.’ Two words are used for seek, both having a similar meaning. The idea is of the seeking of the inner heart. But the first may be seen as tending towards loving devotion, and the second as indicating more a petitioning heart.

‘Selah.’ A musical pause, probably also suggesting, ‘pause and think of that’.

Verses 7-10

The Call To Let YHWH Enter His Holy City, Bringing About A Revelation Of Who He Is (Psalms 24:7-10 ).

Psalms 24:7

‘Lift up your heads, O you gates,

And be you lifted up, you ancient (everlasting) doors,

And the King of glory will come in.’

The call now goes out that YHWH might enter in and take possession of what has been His from ancient times. For from of old it had been the city of the Most High God, Who was clearly identified as YHWH, both by its own priest from ancient times (who identified God Most High as Abraham’s God), and by Abraham specifically (Genesis 14:18-24).

The gates are to ‘lift up their heads’. Comparison with Job 10:15 suggests that this indicates a pride in what is about the happen. The gates can lift up their heads because, although His coming has been delayed, He is here at last. The King of glory will pass through the gates of Zion to His new dwelling place on the mount.

Note the emphasis on the ancientness of the city. All Israel knew of Salem as the place from which in the distant past blessing had come to Abraham, and to whose king-priest Abraham had paid his dues because he was the priest of the Most High God. The word ‘olam, often translated everlasting, rather indicates ‘into the ancient past’, or ‘into the far distant future’. It would only later (in the far distant future) come to mean ‘everlasting’. At this time there was no concept of strict everlastingness, except as time without end when looking into the future.

So those ancient gates are now to open in order to admit ‘the King of glory’ as the Ark passes through them. He is seeking His rightful earthly dwelling place. Like his son Solomon, David was aware that ‘even the heaven of heavens could not contain Him’ (1 Kings 8:27), yet he gratefully recognised that YHWH was also pleased to invisibly manifest Himself on earth on His sacred throne, the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, and would henceforth do so in His holy city, Jerusalem. Note 2 Samuel 6:2 where the Ark of God ‘is called by the Name, even the Name of YHWH of hosts, who sits on the cherubim’ while once the Ark had been captured ‘the glory had departed’ (1 Samuel 4:21-22).

For us the Tabernacle and Temple in which the Ark was housed has been replaced by the people of God as the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16), and our cry is therefore that the living God, the King of Glory, might enter among us, His people, and subsequently reveal His glory.

Psalms 24:8

‘Who is the King of glory?’

The question then comes back, ‘Who is the King of glory?’ Let Him be identified if He is to enter and take possession of His holy city. How can they be sure that He has the right?

Psalms 24:8

‘YHWH strong and mighty,

YHWH mighty in battle.

The reply is powerful. He is ‘YHWH the Strong and Mighty’, He is ‘YHWH Who has proved Himself mighty in battle’. That is why the usurpers have been turned out of Jerusalem. That is why the Philistines have fled before David. That is why the city is His. And all this is further evidenced by their past history, written in their sacred writings, which reveal how He has delivered His people again and again, commencing with the defeat of mighty Egypt, and continuing with all that followed. So let them recognise that it is the Strong One and the Mighty One, the Great Victor, Who seeks to enter in.

We can compare for this the words of Exodus 15:2-3; Exodus 15:18, ‘YHWH is my strength and my song, and He is become my deliverance’ --- ‘YHWH is a man of war, YHWH is His Name’ --- ‘YHWH will reign for ever’. Here then parallel ideas are proclaimed in proclamation of a new deliverance.

For us this is a reminder that our God is strong and well able to fight our battles and protect us, and that our Redeemer came as the mighty One in order to deliver us through His cross (Isaiah 59:16-20), and as the King of glory.

Psalms 24:9

Lift up your heads, O you gates,

Yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors,

And the King of glory will come in.’

Again the call comes. Let the ancient gates be opened that the King of glory might enter. The point is being emphasised by repetition. The required twofold witness must be given.

Psalms 24:10

‘Who is this King of glory?’

Again the question comes back, ‘Who is this King of glory?’ But possibly this time we are to understand a request for more information about this Mighty One Who is about to enter. Who and What is He?

Psalms 24:10

‘YHWH of hosts,

He is the King of glory.’ (Selah).

And now is given the decisive reply, it is ‘YHWH of hosts, He is the King of glory’. YHWH of hosts is a comprehensive title. It includes the thought that He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and of the sun, moon and stars, and of all their host (Genesis 2:1, compare Isaiah 24:3), and of the heavenly beings (Psalms 148:2; 1 Kings 22:19). And it also includes the thought that He is the Lord of the hosts of Israel (Joshua 5:14; 1 Samuel 17:45; and often). He is thus the One Who has all power in heaven and on earth, and Who is over all. He is the One Who leads forward His people to victory. He is the Almighty. He is truly the King of glory.

‘Selah.’ Again a musical notation probably suggesting, ‘pause and think of that’.

Meditation.

We may see also on this Psalm a picture of Jesus making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when, as Creator of heaven and earth, He entered Jerusalem as its King to approach the Temple mount, offering Himself to a world who would not receive Him. And it is even more a picture of His even more triumphal entry into Heaven after His resurrection, when He ascended and entered the new Jerusalem, ascending the heavenly Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22) in order to receive His crown. But how different were the welcomes of earth and Heaven.

‘The earth is YHWH’s and its fullness,

The world, and those who dwell in it.

For he has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the floods.’

Initially we have here the declaration of the great power of the Creator. And this we know was the power of the One Who was about to seek entry into Jerusalem. For it was from a position of such power that He came among us as a man upon earth. ‘All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made’ (John 1:3). For He ‘is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things have been created through Him and to Him, and by Him all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:15-17). He is the One ‘by Whom also He made the worlds, Who being the outshining of His glory and the stamped out image of His substance, and upholding all things by His word of power --’ (Hebrews 1:3). This was the One Who sought to enter Jerusalem in humility on an asses colt as its King, and Who in return was spurned, rejected and crucified.

But rising again He sought again to enter Jerusalem, but this time it was the heavenly Jerusalem, and in this case the angels waved their palm branches in welcome, and the Lord of the heavenly Temple bid Him welcome. He was not wanted on earth, but Heaven had waited for this moment.

‘Who shall ascend into the hill of YHWH?

And who shall stand in his holy place?’

‘He who has clean hands, and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,

And has not sworn deceitfully.

He will receive a blessing from YHWH,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.’

As Jesus rode onwards into Jerusalem we can here the question from those who stand by. ‘Who can ascend into the hill of the Lord, and Who will stand in His holy place?.’ And the reply comes, ‘He Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth’ (Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22), ‘Who when He was reviled, did not revile again, Who when He suffered did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him Who judges righteously’ (1 Peter 2:23). ‘He Who knew no sin’ (2 Corinthians 5:21). ‘He Who was tempted in all points like we are, and yet without sin’ (Hebrews 4:15). He Whose hands were clean and Whose heart was pure, Who had not lifted up His soul to falsehood and deceit, and had not sworn deceitfully.’ This is the One Who will receive the blessing of YHWH. But He needed to receive no righteousness, for He was righteous through and through, and He Himself was the God of salvation. Yet in spite of that He had no welcome on earth, for they could not bear the way that His life shone out. And so they consigned Him to the cross.

But, once He was risen, how different was the story for as He rode towards the heavenly Jerusalem the angels ran to meet Him and bid Him welcome, rejoicing in His sinlessness which He had retained in spite of His sojourn among the cesspits of humanity, and the Lord of Glory Himself came forward to receive Him personally and welcome back His Son, and sat Him at His Own right hand far above all.

‘This is the generation of those who seek after him,

That seek your face, Oh Jacob. (Selah).’

For here was the perfect example of those who seek Him, of those who seek the God of Jacob. This was the son of Jacob, Who alone among all the sons of Jacob, had sought God truly from the heart. And it was because of this that He would be able to lead many sons of Jacob to glory.

‘Lift up your heads, O you gates,

And be you lifted up, you everlasting doors,

And the King of glory will come in.’

And as Jesus approached the holy mount in Jerusalem on the asses colt the call came from Heaven, ‘lift up your heads O you gates, and be lifted up you everlasting doors. That the King of glory might come in.’ They cried it out as loudly as they could. They could not believe that no one heard, it was so clear to them. But earth was deaf to their cries, and no one opened the doors for Him, and when He entered the Temple He was ignored, and when He cleansed it He was crucified for His pains. The earthly Temple in Jerusalem had no place for the King of glory.

But how different again it was after His resurrection. For as He approached the heavenly city of Jerusalem and the call came for the gates to be opened up, the angels ran and vied to remove the bars, that they might be the first to welcome back the One Who was the Joy of Heaven.

‘Who is the King of glory?’

This was the question that with supercilious faces was asked by the chief priests and the scribes and the people of Jerusalem. Who is this man? Whose son is He? Have you not heard what these people are saying about you? But as the angels asked the question it was not because they did not know the answer, but in order that it might ring out to all creation, this is the King of glory.

‘YHWH strong and mighty,

YHWH mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates,

Yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors,

And the King of glory will come in.’

Had Jerusalem but known it, the One Who entered could have changed the world. But they did not know. The strong and mighty One, mighty in battle was among them and they knew it not. And He would need all of that. For the battle lay ahead and it was against forces that no man could ever have dreamed of. For as He hung on the cross He disarmed the principalities and powers which had for so long held men in darkness, and made an open show of them, triumphing over them in the cross (Colossians 2:15).

And thus when after His resurrection He was welcomed though the gates of the new Jerusalem, it was as the victor leading a host of captives in His train (Ephesians 4:8).

‘Who is this King of glory?’

Again the angel cry goes up in order to glorify the Victor. Who is this King of glory Who leads these captives in His train?

‘YHWH of hosts,

He is the King of glory.’ (Selah).

And the reply comes, ‘He is YHWH of Hosts (Matthew 28:19; Philippians 2:8-11), He is the King of glory’. The King had returned to the glory that was His before the world was (John 17:5).