Psalms 118:20 · Bible study
Psalms 118:20 Commentary: The Gate of the Lord
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Psalm 118:20 describe a literal temple gate or point to Christ? Study the grammar, context, and interpretations of this pivotal verse.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The gate of the Lord is the entrance to His presence, and only the righteous may enter.
- Key words: Gate (H8179 sha‘ar), temple door or city gate; Righteous (H6662 tsaddiq), covenantally faithful, just; Enter (H935 bo), Qal imperfect, future action.
- Main debate: Literal temple gate for worship vs. typological reference to Christ as the gate to salvation and heaven.
- Theological theme: God’s holiness requires righteousness for access; God provides the way through Christ for sinners to be made righteous.
- Best use: Teaching on approaching God, preparing for worship, and as a Gospel pointer to Christ the Door.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
WEB World English Bible 2000
This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.
KJV King James Version 1769
This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
This is the gate of Jehovah; The righteous shall enter into it.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
This is the gate to Jehovah, The righteous enter into it.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
This is the gate of Jehovah: the righteous shall enter therein.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Esta puerta de Jehová, por ella entrarán los justos.
Esta é a porta do SENHOR, pela qual os justos entrarão.
Voici la porte de l’ Éternel:
Das ist das Tor des HERRN; die Gerechten werden dahin eingehen.
Dit is de poort des HEEREN, door dewelke de rechtvaardigen zullen ingaan.
Questa è la porta dell’Eterno; i giusti entreranno per essa.
Tać jest brama Pańska, którą sprawiedliwi wchodzą.
Истомилась душа моя желанием судов Твоих во всякое время.
這是 耶和華的 門；義人 要進去！
This is the door of the Lord's house; the workers of righteousness will go in through it.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 118:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Most commentators agree that Psalm 118:20 is a liturgical response within a processional psalm. Barnes states that the gate “belongs to the house of the Lord” and that only the righteous may enter. Clarke notes it is “the answer of the Levites to the request of the king” in verse 19. The Cambridge Bible describes a voice from within the temple affirming the condition of entry. Keil and Delitzsch identify it as “the principal entrance,” connected to the “gates of righteousness” in the previous verse. All agree that the gate is dedicated to Yahweh and that only righteous people may enter. The point of divergence is whether this is purely about temple worship or carries a deeper typological meaning. Gill and Wesley read the gate as a figure of Christ, with Gill explicitly calling the gate “the Messiah himself” who is the way to God. Matthew Henry also sees a prophecy of Christ’s ascension. Thus the consensus affirms the gate’s holy purpose and the requirement of righteousness, while debate centers on the scope, literal temple gate or Christological prophecy.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal Temple Gate: The liturgical context (v. 19 request to open gates, response from within) suggests a physical gate in the temple where only the covenantally righteous may enter to worship.
- Typological/Messianic Gate: Gill and Wesley connect this gate to Christ as the door (John 10:9) and to the rejected cornerstone (v. 22), seeing a prophecy of Christ opening heaven for the righteous.
What is clear: The gate belongs to Yahweh, and entrance is reserved for the righteous.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the Gate | The gate belongs to the Lord and is the entrance to His presence, whether the Jerusalem temple or heaven. | Some see it as the literal temple gate (Barnes, Cambridge); others as a type of Christ (Gill, Wesley) or heaven (Matthew Henry). |
| Meaning of 'Righteous' | Only the righteous may enter. Righteousness is required for access to God. | Righteousness is ethical obedience and covenant faithfulness (Barnes) or imputed righteousness through faith in Christ (Gill, Wesley). |
| Relation to the Cornerstone (v. 22) | Verse 20 and v. 22 are linked in the psalm’s movement from temple entry to the rejected stone. | Whether the connection is primarily historical (Israel’s restoration) or Messianic (Christ as both cornerstone and gate). |
| Application for Christian Worship | The verse underscores that approaching God requires holiness. | Whether it speaks directly to liturgical entrance or to salvation in Christ alone. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse belongs to a psalm that likely accompanied a procession into the temple. The surrounding verses describe a festival setting: “Open to me the gates of righteousness” (v. 19) is a request from the king or worship leader; verse 20 is the response from the priests or Levites within. The “gate of the Lord” probably refers to one of the main gates of the Jerusalem temple, perhaps the eastern gate, which served as the entrance to the temple courts. In ancient Israel, city and temple gates were places of public gathering, judgment, and worship (Ruth 4:1). The term sha‘ar (gate) can also denote the gate area itself, including the marketplace or meeting space. The gate “of the Lord” means it is set apart for His service, not for secular use.
The psalm has been linked to various occasions. Calvin allows that it may be David’s psalm when he became king, but also notes uncertainty. Keil and Delitzsch connect it to the post-exilic period, when the temple was rebuilt under Zerubbabel and the people celebrated despite difficulties. Lange calls it “unmistakably a Temple-Song” likely for a feast with special sacrifices. The emphasis on righteousness echoes the covenant requirements: those who enter God’s presence must be morally and ritually pure (Psalm 24:3, 4). Wesley sees the temple as a type of heaven, with the gate representing Christ as the entry point for believers. Whether the original context was David’s day, the return from exile, or a recurring festival, the verse teaches that access to God is a privilege granted to the righteous, a truth that later Christian readers found fulfilled in Christ.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant text-critical variants for Psalm 118:20. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts, with only trivial spelling differences (e.g., Yahweh vs Jehovah in translations). The Septuagint and Vulgate follow the same reading, confirming the received text’s reliability.
Reception History
From the early church onward, this verse has been read both literally and typologically. The New Testament does not quote it directly, but the psalm’s language of rejection and exaltation (v. 22) shaped the church’s understanding of Christ. Early Christian interpreters saw the gate as an image of Christ, the door to salvation (John 10:9). Medieval liturgies often used this psalm for festivals such as Tabernacles and for the dedication of churches. Reformation commentators like Calvin focused on the historical David, while Wesley and Matthew Henry retained the typological reading, connecting the gate to Christ’s ascension. In modern scholarship, the liturgical processional interpretation is prominent (Keil and Delitzsch, Cambridge), but the Messianic reading persists in evangelical and Pentecostal traditions. The verse is echoed in hymns such as “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” and remains a favorite for Palm Sunday and entrance rites.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Gate Belongs to the Lord. It is not a human invention but God’s appointed entrance into His presence (Ps 24:7).
- The Condition: Righteousness. The tsaddiqim (righteous) are those who live in covenant faithfulness. This is not sinless perfection but a life oriented toward God.
- The Promise: Entry. The verb yavo’u (they will enter) is a confident future, God guarantees the righteous will come in.
Five-point outline
- Liturgical Setting: The call and response between worshiper and gatekeepers (vv. 19, 20) dramatizes the requirement for holiness in approaching God.
- Exclusive Claim: “This is the gate of Yahweh”, there is only one true entrance to God, whether in the temple or in Christ.
- Character Required: Tsaddiq means just, lawful, and in right relationship. This points to both ethical conduct and, ultimately, the righteousness God provides.
- Fulfilled in Christ: Gill and the New Testament (John 10:9) identify Jesus as the door. The gate that seemed merely physical becomes the Person who brings us to the Father.
- Eschatological Hope: The righteous enter not only the temple but the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:24). Verse 20 is a promise of eternal welcome.
Illustration hooks
- A security checkpoint at a concert: only ticket-holders enter. The ticket is God-given righteousness.
- A person standing outside a church, feeling unworthy to go in. The verse affirms that God invites the righteous, and makes us righteous through Christ.
- A heavy wooden door that seems plain but opens into a grand hall. Christ the gate may look humble, but He leads to glory.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I have to be perfect to approach God? No, righteousness here is covenant loyalty; Christians rely on Christ’s perfect righteousness.
- Is this gate literal or spiritual? The psalm originally referred to the temple gate, but the New Testament and many commentators see Christ as the ultimate gate.
- How do I become righteous enough to enter? By faith in Jesus, who is our righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 118:20 stands at the center of a dramatic processional liturgy. Ancient worshipers understood that approaching God’s house required preparation. This verse invites us to consider what it means to come before God today, whether in a sanctuary, in prayer, or finally in heaven.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 118:19, 20. What is the relationship between the “gates of righteousness” in v. 19 and the “gate of the Lord” in v. 20?
- Who do you think is speaking in each verse? Clarke says the Levites answer the king; how does that change the drama?
- The Hebrew word tsaddiq (righteous) describes both ethical conduct and being in a right relationship. How does this shape your understanding of who can enter God’s presence?
- Compare this verse with Psalm 24:3, 4. What kind of “clean hands and pure heart” are required?
- Some Christian interpreters (Gill, Wesley) see Christ as the gate. Read John 10:7, 9. How does Jesus fulfill the role of the gate?
- If righteousness is the condition, how do believers meet that condition? Discuss the difference between our own efforts and Christ’s righteousness given to us.
- What does this verse teach about how we prepare our hearts for worship, both on Sunday and for eternity?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 24:3 | Who may ascend to Yahweh’s hill? Who may stand in his holy place? |
| Psalms 24:4 | He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. |
| Psalms 24:7 | Lift up your heads, you gates! Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in. |
| Psalms 24:9 | Lift up your heads, you gates; yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in. |
| Isaiah 26:2 | Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith. |
| Isaiah 35:8 | A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there. |
| Isaiah 35:10 | Then Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” |
| Revelation of John 21:24 | The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the words "this gate of the Lord" are likely the Levites' reply to the king's request for entry. The phrase captures their specific role in granting access to the sanctuary.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees the gate as belonging to the Lord and reserved for the righteous. It marks a rightful claim: all who come with a sincere purpose to worship God have the privilege to enter his house on earth and, ultimately, the temple in heaven. No one should bar them here, and none will exclude them there.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that David calls Israel to ponder how God alone gave him the throne, not human policy or force. He reads David's deliverances as proof of divine appointment. For Calvin, this earthly kingdom prefigures Christ's eternal spiritual kingdom, which David's reign represented.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator places this verse within a liturgical scene: a procession reaches the Temple gates, hears a condition for entry, then enters the courts to praise. The people attribute the day's rejoicing solely to Jehovah, and the phrase "in it" may also be read as "in Him," connecting the joy to God himself.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators identify this as the Lord’s own gate, open only to those who are righteous. They stress that entering it requires true holiness, not mere outward profession. The righteous alone are admitted, because God’s presence demands a purity that only His grace can produce.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the gate of the Lord not as a literal temple entrance but as the Messiah himself. Christ is the way to God, the door into the church, and the narrow gate to eternal life. Only those made righteous through the imputation of his righteousness may enter.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the builders who rejected the cornerstone are Israel's own leaders and people, not the heathen. The despised stone represents Israel's own lowly beginnings and the nation's rise from humiliation. This history culminates in Christ, the rejected One who becomes the glorious cornerstone of the church.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry reads these verses
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley interprets "the righteous" in this passage as pointing beyond David to Christ's ascension into heaven. David was a type of Christ, and the temple of heaven is the true focus. Here Christ opens the gates of that blessed temple for himself and for all believers.