Psalms 24:1 · Bible study
Psalms 24:1 Commentary: The Earth Is the Lord's
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Psalm 24:1, God’s universal ownership of creation, its link to covenant relationship, and implications for stewardship.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God, as Creator, holds absolute ownership over the entire earth, its contents, and all its inhabitants.
- Key words: Yahweh (the covenant name of God), earth (Hb. erets), fullness (Hb. melo, everything that fills it), world (Hb. tevel, the inhabited part), dwell (Hb. yashav, to sit, abide).
- Main debate: How this universal claim relates to God’s particular covenant with Israel; commentators see it as a backdrop for the call to holiness.
- Theological theme: Sovereignty and stewardship: all creation belongs to God; humans are tenants and stewards.
- Best use: A foundational text for teaching creation care, worship, and the scope of God’s kingdom.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.
WEB World English Bible 2000
A Psalm by David. The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it.
KJV King James Version 1769
The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
A Psalm of David. To Jehovah is the earth and its fulness, The world and the inhabitants in it.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The earth is Jehovah's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Unto the end, a psalm for David. To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Salmo de David. DE Jehová es la tierra y su plenitud; el mundo, y los que en él habitan.
Ao SENHOR pertence a terra, e sua plenitude; o mundo, e os que nele habitam.
Psaume de David.
Ein Psalm Davids. Die Erde ist des HERRN und was darinnen ist, der Erdboden und was darauf wohnt.
Een psalm van David. De aarde is des HEEREN, mitsgaders haar volheid, de wereld, en die daarin wonen.
Salmo di Davide. All’Eterno appartiene la terra e tutto ciò ch’è in essa, il mondo e i suoi abitanti.
Psalm Dawidowy. Pańska jest ziemia, i napełnienie jej, okrąg ziemi, i którzy mieszkają na nim.
К Тебе, Господи, возношу душу мою.
（大衛的 詩。）地 和其中所充滿的，世界 和住 在其間的，都屬耶和華。
The earth is the Lord's, with all its wealth; the world and all the people living in it.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 24:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Psalm 24:1 makes a sweeping claim: the whole earth, its resources, its creatures, its people, belongs to Yahweh exclusively. This is not a poetic exaggeration but a theological declaration rooted in creation. As the Cambridge Bible notes, the Hebrew word order places “Yahweh” first: “Unto Jehovah belongeth the earth.” God is the Creator and therefore the rightful owner. Adam Clarke calls him “the Creator and Governor of it.” Barnes also grounds it in creation: “He has made the earth and all which it contains.” The verse functions as the foundation for the rest of the psalm, which asks who may ascend God’s holy hill. Only those who belong to him in a deeper, covenantal sense can approach. So the universal ownership sets up the particular call to holiness. This much is agreed: the earth is his, and that truth invites a life of worship and trust.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God’s ownership of the entire earth and all it contains is a certain teaching not disputed in any Christian tradition.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Universal ownership and covenant relationship | God’s ownership of all creation and all people is affirmed by every tradition. | Some commentators (e.g., Calvin) see this universal claim primarily as a backdrop that magnifies the special grace of God’s covenant with Israel. Others (e.g., Spurgeon) emphasize that it opens the door for Gentile inclusion and missions. |
| Occasion and setting of the psalm | Most commentators agree the psalm was likely used during a procession of the ark into Jerusalem (cf. 2 Samuel 6). | Some focus on the entry into the City of David (Barnes), while others see it as a later temple liturgy (Lange notes the Talmudic tradition of singing it on Sunday). |
| Relationship to the holiness requirement (vv. 3-6) | The universal claim in v.1 is the basis for the question about who may approach God. All traditions see a connection. | Some interpret the requirement as individual moral purity (clean hands, pure heart); others stress corporate responsibility and worship fitness. |
| Use in Christian ethics (1 Cor 10:26) | Paul’s quotation shows the verse undergirds Christian freedom regarding food. | Some argue for a strong liberty stance (all things are lawful), while others note the context of love and not causing a brother to stumble limits that freedom. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The title attributes this psalm to David. Most commentators, including Barnes, connect it to a specific event: the procession that brought the ark of the covenant from Obed-edom’s house into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). This was a public, solemn occasion. The ark symbolized God’s presence among his people. As the procession approached the city gates, this psalm likely was sung, celebrating that Yahweh, the owner of all the earth, was now taking up residence on Mount Zion.
The structure reinforces the meaning. Verses 1-2 declare global ownership, then verses 3-6 ask who may dwell with God, and verses 7-10 call the gates to open for the King of glory. The universal claim is not abstract; it is the basis for the particular covenant. As Calvin observes, David uses the creation theme to magnify “the special favour which God manifested towards the children of Abraham.” Because God owns everything, his choice of Israel is sheer grace; not because they had any inherent claim.
Lange’s commentary adds that the Talmud records this psalm being sung in the temple every Sunday morning, with reference to the history of creation. The Septuagint adds “for the first day of the week,” connecting it to both creation and, for Christians, Christ’s resurrection. So the psalm’s use broadened over time. The land imagery also echoes Genesis: God founded the earth on the seas (verse 2), affirming his sovereignty over the physical world. This would remind Israel that their land was a gift, not a possession by right. The verse’s claim that “those who dwell therein” belong to YHWH challenged any notion that other nations were beyond his concern.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 24:1. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The Septuagint translation (τοῦ κυρίου ἡ γῆ καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ) matches the Hebrew closely. Paul quotes the LXX in 1 Corinthians 10:26.
Reception History
Scholars note this verse was used early in synagogue worship. The Talmud records Psalm 24 being sung in the temple on the first day of the week (Sunday), referencing creation. The Septuagint title adds “for the first day of the week,” connecting it to both creation and, for Christians, Christ’s resurrection (Lange). The Apostle Paul quotes the verse in 1 Corinthians 10:26 to argue for Christian liberty regarding food offered to idols: the earth belongs to God, so everything is clean. Later interpreters saw Christ as the King of glory in verses 7-10, making the psalm a messianic procession hymn. The Reformers used it to affirm God’s sovereignty over all nations against any nationalist or tribal limitation of God’s concern.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s sovereign ownership. The verse declares that the earth, its fullness, and all its inhabitants belong to Yahweh. This is a claim of absolute right, rooted in creation (verse 2).
- The basis for covenant grace. Because God owns everything, his choice of Israel (or any people) is a free gift. The universal claim magnifies the particular love shown to those he calls his own.
- The call to holiness. The rest of the psalm asks who may ascend God’s hill. The answer requires clean hands and a pure heart. Ownership leads to relationship, and relationship demands transformation.
Five-point outline
- The claim (verse 1). The earth is Yahweh’s, with everything in it.
- The reason (verse 2). He founded it on the seas; he is the Creator.
- The question (verse 3). Who may ascend the hill of Yahweh?
- The answer (verses 4-5). The one with clean hands and pure heart receives blessing and righteousness.
- The culmination (verses 7-10). The King of glory enters the city gates. The owner of all comes to dwell with his people.
Illustration hooks
- When you make a mortgage payment, the bank still holds the title. God holds the title to everything. Psalm 24:1 is the cosmic title deed.
- Think of a rental property: you care for it but you do not own it. The earth is a rental from God; we are stewards, not owners.
- In a global economy, people argue over borders and resources. This verse reminds us that no nation has final claim: the whole earth belongs to God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God owns everything, why does he allow wicked people to control so much?
- Does this mean I should treat my possessions as though they are not mine at all?
- How does this verse speak to our responsibility for the environment and each other?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 24 opens with a bold claim: everything belongs to God. This truth shapes how we approach him in worship and how we live in the world. Use these questions to help your group grapple with the meaning of God’s ownership.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 24:1-2. What is the connection between creation and ownership?
- The Hebrew word order puts “Yahweh” first. Why do you think the psalmist chose to emphasize that?
- How does the universal claim in verses 1-2 set up the specific question about who may ascend God’s hill in verse 3?
- In what ways does this verse challenge the way we think about our own possessions and resources?
- Read 1 Corinthians 10:26. How does Paul use Psalm 24:1? What does that teach about Christian freedom and responsibility?
- If every person belongs to God, what does that mean for how we treat people who are different from us, including those outside our faith?
- How might remembering God’s ownership change one practical habit in your life this week?
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)
| Exodus 9:29 | Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, and there will not be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh’s. |
| Exodus 19:5 | Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; |
| Deuteronomy 10:14 | Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven, the heaven of heavens, and the earth, with all that is therein. |
| I Chronicles 29:11 | Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all. |
| Job 41:11 | Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine. |
| Psalms 50:12 | If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. |
| Psalms 89:11 | The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours, the world and its fullness. You have founded them. |
| Psalms 98:7 | Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. |
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 emphasizes that this verse establishes God's absolute ownership of the earth because He created and governs it. He specifically identifies the "fullness" as every creature and "they that dwell therein" as all human beings, underscoring that no part of the world lies outside God's rightful domain.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin's point is that David deliberately opens with God as Creator and owner of the whole earth, then pivots to God's special choice of Israel. Even within that chosen nation, Calvin stresses, genuine closeness to God belongs only to the sincere and pure-hearted. The psalm's elevated poetry, he adds, aims to stir true believers to serve God with eager perseverance.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that the Hebrew word order deliberately places the focus on God as owner: "Unto Jehovah belongeth the earth." This structure underscores His universal sovereignty, not limited to any one nation or land, because He is the Creator of the entire world and all its inhabitants.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes identify this as a psalm of David and state plainly that the earth, everything in it, and all its inhabitants belong to the Lord. The note offers no further interpretation, simply underscoring this foundational assertion of divine ownership
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the opening claim that the earth belongs to the Lord as a direct reference to Christ. Because Christ owns everything, he is perfectly fitted to be the shepherd of his people, fully able to provide and protect. Paul later applies the same verse to Christian liberty and the free use of created things.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the verse declares God's absolute ownership over everything in the earth, including all its inhabitants. This sweeping claim of sovereignty over the whole world and everyone in it establishes the foundation for the holy hearts and lives God requires from those who worship Him.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that God's rule is not limited like pagan gods; as Creator, He owns the whole earth. The question of who may approach Him is answered with moral integrity: clean hands, pure heart, and no devotion to what is empty. Such people are the true Israel, defined not by ancestry but by inner character.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry insists that God never surrendered ownership of the earth when He gave it to humanity; we hold it only as tenants or users. The comfort for believers is that wherever they go, they remain on their Father's own ground, never beyond His claim or care.
Spurgeon: Treasury of David Baptist 1869
Spurgeon stresses that this verse overturns the notion that God belongs only to one nation or race. He argues that God claims every person and everything on earth, so no human being or food can be dismissed as common or unclean. All belong to Jehovah.