Commentary on Psalms Volume 1 John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
admonished of their duty, which is to open up the way, and give entrance to God. This is a plausible interpretation, but it is too much removed from the design and words of the prophet. Above all, from the natural sense of the words, we may perceive how foolishly and basely the Papists have abused this passage for the confirmation of the gross and ridiculous notion by which they introduce Christ as knocking at the gate of the infernal regions, in order to obtain admission. 551 Let us, therefore, learn from this, to handle the holy word of God with sobriety and reverence, and to hold Papists in detestation, who, as it were, make sport of corrupting and falsifying it in this manner, by their execrable impieties. 552
8. Who is this King of glory? etc The praises by which the power of God is here magnified are intended to tell the Jews that he did not sit idle in his temple, but took up his abode in it, in order to show himself ready to succor his people. It is to be observed, that there is great weight both in the interrogation, and in the repetition of the same sentence. The prophet assumes the person of one who wonders thereby to express with greater effect that God comes armed with invincible power to maintain and save his people, and to keep the faithful in safety under his shadow. We have already said, that when God is spoken of as dwelling in the temple, it is not to be understood as if his infinite and incomprehensible essence had been shut up or confined within it; but that he was present there by his power and grace, as is implied in the promise which he made to Moses, "In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee," (Exodus 20:24.)
That this was no vain and empty promise, but that God truly dwelt in the midst of the people, is what the faithful experienced who sought him not superstitiously, as if he had been fixed to the temple, but made use of the temple and of the service which was performed in it for elevating their hearts to heaven. The amount of what is stated is, that whenever the people
The Septuagint reads, Αρατε πύλὰς οἱἄρχοντες ὑμῶν, which may be rendered, "Ye princes, lift up your gates." The reading of the Vulgate is similar: "Attollite portas principes vestras" and so is that of the Arabic and Ethiopic. But that rendering, as Calvin justly observes, inadmissible; for in the Hebrew text, the affix,כםkem, your, is joined to,ראשיroshey, heads, and not to,שעריםshearim, gates. Although, however the reading of the Septuagint may be translated as above, "Ye princes, lift up your gates," Hammond thinks it more probable, that the translators intended οἱἄρχοντες ὑμῶν, your princes, to represent,ראשיכםrashekem, as myertin, by mistake, the construction of the sentence, so your heads, as to give this reading, "Your heads, or princes, lift up the gates, instead of, "Ye gates, lift up your heads."
"Par lesquels ils introduissent Christ frappant a la porte pour entrer les enfers." — Fr.
"Qui comme sacrileges execrables tienent pour jeu de la corrompre et falsifier en ceste sorte." — Fr.
COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
should call upon God in the temple, it would manifestly appear, from the effect which would follow, that the ark of the covenant was not a vain and an illusory symbol of the presence of God, because he would always stretch forth his omnipotent arm for the defense and protection of his people. The repetition teaches us that true believers cannot be too constant and diligent in meditation on this subject. The Son of God, clothed with our flesh, has now shown himself to be King of glory and Lord of hosts, and he is not entered into his temple only by shadows and figures, but really and in very deed, that he may dwell in the midst of us. There is, therefore, nothing to hinder us from boasting that we shall be invincible by his power. Mount Sion, it is true, is not at this day the place appointed for the sanctuary, and the ark of the covenant is no longer the image or representation of God dwelling between the cherubim; but as we have this privilege in common with the fathers, that, by the preaching of the word and the sacraments, we may be united to God, it becomes us to use these helps with reverence; for if we despise them by a detestable pride, God cannot but at length utterly withdraw himself from us.