Psalms 118:19

19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

Psalms 118:19 in Other Translations

KJV
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
ESV
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
NLT
19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the LORD .
MSG
19 Swing wide the city gates - the righteous gates! I'll walk right through and thank God!
CSB
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.

Psalms 118:19 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 118:19

Open to me the gates of righteousness
The doors of the sanctuary or tabernacle, so called, because none but righteous persons might enter in at them, or who were clean in a ceremonial sense; and because sacrifices of righteousness were here offered. The words are addressed to the porters, or Levites, that kept the doors of the tabernacle, to open them. The Targum is,

``open to me the gates of the city of righteousness;''

Jerusalem, so called ( Isaiah 1:26 ) ; the gates of which were opened to David, when he took it from the Jebusites. An emblem of the church or city of God, the gates of which are opened to the righteous to enter into now; and of the New Jerusalem, and of the heavenly glory, into which the saints will have an abundant entrance hereafter; see ( Isaiah 26:1 Isaiah 26:2 ) ( Revelation 22:14 ) . Moreover, these may be the words of the Messiah, requiring the gates of heaven to be opened to him by his blood, he having obtained redemption for his people; see ( Psalms 24:7-10 ) ;

I will go in to them, [and] I will praise the Lord:
at the gates of the tabernacle David entered, and praised the Lord for his deliverance and salvation, and for the many favours and honours bestowed on him; and in the church of God do the saints praise him, as they will do in heaven to all eternity; and where Christ, as man, is praising his divine Father, ( Psalms 22:22 Psalms 22:25 ) .

Psalms 118:19 In-Context

17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Psalms 24:7; Isaiah 26:2
  • 2. Psalms 100:4
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.