The Meaning of Psalms 24:2 Explained

Psalms 24:2

KJV: For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

YLT: For He on the seas hath founded it, And on the floods He doth establish it.

Darby: For it was he that founded it upon seas, and established it upon floods.

ASV: For he hath founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the floods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For he hath founded  it upon the seas,  and established  it upon the floods. 

What does Psalms 24:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 24:1-10 - Entering Jehovah's Holy Place
Psalms 22:1-31 tells of the cross; Psalms 23:1-6 of the crook; Psalms 24:1-10 of the crown. This great choral hymn was evidently composed to celebrate the removal of the Ark from the house of Obed-edom to Mount Zion, 2 Samuel 6:1-23. It was conducted with music and song to its resting-place, and this psalm was the marching song of the priests, 1 Chronicles 15:2-27.
Psalms 24:1-2 were sung by the whole festal crowd; Psalms 24:3 by a soloist; Psalms 24:4-5 by the choir; and Psalms 24:6 by the entire congregation. What a sublime challenge on the part of the approaching host is contained in Psalms 24:7, to be answered by a company from within the gates in Psalms 24:8! To this again the vast shout of the multitude gives reply in Psalms 24:9.
This magnificent ode reached its perfect accomplishment when the mighty Victor over hell and the grave arose on high and sat down at the Father's right hand. Oh, let the gates of your heart open wide to admit Him! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 24

1  God's Lordship in the world
3  The citizens of his spiritual kingdom
7  An exhortation to receive him

What do the individual words in Psalms 24:2 mean?

For He upon the seas has founded it and upon the rivers established it
כִּי־ ה֭וּא עַל־ יַמִּ֣ים יְסָדָ֑הּ וְעַל־ נְ֝הָר֗וֹת יְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ

עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יַמִּ֣ים  the  seas 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
יְסָדָ֑הּ  has  founded  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָסַד 
Sense: to found, fix, establish, lay foundation.
וְעַל־  and  upon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
נְ֝הָר֗וֹת  the  rivers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
יְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ  established  it 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.