“Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 118:19 Mean?
"Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD." The psalmist asks for entrance — not into a physical building but into 'gates of righteousness.' The request is for access to the place where righteous worship happens. The gates must be opened FROM THE OTHER SIDE — the psalmist can't open them alone. Access to righteousness requires someone else to let you in.
The phrase "gates of righteousness" (sha'arei tsedeq — gates of righteousness/justice) are the entry points to God's presence: the Temple gates through which the righteous enter. The gates are named for their moral quality — only the righteous pass through. The gates themselves embody the standard required for entry.
The commitment — "I will go into them, and I will praise" — reveals the purpose of entry: the psalmist doesn't ask to enter for comfort, safety, or status. He asks to enter for PRAISE. The goal of getting through the gates is worship. The purpose of access is adoration. The destination beyond the gates is praise.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What gates are you asking God to open — and is your purpose comfort or praise?
- 2.What does needing the gates opened FOR you teach about access to God's presence?
- 3.How does approaching the gates after severe chastening change the quality of the praise inside?
- 4.What 'gates of righteousness' — entry points that demand a standard — are you standing before?
Devotional
Open the gates. Let me in. I want to praise. The request is for access — not to a VIP room or a private space, but to the place where righteousness dwells and praise happens. The gates must be opened for the psalmist. He can't force his way in. Entry requires invitation.
The 'gates of righteousness' aren't just physical gates — they're moral entry points. The gates are named for what they demand: righteousness. You can't enter through gates of righteousness carrying unrighteousness. The entry standard is embedded in the architecture. The gates themselves are a test.
The 'I will go into them and I will praise' reveals what the psalmist wants access FOR: not for himself but for worship. He doesn't say 'open the gates so I can rest' or 'open the gates so I can be safe.' He says 'open the gates so I can PRAISE.' The purpose of entry is adoration. The destination beyond the gates is the LORD. The access is sought for the sake of worship, not for the sake of the accessor.
This verse follows the declaration 'the LORD hath chastened me sore but hath not given me over unto death' (verse 18). The gates are being approached by someone who has SURVIVED — who has been through severe discipline and emerged alive. The entry through the gates of righteousness comes AFTER the chastening. The praise that follows is seasoned by suffering.
What gates of righteousness are you asking to be opened — and is your purpose entry for comfort or entry for praise?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
The stone which the builders refused,.... This is not Zerubabel, according to the sense of some Jews, as Theodoret…
Open to me the gates of righteousness ... - The gates of the house devoted to a righteous God; the gates of a house…
We have here an illustrious prophecy of the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord Jesus, his sufferings, and the glory…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture