Ok . . . so I am so far from being even remotely a Hebrew or Greek scholar . . . in fact, it’s kind of even ridiculous that I put that in type. I have my handy-dandy Bible program and know enough to try and “look under the hood” at the Scriptures by looking at someone else’s “interlinear” mapping of how the original language ties with the English translation. And I do this especially when I come across a verse where the translation is notably different between what I read in my New King James version, and other translations. Before you kind of declare yourself to fall on one side of the fence or the other, it’s good to know what those two sides are. So . . . here’s the deal with Psalm 24:6 . . . Jacob.

The word Jacob just kind of is there in Psalm 24. It’s there along with two other “entities” . . . the generation that seeks the face of God . . . and God, Himself. And as a translator, you gotta make a call whether Jacob is describing “the generation” or describing God. Hence, two ways to translate it:

“Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” (Ps. 24:6 ESV) and the NIV has that flavor too . . . or . . .

“This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face.” (Ps 24:6 NKJV) and the NASB would link Jacob with the seekers as well.

As for me, I’m leaning towards the NKJV . . . so just call me Jacob.

It’s not really important what you link Jacob to . . . what’s really important is there are those seeking the Face . . . and there is the Face that is to be sought.

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. . . This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.” (24:3,4,6)

These are the true seed of the patriarch, those who seek the face of the God of the patriarch. They have been blessed of the Lord . . . they have received righteousness from the God of their salvation (24:5) . . . their hands are clean . . . their hearts are pure . . . their souls not attached to an idol . . . marked with integrity . . . and with a drive and a passion to ascend the hill . . . to stand in the holy place . . . and to encounter the very presence of God. And they pursue the place and the Face not on their own merit but on the merit of Another.

Their hands are clean because Jesus has born their stain, it is He who has loved them and washed them from their sin in His own blood (Rev. 1:5) . . . clean hands not of their own righteousness but according to the mercy of the One who saved them through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Their hearts are pure . . . having had their hearts of stone replaced with hearts of flesh (Ezek. 36:26). And so, with clean hands, they seek, by His grace, to maintain clean hands. With a new heart, they do what they can, by His power, to maintain a pure heart. They determine, as much as lies within them, to allow nothing to take precedence over their God . . . to seek no idol. They have tasted of the kingdom of heaven and so desire to know it more . . . they have encountered the King and so seek His face and to know Him more intimately. They, like Jacob, have encountered the living God and will not let go (Gen. 32:22-30). They are that generation which have been won by grace . . . have entered through faith . . . they are the generation who would seek God. This is Jacob . . . and so, because of His grace, just call me Jacob.

Father, thank You for the clean hands and pure heart You have given me through faith in Your Son. Thank you for His death on the cross that my sin might be washed away. Thank you for His risen life that I might know Him and enjoy a taste of His Kingdom to come. My desire is to be of that generation of Jacob . . . to keep my hands clean . . . to not allow my heart to be contaminated with the world’s pollutants and other gods . . . to seek Your face, O God of Jacob . . . for my blessing . . . and for Your glory . . . amen!