APRIL 29 – PSALM 24
THE KING OF GLORY
In preparation for the entry of the great King of glory, the psalmist stated that those with clean hands and pure hearts may ascend to His holy place. A psalm of David, Psalm 24 is one of the royal psalms. The psalm describes the Lord’s entrance into the holy city.
Many think this psalm was written for the occasion of David’s taking the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:15), though this cannot be proven. If such were true, then the “ancient doors” (Ps. 24:7) refer to the old fortress that then received the ark, the symbol of the Lord’s presence. Or perhaps the psalm speaks of some other return to Jerusalem after a victory in battle.
This psalm is often linked with Psalms 22 and 23 for all three psalms speak prophetically of the Lord Jesus. Psalm 24 also has some affinities with Psalm 15 for both ask and answer the question of who is fit to come into the presence of the Lord. The answer in Psalm 15 focuses on a person’s righteousness; the answer in Psalm 24 focuses on the King of glory. Psalm 24 should also be read with Psalm 2 and 110 which share a focus on the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom on earth. This psalm has three movements: (1) praise to God the Creator and Sovereign of the world (vv. 1-2); (2) an inquiry concerning the appropriate approach to the holy Lord (vv. 3-6); (3) anticipation of the King of glory (vv. 7-10)
1 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah (ESV)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- God is the Creator and Sovereign over everything
- No one is worthy to approach the Holy God, but thanks be to Christ for making us righteous that we can approach the Father
- The King of Glory is strong, mighty, and victorious
CLOSER LOOK:
Verse 1-2: David praised the Lord because everything in the world belongs to God who created it. This is a general acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty over all things. These words also set the stage for verses 3-5: If God is Lord over all, who then may approach Him? When David speaks of “those who dwell in it,” he is saying God’s rule extends to all people, even those who do not acknowledge His power.
In verse 2, David draws on the language of Genesis 1 in which God calls the dry land to rise from the watery abyss (Gen 1:2, 9). David describes God’s continued control over the waters.
Verse 3: David then pondered who could go into the presence of such a sovereign Lord (i.e., to the tabernacle on the hill [cf. “holy hill” in 2:6] of the Lord and its holy place). The answer, perhaps given by priests at the sanctuary, is that one whose conduct is pure and whose worship is faithful may do so. As in Psalm 15, those who approach the Holy One to worship Him in the temple of Jerusalem, “His holy place,” must approach Him in righteousness. This verse highlights the inability of any person except the King of glory to stand before God.
Verse 4: Clean hands refers to a person’s right actions, and a pure heart refers to a right attitude (that is, their inner) and will. Only those who do not worship an idol can be true worshipers, and can walk by faith in integrity.
Verses 5–6. The lesson is followed by the affirmation that those who seek after God will be blessed with righteousness. This may refer to worshipers seeking entry into the sanctuary.
Verse 7: The psalmist offered an exhortation (v. 7) and then an explanation (v. 8). If “lift up your heads, O gates” refers to the city of Jerusalem then he was calling for the ancient gates to open wide for the triumphant entry. The gates of the city seem to sag and the doors appear to be loose. But they must rouse themselves for the King of glory to come in. This was a poetic way of displaying the superiority of the one entering. They should lift up their heads because the King of glory is about to come in.
Verse 8: David then gave an explanation. By question and answer he stated that this King of glory is the Lord, who is mighty in battle. The Lord had shown Himself strong by giving them great victories; so He is the glorious King who will enter the city. One can visualize a procession of triumphant Israelites carrying the ark, the symbol of the Lord’s presence, going up to the sanctuary to praise Him. This is praise for the King who is fresh from battle. This is the One who may enter the city, the Lord Himself. Only with the coming Jesus did the meaning of this ancient poem become clear (Matt 21:1-10; Rev 19).
Verse 9-10: The ideas in the exhortation (v. 7) and the explanation (v. 8) were repeated in verses 9–10. The repetition is for effect and emphasis as it stressed the point: The Lord is a glorious King who is coming in. Only pure worshipers can enjoy His presence.