Psalm 24
"A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord 's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 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. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord , strong and mighty, the Lord , mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah"
David begins this psalm with a joyful declaration that God is the sovereign creator and owner of all things. David then declares that God owns the rights to all of creation because he is the one who founded/created it. We ought to get away from all this "my vacation" and "my money" and "my job" talk and should realize that our God is the giver of all good gifts and the creator of all things as James 1:17 states. Moving from God's sovereign reign over creation, David then begins to explain the sort of man God is pleased to dwell with and in. The only sort of man who hopes to dwell in God's presence is a man who: serves him with his body, honors him with his whole heart, seeks to be honest and truthful as God's image bearer,and who diligently seeks God's face. So what is the blessing of being such a man who can dwell with the Lord? David declares that such a man will receive God's blessing and righteousness. For David to declare that sinful man can receive righteousness from the holy God of heaven ought to astound us. All men have failed to meet the requirements David sets forth for dwelling in God's presence, but Christ has fulfilled all righteousness for those who would trust in him. We either stand before God based on our own righteousness or based on Christ's and only those who are in Christ will be granted to dwell with God. David declares that those who live according to this standard he sets forth are those who are of his generation, namely, are his children. It is not as though we can seek to be of his generation by doing good things, but rather we have been granted to be of his generation though we were once sinful and rebellious because of what Christ has done on the cross for us and our faith in him. David ends his psalm by recognizing that God is the king of glory and ought to be ushered in the holy courts with praise because of his rightful standing as king. This psalm's theme can be best summed up in other verses from Psalms which read, "Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!" (Psalm 65:4) and "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit." (Psalm 32:1b-2). It truly is a blessing to be God's child and granted to live in his presence when once we were disobedient to him. The type of man God chooses is not the type of man who works to please God, but rather the type of man who acknowledges before God, like the thief on the cross, that he is worthy of God's punishment but desires to worship at his feet.
"A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord 's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 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. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord , strong and mighty, the Lord , mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah"
David begins this psalm with a joyful declaration that God is the sovereign creator and owner of all things. David then declares that God owns the rights to all of creation because he is the one who founded/created it. We ought to get away from all this "my vacation" and "my money" and "my job" talk and should realize that our God is the giver of all good gifts and the creator of all things as James 1:17 states. Moving from God's sovereign reign over creation, David then begins to explain the sort of man God is pleased to dwell with and in. The only sort of man who hopes to dwell in God's presence is a man who: serves him with his body, honors him with his whole heart, seeks to be honest and truthful as God's image bearer,and who diligently seeks God's face. So what is the blessing of being such a man who can dwell with the Lord? David declares that such a man will receive God's blessing and righteousness. For David to declare that sinful man can receive righteousness from the holy God of heaven ought to astound us. All men have failed to meet the requirements David sets forth for dwelling in God's presence, but Christ has fulfilled all righteousness for those who would trust in him. We either stand before God based on our own righteousness or based on Christ's and only those who are in Christ will be granted to dwell with God. David declares that those who live according to this standard he sets forth are those who are of his generation, namely, are his children. It is not as though we can seek to be of his generation by doing good things, but rather we have been granted to be of his generation though we were once sinful and rebellious because of what Christ has done on the cross for us and our faith in him. David ends his psalm by recognizing that God is the king of glory and ought to be ushered in the holy courts with praise because of his rightful standing as king. This psalm's theme can be best summed up in other verses from Psalms which read, "Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!" (Psalm 65:4) and "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit." (Psalm 32:1b-2). It truly is a blessing to be God's child and granted to live in his presence when once we were disobedient to him. The type of man God chooses is not the type of man who works to please God, but rather the type of man who acknowledges before God, like the thief on the cross, that he is worthy of God's punishment but desires to worship at his feet.
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