Psalms 24

Psalms 24

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE

The Admission of Worshippers into the Presence of the Previously Admitted King.

ANALYSIS

Stanza I., Psalms 24:1-2, Jehovah's Ownership of the World the Ground for Worshipping him. Stanza II., Psalms 24:3-6, Worshippers seek and obtain Admission into the Presence of Earth's King: first, Asking Who may Enter; second, Getting an Answer by Description of Character; third, Claiming to be the Class Described. Stanza III., Psalms 24:7-10, Prior Admission demanded for Jehovah Himself as the King of Glory.

(Lm.) By DavidPsalm.

1

To Jehovah belongeth the earth and the fulness thereof,

the world and they who dwell therein;

2

For he upon seas founded it,

and upon streams maketh it firm.[230]

[230] See Intro., Chap. III., earth.

3

Who may ascend the mountain of Jehovah?

and who may stand in his holy place?

4

The clean of hands and pure of heart,

who hath not uplifted to unreality his desire,[231]

[231] U.: soul.

neither hath sworn to deceit

5

Shall bear away a blessing from Jehovah,

and vindication from his delivering God.[232]

[232] Ml. his God of safety or salvation.

6

This is the class of those who are seeking after him,

who are seeking the face[233] of the God[234] of Jacob.

[233] So Sep.
[234] So it shd. be (w. Sep. and Syr.)Gn.

7

Lift up ye gates your heads,

and lift yourselves up ye ancient[235] doors,

[235] Or, age-abiding.

That the king of glory may come in.

8

Who-' then is the king of glory?

Jehovah strong and mighty,
Jehovah mighty in battle.

9

Lift up ye gates your heads,

and lift yourselves up ye ancient doors,
That the king of glory may come in.
Who then is-' the king of glory?

10

Jehovah God of hosts,

He is the king of Glory.

(Nm.)

PARAPHRASE

Psalms 24

The earth belongs to God! Everything in all the world is His?
2 He is the One who pushed the oceans back to let dry land appear.[236]

[236] Literally, He has founded it upon the seas.

3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where He lives? Who may stand before the Lord?
4 Only those with pure hands and hearts, who do not practice dishonesty and lying.
5 They will receive God's own goodness[237] as their blessing from Him, planted in their lives by God Himself, their Savior.

[237] Literally, righteousness, right standing with God.

6 These are the ones who are allowed to stand before the Lord and worship the God of Jacob.
7 Open up, O ancient gates, and let the King of Glory in.
8 Who is this King of Glory, The Lord, strong and mighty, invincible in battle.
9 Yes, open wide the gates and let the King of Glory in.
10 Who is this King of Glory? The Commander of all of heaven's armies!

EXPOSITION

The peculiarity in the structure of this psalm, as revealed by the analysis prefixed to it, is so thoroughly sustained by internal evidence as to need little more than reaffirmation here. The first stanza is in any case introductory to the other two, and no one will seriously question its fitness to serve that purpose. The second stanza, representing worshippers asking who may ascend the holy mountain, necessarily presupposes that Jehovah's residence has already been fixed there; for surely they would not ask for admittance into his presence before he had taken up his abode in the tabernacle prepared for him. Consequently, the third stanza must have come from an earlier time; because it represents Jehovah himself as demanding admission into his new abode. The psalm may easily have been so constructed. David himself may have indited both parts, at times only a little distant from each other. First, in view of the upbringing of the ark, he may have written expressly for that occasionthe third stanza, as an independent psalm to be sung among others; or as a fragment of a larger psalm meant for that occasion only. Then, later on, either for habitual use in connection with the tent when set up and honoured by the symbolic Divine Presence; or, for use in the Temple which Solomon was about to build, the first and second stanzas may have been prefixed to make the psalm as a whole suitable for general use, which the third stanza alone would scarcely have been.
Passing on to survey the psalm as we have it on its merits, we observe the admirable fitness of the introductory stanza to serve its purpose, because it lays a solid foundation for all worship. The earth, with its contents, the world, with its inhabitants,these all belong to Jehovah, because he made them; and therefore it is meet that he should be adored, thanked and praised for what he has done. Jehovah, the God of grace, is at the same time the God of nature: had he not created us such as we are, we could not have desired to worship him; we could not have known him and realised a need and a desire to know him better.
Knowing himknowing these fundamental things about himand desiring to worship him; we next need to know where he may be found; and we learn that he dwelleth in yon holy place, on yonder holy mountain of Zion. This may not be all the truth: it may be but a stepping-stone to higher truth. His local earthly presence may be only introductory to his local heavenly presence; and even his local heavenly presence may ultimately be found to be only introductory to his universal presence. Nevertheless, this is the way in which he is leading us; and we had better accept our lessons as he gives them. Even though means of an earthly symbolic presence, we may learn invaluable lessons; and one such lesson is given us here. Who may enter yonder sacred spot, who stand with acceptance in yonder hallowed shrine? The answer comes in the form of a description of character: nothing else is named. Nationality is ignored: tribe, clan, family, age, social standingthese are all brushed aside; everything gives place to character. Character is to be triumphant. He that possesses these sterling characteristics shall bear away in triumph a blessing from Jehovah, a vindication from his delivering God. Are there only a comparatively few who possess such a character? Then let all seek to belong to the comparatively few? Do any protest that they are not saints but sinners; that their characters have become broken and damaged and unpresentable before this holy God? Then, this conviction may prepare them for the next lesson: it may put them on the track of salvation. But meantime this first lesson must be strongly enforced: that salvation is salvation into character: character becomes an abiding reality. Only the pure in heart can see God. The craving to worship is a craving to see God. But this earthly presence speaks of a heavenly presence; and the ultimate lesson is that a holy character is essential to the heavenly presence of Jehovah. But the heavenly presence is coming down to earth. God is coming down to lift us up. The tent of Godhis eternal tenthis eternal near and intimate dwellingis coming down to be with men. Then men should arise and prepare to meet their God.

Advancing to the third stanza for general lessons, we mark the character in which Jehovah himself demands admission into his earthly temple: it is as King of Glory. Twice the demand for admission is made; twice it is as the King of Glory. When identification is sought as to Who the King of Glory is, and the answer has been by name and attribute and relationship given, the answer is crowned by a third employment of this descriptive title: He is the King of Glory. What is the NAME of the King of Glory? His name is Jehovah. What are his attributes? Strongmightymighty in battle: these are his attributesall chosen as if to support the claim to be King, as much as to sayBeware! for none can successfully resist him. Certainly, then, the Kingship of Jehovah is made especially prominent: by the threefold repetition of the title; by the attributes selected to enforce it; and, we may add, by the claim. here made, that he has ARMIES at his command; for such is evidently the force of the word hosts, Jehovah of hosts, Jehovah of armies in battle array. It is asked who are these, Jehovah's hosts? First and foremost, in the merely typical application, to the time and circumstances then present, David and his men; successors of Joshua and his men; the hosts of Israel, who are now completing their conquest of Canaan, the hosts of Israel with Jehovah, the King of Glory, at their head. This is the lowest application. We need not stop there. As the kingship is lifted up and the claim for submission is widened,the hosts, the armies, will multiply, until they include the heavenly hosts themselves. The one point on which we would concentrate attention is the Kingship of Jehovah. And let it be remembered that the King of Glory is another way of saying, Glorious King. As King he will enter: as King he will be enthroned: as King he will be worshipped. The Creator of the beginning of the psalm, is the Glorious King of the close of the psalm.

Is all this a Type? From early timesfrom the times of the early Fathersand we are willing to think from the very times of the Apostles, when Christ's early disciples realised that their Risen Lord had gone up into heaven, Christians have felt they were getting nearif they had not altogether reachedthe Antitype of that Typethat magnificent Type from one point of viewthat feeble type from another. It is doubtless the Antitype that dwarfs the Type. Let it be remembered that it is th type of David's time which just now sets us on the right road of application. The Type had in it these elements: That it was the Earthnot heavento which claim was laid; that Jerusalem was regarded as the Governmental Centre of the Earth; that visible and effectively enforced Kingship claimed to be acknowledged at that centre: Jehovah of armieshe is the Glorious King of Earth! Christ's ascension is only a part of the fulfillment; forin a sense much needed and most true for the safe development of this themeChrist's ascension is not yet complete. Christ the Head of the Church has ascended; but the Corporate Christ has not yet been taken up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16): that complementary ascension awaits the time when by preaching Christ among the Gentiles, and his being believed on in the world, the number required to complete his body will be made sufficiently large to suit the purposes of the Father's love. Then and thereafter will the Type be carried forward into a yet wider, deeper, higher fulfillment. We are but learners on this theme. This psalm does not stand alone, as though it were the only Ascension Psalm: there are others, and notably among them the 47th, in view of which we may shadow forth a legitimate surmiseprovided we call it no morethat in the Coming Kingdom, Ascension and Descension may be repeated until at length the tent of God shall be with men, and He will dwell among them as their God.

Due consideration of the structure and contents of this psalm will easily adjust the questions of authorship and fit occasions for use. The whole of the psalm may well have been composed by David; though probably the third stanza was written before the second, as suggested in the above exposition. After being used on some fitting occasion of solemn procession to the temporary tent, it can have scarcely failed to be employed on the dedication of Solomon's temple; and must have been thrice welcome to Hezekiah when he cleansed and reopened the house of Jehovah. It has been a fountain of inspiration for analogous occasions ever since; and yet, possibly, only in the future manifestation of the promised Kingdom of the Messiah, will its sublime capabilities for leading the praises of adoring multitudes be fully realised.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.

Please consider the possibilities of allowing Psalms 22:23, Psalms 22:24 to be progressive in meaningThe Suffering SaviourThe Good ShepherdThe Coronated King. Discuss.

2.

Discuss the progressive nature of this psalmi.e. how stanzas two and three depend on stanza one.

3.

How do we obtain clean hands? A pure heart? How do we keep clean and pure?

4.

How can we poor, dirty, impure, deceitful, sinners worship God?

5.

Has the Suffering ServantThe Good Shepherdentered the city to be crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords?