EXPOSITION OF PSALM 24
A Psalm of David

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This psalm is thought to have been first sung when "David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness" (2 Samuel 6:12).

24:1 "The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, ..." Vain man thinks this earth belongs to mankind. But in reality men are but tenants on it. It belongs to Jehovah alone. This includes "all its fullness", including the atmosphere and all the heavens around it, every blade of grass, every plant and vegetable and herb, every shrub and tree, every beast and creeper on it, every fish in its waters, every bird in its skies - every atom of all creation. The man who knows the truth acknowledges to God, "The earth is full of Your possessions" (Psalm 104:24; cp. 50:10-12). (Paul the apostle in 1 Corinthians 10:25-28 cites this verse as proof of the Christian's liberty to eat and use whatever comes from the earth.)

"... The world and those who dwell therein." As the "earth" designates this planet, the "world" designates its habitable regions. Every nation and all who dwell within them belong to Jehovah (Acts 17:26, 28).

24:2 "For He has founded it upon the seas, ..." Jehovah is the Proprietor of all creation because He is its Creator! He founded this earth on the seas when He caused the land to appear out of them on the third day of creation (Genesis 1:9f). Thus "by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water" (2 Peter 3:5).

"... And established it upon the waters." What a precarious position - were it not for the fact that nothing founded and established by Jehovah is precarious. He has "shut in the sea with doors", and said to it, "This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!" (Job 38:8, 11). Everything founded and established by men, regardless of the might and glory they attribute to it, will fall into oblivion. But whatever is founded and established by Jehovah, regardless of how precarious it appears to men, is secure (as is Christ's church in Matthew 16:18).

24:3 "Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? ..." Jehovah's "hill" is Zion, "His holy mountain" and "the city of the great King" (Psalm 48:1f). It was in the psalmist's day the earthly city Jerusalem. In this day and in the age to come it is the church of Christ, which is called "Mount Zion and ... the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, ... the general assembly and church of the firstborn" (Hebrews 12:22f). Every man will either be cast down into Satan's hell or ascend into Jehovah's Zion. We are told in Psalm 9:17 that "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." But the question before us now is, "Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? ...

"... Or who may stand in His holy place?" All who ever "ascend into" the church of Christ will ever "stand in" His holy presence, for none in it is ever lost. One may ascend into churches made by men and later fall from them. But all who ascend into the church of Christ are eternally secure. He whom Christ adds to His church (as in Acts 2:47; 1 Peter 2:5) ever remains in Christ's church - for Christ will never lose one of His sheep, nor sever a member of His body, nor divorce His bride. All who are in Christ's Zion on earth shall be in His Zion in heaven (Revelation 14:1-5; cp. 7:3ff). Who is such a person? He is identified in the next verse as one who has clean hands, a pure heart, an idol-hating soul, and a truth-speaking mouth (cp. Psalm 15).

24:4 "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, ..." Here are the first two requirements for the inhabitant of Zion. He must be holy, both outwardly in his "clean hands" and inwardly in his "pure heart". The "clean hands" represent the manner of life of one obedient to the commandment to "be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:15). But "clean hands" are not enough: many who appear to be outwardly holy are inwardly filthy, like "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:25-28). These "clean hands" must be joined to a "pure heart", one holy in thoughts and motives, meditating on that which is acceptable to God (Psalm 19:14). Both hands and heart must be purified by faith in Christ (Acts 15:9; James 4:8).

"... Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, ..." Here is the third requirement for the inhabitant of Zion: an idol-hating soul. Idols are as worthless as their worshippers (Psalm 115:4-8). He who would stand in Jehovah's presence must cast away every idol in his soul and then confess, "To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You" (Psalm 25:1f).

"... Nor sworn deceitfully." Here is the fourth requirement for the inhabitant of Zion: a truth-speaking mouth. Every liar is a child of Satan (John 8:44), and shall be excluded from the city of God (Revelation 22:15) and sent to dwell forever with his father (Revelation 21:8). Residents of Zion are those who are "putting away lying" in order to "speak truth with his neighbor" (Ephesians 4:25). This is especially true regarding speaking Him who is the Truth (John 14:6). No propagator of a false gospel will enter Zion.

24:5 "He shall receive blessing from the LORD, ..." He shall by God's sovereign grace be "blessed ... with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3), being made to know His eternal election in Christ unto salvation (v.4), predestined adoption by Christ (v.5), eternal acceptance in Christ (v.6), redemption and forgiveness through Christ (v.7), wisdom and prudence regarding God's grace and will in Christ (vv.8f), gathering unto Christ (v.10), and eternal inheritance with and in Christ (vv.11-14). These blessings are "received" by God's grace and through faith in Christ, not earned by our merit.

"... And righteousness from the God of his salvation." Christ is this "righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6; 1 Corinthians 1:30). The one who will "receive" Him "from the God of his salvation" is the one who will forsake all personal righteousness in order to be found in the righteousness of Christ alone (Philippians 3:4-9), having acknowledged that "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). None will be found in Zion but those clothed in Christ's righteousness alone (Revelation 19:8).

24:6 "... This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, / Who seek Your face. ..." "Jacob" is a name given by Christ to His people, those whom He has chosen, created, formed, redeemed, called, owned, and preserved (Isaiah 44:1f; 43:1). They therefore shall be in every age the generation that seeks Christ and is made by Him fit to stand in His holy place.

"... Selah" – Pause and think about that! Will you ascend into and forever abide in the presence of Christ?

24:7 "Lift up your heads, O you gates! / And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! / And the King of glory shall come in." King David here typifies Christ, the Greater David (Jeremiah 30:9) and the King of eternal glory (1 Timothy 1:17). David came to Jerusalem with the ark of the Old Covenant (2 Samuel 6:12), in which was the Testimony of God (Exodus 25:16) and on which was the mercy seat on which atonement was made (Leviticus ch.16), and required entrance of its inhabitants. Likewise Christ comes with the ark of the New Covenant, in which is the gospel of God and on which is the mercy seat at which He has made an everlasting atonement, and requires entrance into all men through the preaching of the gospel. Open the gates and doors of your ears and eyes and heart to receive Christ the King of glory - now!

24:8 "Who is this King of glory? ..." This is a fair question from those who have never heard of Him. Here is His answer:

"... The LORD strong and mighty, / The LORD mighty in battle." Christ is "Jehovah strong and mighty" because He is the "Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6) with a "mighty arm" and a "strong hand" (Psalm 89:13), the One who is "glorious in power" (Exodus 15:6), and of whom it is said, "There is nothing too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17). He proves Himself "mighty in battle" by conquering all His foes (Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

24:9 "Lift up your heads, O you gates! / Lift up, you everlasting doors! / And the King of glory shall come in." What! Has someone not yet opened to receive Him? Must He again require an entrance? How many times must you be told of the dreadful consequence of forgetting to receive Him (Psalm 9:17)?

24:10 "Who is this King of glory? ..." He is yet the same as He was when He previously answered this question, because "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:6). Therefore:

"... The LORD of hosts, / He is the King of glory. ..." He is, in addition to all that already has been said of Him, "Jehovah of hosts" - "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16).

"... Selah" – Pause and think about that! Will you receive Him? Open your gates and doors to receive Him - now!

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