The King of Glory Entering Zion.
A Psalm of David.
24 The earth is the Lord’s, and [a]all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul [b]to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And [c]righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 [d]This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob. [e]Selah.7 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O [f]ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
8 Who is the 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 [g]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.
In verse 3, the psalmist asks the ultimate question, “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?” This conjures images of a stately throne room, marble columns flanking the sides and gold paving the floors. The whole place is filled with blinding light, because of God’s incredible glory.
Yet I’m not sure that’s accurate, or if God even has a literal “throne room”. After all, the whole earth is His, nay the whole Universe is His domain. Why should he be confined to a single room? And we know that isn’t really the case, because God is omnipresent (everywhere at once). Either way, what comes into my mind is likely selling God short. First, because if He had a throne room, it would be filled with incredible beauty, and the beauty of nature (I think) surpasses marble columns and golden floors.
Still, the question remains? Who can approach God, who can enter His presence? And we have the answer; one with clean hands, a pure heart, one whose tongue has spoken no lie. There’s a small problem there. Okay, it’s a gargantuan problem. That doesn’t describe any human being who has ever lived… except Jesus.
Therein lies the true answer, because when we put our trust in Jesus, He cleans us from the inside out. In David’s time, they sacrificed animals for purification, but Jesus shed His blood one time, for all of us. Why? So that we could approach God, knowing that we are made clean, knowing that He has called us His own, His children.
As John tells us, “But as many as received Him (speaking of Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” That’s an incredible honor, and if it isn’t yours yet, it can be. Trust God, and let Him make you into a new person. Let Him change you into the person you were born to become, a child of the King of glory.