Reflections on Psalms 24

 Psalms 24(Contemporary English Version)

1. (A psalm by David.) The earth and everything on it belong to the LORD. The world and its people belong to him.
   
2. The LORD placed it all on the oceans and rivers.
   
3. Who may climb the LORD's hill or stand in his holy temple?
   
4. Only those who do right for the right reasons, and don't worship idols or tell lies under oath.
   
5. The LORD God, who saves them, will bless and reward them,
   
6. because they worship and serve the God of Jacob.
   
7. Open the ancient gates, so that the glorious king may come in.
   
8. Who is this glorious king? He is our LORD, a strong and mighty warrior.
   
9. Open the ancient gates, so that the glorious king may come in.
   
10. Who is this glorious king? He is our LORD, the All-Powerful!

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The occasion of this Psalm is thought by many to be David's moving of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem which would fit the imagery of verse 7, "Lift up your heads, you gates! Rise up, ancient doors! Then the King of glory will come in." The psalmist was calling upon the gates of the city to open so the King of glory, represented by the ark, might enter.

The first half of the psalm gives the attributes of the Lord and of who may "stand in His holy place." The Lord is the one to Whom the world and all its inhabitants belong. He made the world, laying its foundations, and made all that is in it including all its inhabitants. Who, then, may stand in His holy place? "The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully." (24:4) In other words, one whose outward conduct is upright (clean hands) and whose intentions and motives are pure (pure heart).

The picture we are given, then, is that everyone belongs to the Lord. This is true whether we desire it to be true or admit it to be true. Not only does everyone belong to the Lord, but they inhabit His domain - the world. He made it - it is His. These truths, however, do not automatically establish a relationship between each person and their Creator allowing them to "stand in His holy place," that is, to stand in His presence. This privilege is for those who seek their creator with right actions and right motives. This they will do only if they have not set their minds "on what is false," and have not "sworn deceitfully." Setting one's mind on what is false might be to accept as true anything contrary to the truth that the Lord is the Creator of all that is and we belong to Him.

Praise to the King of glory is the theme of the last half of the psalm. Even inanimate objects, the gates of the city, are called upon to give praise to the Lord who is strong and mighty. This brings to mind the words of Jesus to the Pharisees who wanted Him to rebuke His disciples for praising Him in a loud voice. He told them that even if His disciples "were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!"