Psalm 24

Only people characterized by righteous deeds and pure thoughts may enter the place where the glorious King of the Universe dwells.

The occasion that inspired the composition of this psalm is unknown. However in view of its content many interpreters believe David may have written it when he brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6). Perhaps he wrote it when he returned from some victory in battle.

 1. Ascent to the sanctuary 24:1-6

24:1-2 David affirmed Yahweh's sovereignty over all things. He is over all because He created all. Verse 2 looks back to the creation of the world. The "rivers"(NASB) or "waters"(NIV) is a synonym for "seas."It probably describes the watery chaos out of which Moses described the world emerging in the Genesis account of creation (Gen. 1:10).

24:3-4 The psalmist then wondered who could go into the sanctuary of such a great God on Mt. Zion. Right actions and attitudes are necessary if one hopes to attain admission to His presence. Idolatry in particular disqualifies any potential worshipper.

24:5-6 God will bless those individuals who seek God's fellowship by pursuing the ways of righteousness by granting their desire.

"Whatever is functioning as it should is righteous': in court, the man in the right; in character, the honest man; in the run of affairs, success. Probably all three are present in this context. This man has the smile of God upon him: he is accepted, he is helped to live an upright life, his affairs under God's blessingwill run as they should [cf. 23:3b; 65:5]."⁷⁰

The psalmist referred to the God of Jacob (NIV) here. This reference to Jacob brings to mind Jacob's wrestling with the Lord to receive a blessing from Him (Gen. 32). All who similarly struggle to obtain the Lord's blessing by pursuing righteousness will receive their request as Jacob did.

 2. Entry of the King 24:7-10

24:7 Evidently David pictured in his mind the closed gates of Jerusalem as though they were heads bowed. He called on these personified gates to lift their heads so the great King could enter. Normally people bow their heads as majesty passes, but in this figure the gates did the reverse.

24:8 David explained that this glorious King was Yahweh in response to the question of the personified gates and perhaps the people. The Lord is glorious because He is omnipotent as seen in His victory over His enemies. Israel's divine King was all glorious because He was unconquerable.

24:9-10 To underline the glory of Yahweh as the great King, David repeated the exhortation and the explanation contained in verses 7 and 8 respectively.

God's people should honor and glorify the Lord because He is the strongest of all Kings. We should realize that communion with such an One requires purity in thought, word, and deed. This will be an appropriate psalm to recite when the Lord Jesus returns to earth to set up His kingdom for 1, 000 years.⁷¹