Psalm 24

(ESV)

Title: Who Is This King of Glory?

INTRODUCTION

The superscript, “A Psalm of David,” indicates that king David was the author, and the content of the Psalm itself indicates a celebratory return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (). A history of the Ark will help us better understand this passage:

God instructed the Ark’s construction.

The Israelites lost the Ark to Philistines, and the priest’s 2 sons died.

News of the Ark caused the priest, Eli, to fall off his chair and die.

His dead son’s wife gave birth to a son, “Ichabod” [“where is the glory?”], and she died afterward.

David and his soldiers recaptures the Ark after the Philistines experienced disease from being in its presence, and one of the Israelites died after inadvertently touching the Ark.

After David leaves the Ark at a man’s house and finds out about his being blessed as a result, he retrieves the Ark and brings it back to Jerusalem.

It is this return to Jerusalem that this Psalm depicts.

While this Psalm has it initial meaning

After the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai, God instructed Moses to build a tabernacle and a box called the Ark of the Covenant. This Ark was symbolic of God’s presence with his people,

Liturgical following Ark’s return (cf, ), and celebrates the great victory in battle from the Lord’s presence.

We must remember that many of the Psalms foreshadow Jesus. The Ark was God’s presence symbolized, and the Word made flesh in Jesus is God’s presence realized.

The Ark was God’s presence symbolized, and the Word made flesh in Jesus is God’s presence realized.

While the original meaning of the Psalm celebrates God’s presence coming into the city, it does not take much imagination to envision a time when the King proceeded into Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by a throng of people shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (). In fact, “the entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked. And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus’ ” (). He is the King of glory.

imagination to envision a time when the King proceeded into Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by a throng of people shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (). In fact, “the entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked. And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus’ ” (). He is the King of glory.

TRANSITION: There are 3 things we learn from this Psalm about the King of Glory.

BODY

BODY

I. He Is The Creator-King

A. Completely His (1)

1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

You are to be good stewards of possessions, children, people.

B. Rightly His (2)

2 for he has founded [perfect tense]it upon the seas and established [imperfect tense] it upon the rivers.

Jesus

Israelites were being counter-cultural by celebrating God’s sovereignty against the worldview that various gods were fighting to continue creation.

Colossians 1:15–18 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Paul wrote about Jesus in .

“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent [i.e., surpassing all things].”

“Hold it together”

ourselves together

He is sovereign over our struggles!

Isn’t it awesome that Jesus is holding it altogether for us? Because we often times do not do well at holding things together?

II. He Is The Holy-King

A. You Must Come Cleanly (3-4)

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

B. You May Come Expectantly (5-6)

5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness [lit. “vindication”] from the God of his salvation.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face [lit. “presence”] of the God of Jacob. Selah

After Exodus, God said be holy for I am holy.

Isaiah went to the temple in hard times, and he saw the angels surrounding the Lord in a vision saying, “Holy, holy, holy.” He recognized his uncleanness.

1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Peter said, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy ().”

QUESTION: Is it possible to have sound doctrine, a good devotional life, and yet still be unholy? Yes, easily. You just need to forget something very basic about holiness: “If we don’t love others as God loves us, we are not holy.”

THE EMPHASIS OF LOVING OTHERS IS ALWAYS ON THOSE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, BUT DO YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS?

Some of you need to confess before God and experience his presence ().

III. He Is The Warrior-King

A. [Look for the King Who Is Mighty]

7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!

B. [Look for the King of Glory]

9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O 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

This is a scene of welcoming the great Warrior King that defeated the enemy.

It does not take much imagination to envision a time when King Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by a throng of people shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (). In fact, “the entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked. And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus’  He is the King of glory.” But soon the crowd would roar, “Crucify him!” (),

because without his substitutionary life and death none of the peoples of the earth could ever hope to defeat death.

This is what Jesus wants: He wants to welcome you into his life right now. Will you do it?

Spurgeon wrote,

It is possible that you are saying, “I shall never enter into the heaven of God, for I have neither clean hands nor a pure heart.” Look then to Christ, who has already climbed the holy hill. He has entered as the forerunner of those who trust him. Follow in his footsteps, and repose upon his merit. He rides triumphantly into heaven, and you shall ride there too if you trust him. “But how can I get the character described?” say you. The Spirit of God will give you that. He will create in you a new heart and a right spirit. Faith in Jesus is the work of the Holy Spirit, and has all virtues wrapped up in it.

CONCLUSION

The Book of Psalms Where God Meets Us

Who is the King of Glory? Jesus Christ, who did not count sovereignty or equality with God a thing to be exploited, but emptied himself into a manger, being born in human likeness, in human form.

It does not take much imagination to envision a time when the Creator-King proceeded into Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by a throng of people shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (). In fact, “the entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked. And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus’ ” (). He is the King of glory.

Who is the King of Glory? Jesus Christ, who did not count sovereignty or equality with God a thing to be exploited, but emptied himself into a manger, being born in human likeness, in human form.

Futato, M. D. (2009). The Book of Psalms. In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (p. 107). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Jesus is the King of glory, the great Creator-King, the Holy-King, and the Warrior-King, and he is returning again (Rev. 21-22).

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