Jesus was the king of glory

JESUS WAS THE KING OF GLORY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Psalm24:9 9
Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them
up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may
come in.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Appeal ForGod's Entrance Into The Heart Of Man
Psalm24:7-10
C. Short Sung on the entry of the ark into the ancient gates ofthe fortress of
Jerusalem. The singers, two choirs of priests - the one bearing the ark, the
other already stationedthere as warders. Firstchoir demanding admission;
secondreply from within, "Who is this King of glory?" The transactionmay
suggestand representthe appeal made for God's entrance into the heart of
man. Then -
I. THE LANGUAGE WOULD REPRESENT THE MIND OF MAN AS
GOD'S TEMPLE. Whatviews of our nature are suggestedby such a
representation?
1. The religious destinationof man. A temple is built for religious uses and
objects. So this is the grand destiny for which man is created - religion.
Physical, intellectual, moral destiny.
2. Represents the mind as a sanctuary/orthe Divine habitation. The glory of
God dwelt betweenthe cherubim; but man is God's grandestShechinah. This
is fully recognizedand assertedin the New Testament, "He dwelleth with you,
and shall be in you;" "Ye are God's temple."
II. GOD AS A GLORIOUS KING IS EVER SEEKING ADMISSION INTO
OUR MINDS.

1. The King of glory assumes the attitude of a majestic suppliant. "Let the
King come in." "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." Illustrates the
voluntary nature of our relations with God. Wonderful! Infinity pleading with
the finite; majesty supplicating meanness;holiness stooping before the
unholy!
2. The purpose for which he seeksto occupy our minds. To draw us into
friendship and harmony with himself, and to establisha glorious rule over us.
We are incapable of self-rule, and cannot exist alone. And this is our proper
and normal relationto him.
III. THE EXERCISE OF MIND BY WHICH GOD IS ADMITTED INTO
OUR NATURE. A lifting up of its powers - an elevationand expansion of
them - in the following ways.
1. It is the reaching forth of our powers towards the Infinite Being. An effort
to embrace our infinite and eternalconcerns - a going forth out of the
transient and visible into the everlasting and spiritual.
2. The active receptionof God enlarges our best powers and affections. It
enlarges and exalts love, will, and conscience. - S.
Biblical Illustrator
Lift up your heads, O ye gates.
Psalm24:9
A triumphal entranceI. THE GREAT THING TO DESIRE IS THE
ENTRANCE OF THE KING OF GLORY INTO OUR SOULS. Without it
thou wilt be like a house without a tenant — cold, cheerless, dilapidated,
desolate. Thy heart will be as a nest without a bird — a poor, sadthing.
II. THERE ARE IMPEDIMENTSTO THIS COMING INTO OUR
HEARTS. The text speaks about"doors" and"gates,"and there are such to
our hearts, and they need to be "lifted up" ere the King of glory can come in,
Sometimes it is our wickedprejudice. We do not want to know the Gospel;or

our love of sin, which we do not care to give up. Then there is the door which I
may call the iron gate, that entereth into the city — the door of unbelief. That
unbelief is the ruin of souls.
III. IF CHRIST IS TO ENTER WE MUST BE WILLING TO REMOVE
ALL THESE. The text says, "Lift up your heads," as if they were to lift them
up themselves. Though salvationis of grace, it is never against, but always
with our will.
IV. IT IS GRACE THAT MUST ENABLE YOU TO BE THUS WILLING.
Picture the inhabitants trying to lift up the gates themselves. Theycannot, and
what shall they do? An invisible spirit stands by them, puts his powerwith
theirs, and up go the gates.
V. JESUS WILL ENTER. He was willing to come in before: the unwillingness
was all in us.
VI. AND HE IS THE KING OF GLORY. This title belongs to the Saviour. It
proclaims Him in His highest authority. What peerless prince is this, with a
name above every name?
( C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ the High Priest of our professionin heaven
T. Huntington, M. A.The common notion seems to be that all the offices ofthe
Mediatorto us-ward took place before the ascension. Consistentlywith this
belief that high festival is despisedand neglected. The truth is, that His acts
after His ascensionare as distinct and important as those which took place
before that event. It was not till the ascensionthat He offered "gifts and
sacrifices formen." As the efficacyof the slain victim of old depended on its
blood being brought into "the holiest of all," so the efficacyof that sacrifice
consummated on the Cross depends and is assuredto us by its continual
presentationby our Mediator in heaven. The heavenly gates have been lifted
up, and the King of glory has gone in. But "who is this King of glory?" The
Eternal Son of the Father, clad with the white robe of expiation, girt with the
golden zone of the priesthood, pleading the cause notonly of the Church at
large, but of every individual member thereof. There is not a trial we have, as
we pass through this vale of tears, but He knows it and recognisesit as the lot
of humanity from His own actual experience.
(T. Huntington, M. A.)
The triumphant ascensionofChrist into heaven
Will. Dealtry, D. D.Everycircumstance in this description is suited to impress
us with a lofty sense of the majesty of the Son of God.

1. He is described as a powerful conqueror. In what conflicts has He been
engaged? We canspeak ofHim as having overcome the world, and as
subduing the greatenemy of man and bruising the serpent's head.
2. The universal sovereign. Note His preeminent dignity. He is seatedupon the
throne of the universe.
3. He is "the King of glory." This title includes in its meaning the substance of
the descriptionpreviously given. This is a subject in which we all are deeply
concerned. Forhenceforth we can look to Christ as our Mediator at the right
hand of God; as the Head of His Church, and the Author of all spiritual
blessings;and as opening the kingdom of heavento all believers. Lessons —(1)
The subject is suited to inspire us with a sure trust in the Captain of our
Salvation.(2)It invites us to have our thoughts and affections in heaven.(3) It
teaches us to look forward to another ascensionyetin futurity, and calls us to
prepare for it.
(Will. Dealtry, D. D.)
The ascensionofChrist
Expository Outlines.Considerthe prophetic reference of these striking words.
The ark was the type of Christ. We may regardthe removal of the ark to
Mount Zion as typifying Christ's ascensionto the heavenly Jerusalem.
I. THE TITLE WHICH IS HERE GIVEN TO HIM. "The King of glory."
When He lived among men little did He appearlike a king at all. But in spite
of all mockeries He was a King even then. There are multitudes who have still
low thoughts of the Lord Jesus, and there are many religious systems whose
tendency is to produce such a result.
II. THE DIGNITY AND BLESSEDNESS CLAIMED FOR HIM. Admission
into the heavenly mansions. Who are the persons that Claim for Him this high
honour? The angelic hosts. And the spirits of just men made perfecttook part.
See the right which He had to the honour and blessedness whichwere now
claimed for Him. That is taken for granted. No favour is craved. Admission is
not a privilege implored or supplicated. He had a right to the heavenly
kingdom as the promised reward of His toils and sufferings. He had also a
right on the ground of conquest. The connectionbetweenthe victory which He
won and the glories which awaitedHim is quite obvious.
III. THE RECEPTIONWHICH AWAITED HIM. Here we can say but little,
for on such a theme poor is thought, and altogetherimpotent the most
emphatic expressions. Wellmay we, therefore, rejoice in the ascensionof
Christ. With the fact of the ascensionwe should combine its specialobjects

and purposes. They relate not to Himself alone, but to us likewise. The
ascensionof Christ should remind us of the glorious, yet solemn and
momentous, factof His secondcoming.
(Expository Outlines.)
An urgent demand, and an earnestinquiry
D. Thomas, D. D.I. THE DEMAND. It may be applied to three events —
1. To the entrance of the ark into the holy city (2 Samuel6; l Chronicles 15).
2. To the advent of Christ at His incarnation. The doors and gates of the
world's heart were shut againstHim. "He came to His own," etc.
3. To the ascensionofChrist into heaven.
4. To the admissionof Christ into the human heart. "In the Gospelhistory,"
says an old writer, "Christ had a four-fold entertainment amongstmen. Some
receivedHim into their house, but not into their heart, as Simon the Pharisee
(Luke 7:44). Some into the heart, but not into the house, as the faithful
centurion (Matthew 8:8). Some into neither, as the faithless Gergesenes
(Matthew 8:34). Some into both, as Lazarus, Martha, and Mary." And Christ
now seeksadmissioninto men's hearts, but the gates are closed.
5. To the return of Christ to heaven at last. "After the judgment," says Keble,
"He will pass againthrough the everlasting doors with a greatercompany
than before; for He will lead along with Him into the heavenly habitation all
those who shall have been raised from their graves and found worthy (1
Thessalonians 4:14-18).
II. AN EARNEST INQUIRY. Who is this King of glory? The question is twice
put. None can be of greaterimportance. The answertells.
1. That He is one strong in Himself. "The Lord strong."
2. That He is "mighty in battle." His conquests are moral, and how numerous,
constant, universal, and ever-multiplying they are.
3. That He is vast in command. "The Lord of hosts." All material existences,
all spiritual are His hosts:the heavenly orbs are His hosts. He marshals them
as a commander his battalions.
(D. Thomas, D. D.)
The God who dwells with men
A. Maclaren, D. D.Notice the application, the historicaland original
application, to the King who dwelt with Israel. But the texts speak ofthe
Christ who dwells with men. The devout hearts in Israelfelt that there was

something more neededthan this dwelling of Jehovahwithin an earthly
temple, and the process ofrevelationfamiliarised them with the thought that
there was yet in the future a "coming of the Lord" in some specialmanner
unknown to them. When was that fulfilled? Christ is the highest raying out of
the Divine light, and the mightiest exhibition of the Divine power. Application
of these words to the Christ who will dwell in your hearts. His historical
manifestation here upon earth, and His incarnation, which is the true dwelling
of Deity amongst men, are not enough. They have left something more than a
memory to the world. He is as ready to abide, as really within our spirits, as
He was to tabernacle upon earth amongstmen. And the very centralidea of
that Gospelwhich is proclaimed to you all is this, that if you will open the
gates ofyour hearts He will come in, in all the plenitude of His victorious
power, and dwell in your hearts, their Conquerorand their King. What a
strange contrast, and yet what a close analogythere is betweenthe victorious
tones and martial air of this summons of my text, "Lift up your heads, O ye
gates!that the King of glory may come in, and the gentle words of the
Apocalypse, Behold. I stand at the door and knock;if any man hear My voice
and open the door I will come in to him." But He that in the Old Covenant,
arrayed in warrior arms, summoned the rebels to surrender, is the same as He
who in the New, with the night dews in His hair and patience on His face and
gentleness in the touch of His hand upon the door, waits to enter in. Open
your hearts, "and the King of glory shall come in." And He will come in as a
King that might seek to enter sonic besiegedand beleagueredcityfar awayon
the outposts of His kingdom. If the relieving force can be thrown into
Khartoum, the clouds of enemies will scatter. If the King comes in, the city
will be impregnable. If you open your hearts for Him He will come and keep
you from all your foes, and give you the victory over them all. So to every
hard-pressedheart, waging an unequal contestwith toils and temptations and
sorrows and sins, this greathope is given, that Christ the Victor will come in
His powerto garrisonheart and mind. As of old the encouragementwas given
to Hezekiah in his hour of peril, when the might of Sennacheribinsolently
threatened Jerusalem, so the same stirring assurancesare givento eachwho
admits Christ's succours to his heart. "He shall not come into this city, for I
will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake." Openyour hearts and the
conquering King shall come in. And do not forgetthat there is another
possible application of these words, lying in the future, to the conquering
Christ who shall come again. The whole history of the past points onwards to
yet a lasttime when "the Lord shall suddenly come to His Temple," and that
Christ shall so come in like manner as He went into heaven. Again shall the
summons ring out. Again shall He come arrayed in flashing brightness, and

the visible robes of His imperial majesty. Again shall He appearmighty in
battle, when in righteousness He shall judge and make war. For a Christian
one greatmemory tills the past — Christ has come;and one great hope
brightens the else waste future — Christ shall come. That hope has been far
too much left to be cherishedonly by those who hold a particular opinion as to
the chronologyof unfulfilled prophecy. But it should be to every Christian
heart "the blessedhope," even the appearing of the glory of Him who has
come in the past. He is with and in us in the present. He will come in the
future "in His glory, and shall sit upon the throne of His glory." All our
pardon and hope of God's love depends upon that greatfact in the past, that
"the Lord was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory." Our
purity which will fit us to dwell with God, our present blessedness, allour
powerfor daily strife, and our companionship in daily loneliness, depend on
the presentfact that He dwells in our hearts by faith, the seedof all good, and
the conquering antagonistofevery evil. And the one light which fills the
future with hope, peacefulbecause assured, streams from that most sure
promise that He will come again, sweeping from the highest heavens, on His
head the many crowns of universal monarchy, in His hand the weapons ofall-
conquering power, and none shall need to ask, "Who is this King of glory?"
for every eye shall know Him, the Judge upon His throne, to be the Christ of
the Cross. Openthe doors of your hearts to Him, as He sues for entrance now
in the meekness ofHis patient love, that on you may fall in that day of the
coming of the King the blessing of the servants "who wait for their returning
Lord," that when He comethand knockeththey may open unto Him
immediately.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Christ demanding admission into sinners' hearts
T. Boston, D. D.1. Entrance solemnly demanded. The demand is addressedto
the gates (that is, princes or heads. — Vulg.). Hence it is understood of
Christ's ascensioninto heaven. Literally, by the gates are recant those of the
Temple, which was a type of heaven. The gates were to be thrown wide open,
as was fitting when the ark should enter. It tells of the receiving of Christ into
the soul.
2. Forwhom the demand is made — for the Lord Jesus Christ. When the ark
of Gospelordinances comes, ChristHimself comes to the hearts of sinners for
admission.
I. INQUIRE WHAT IS THE ARK OF GOSPELORDINANCES.
1. The Word read and preached.

2. The two sacraments.
II. HOW CHRIST COMES TO SINNERS.
1. With the offer of Himself.
2. Exhibiting Himself in the sacraments.
3. In both He demands admission.
III. INFERENCES FROMTHE FOREGOING.
1. The presence of Gospelordinances shows that Christ is come to our hearts
seeking admission.
2. This coming will aggravate the condemnation of those who refuse.
IV. WHAT IS IT TO OPEN THE HEART TO CHRIST? There is an initial
opening at conversion, and a progressive one afterwards. The opening of the
door of the understanding and of the will.
V. WHY WE SHOULD DO THIS? The house is His own. The Father who
gave it to Him demands this. It was solemnly made over to Him at your
baptism. Some will not so much as open the outer door. Others, not the inner
door.
1. It is Satanwho keeps Christ out.
2. See who it is that seeks admission. The King of glory.
3. How unworthy the house is of Him.
4. Note His condescension — He will come if you open.
5. This offer costHim dear.
6. Your positions will be one day reversed.
7. You are solemnly called now.
8. The offer will not last always.
9. There is no other way to be saved.
(T. Boston, D. D.)
Man's Brother in heaven
R. H. Conwell, D. D.When we were in Cuba a young woman over at Marianne
told us she walkedoverto Morro Castle every morning. It was a long walk,
and she said she did it because herbrother was a prisoner there. She had
never been inside that castle, and had no interest in it until her brother had
been incarceratedthere; and then every morning that sisterwalkedall the
way from Marianne to the greatcastle, and lookedat it until she could count

every stone and knew every tower, and knew the colour of every archway, and
recognisedthe position of every sentry. She was interestedin the castle
because she had a brother there. We would be interested in heaven's towers,
and would count its embattlements, and would love to read about and study it,
if we appreciatedthe value of our Christ who is there.
(R. H. Conwell, D. D.).
COMMENTARIES
EXPOSITORY(ENGLISHBIBLE)
BensonCommentaryHYPERLINK "/context/psalms/24-9.htm"Psalm24:9-10.
Lift up your heads, &c. — The same verse is repeatedagain, to awakenthe
dulness of mankind, who are so hardly brought to a serious preparationfor
such solemnities;and to signify the greatimportance of the matter contained
under these expressions. The Lord of hosts — Under whose command are all
the hosts of heaven and earth, angels and men, and all other creatures. The
reader will be pleasedto see Dr. Horne’s application of these verses to the
ascensionof our Lord. “We must now,” says he, “form to ourselves anidea of
the Lord of glory, after his resurrectionfrom the dead, making his entry into
the eternaltemple in heaven; as of old, by the symbol of his presence, he took
possessionofthat figurative and temporary structure which once stood upon
the hill of Sion. We are to conceive him gradually rising from mount Olivet
into the air, taking the clouds for his chariot, and ascending up on high; while
some of the angels, like the Levites in procession, attendanton the triumphant
Messiah, in the day of his power, demand that those everlasting gates and
doors, hitherto shut and barred againstthe race of Adam, should be thrown
open, for his admissioninto the realms of bliss. Lift up your heads, &c. — On
hearing this voice of jubilee and exultation from the earth, the abode of
misery and sorrow, the rest of the angels, astonishedatthe thought of a man
claiming a right of entrance into their happy regions, ask, from within, like
the Levites in the temple, Who is this King of glory? To which question the
attendant angels answer, in a strain of joy and triumph — and let the church
of the redeemedanswerwith them — The Lord strong and mighty, &c. —
The LORD JESUS, victorious over sin, death, and hell. Therefore we say, and
with holy transport we repeatit, Lift up your heads, &c. And if any ask, Who
is the King of glory? to heavenand earth we proclaim aloud, THE LORD OF
HOSTS, the all-conquering MESSIAH, head over every creature, the leader

of the armies of JEHOVAH, he is the King of glory. Even so, glory be to thee,
O Lord most high! Amen. Hallelujah.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary24:7-10 The splendid entry here
described, refers to the solemn bringing in of the ark into the tent David
pitched for it, or the temple Solomonbuilt for it. We may also apply it to the
ascensionof Christ into heaven, and the welcome givento him there. Our
Redeemerfound the gates of heaven shut, but having by his blood made
atonement for sin, as one having authority, he demanded entrance. The angels
were to worship him, Heb 1:6: they ask with wonder, Who is he? It is
answered, that he is strong and mighty; mighty in battle to save his people,
and to subdue his and their enemies. We may apply it to Christ's entrance into
the souls of men by his word and Spirit, that they may be his temples. Behold,
he stands at the door, and knocks, Rev3:20. The gates and doors of the heart
are to be opened to him, as possessionis delivered to the rightful owner. We
may apply it to his secondcoming with glorious power. Lord, open the
everlasting door of our souls by thy grace, that we may now receive thee, and
be wholly thine; and that, at length, we may be numbered with thy saints in
glory.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleLift up your heads ... - The repetition here is
designedto give force and emphasis to what is uttered. The response in Psalm
24:5 is slightly varied from the response in Psalm 24:8; but the same general
sentiment is expressed. The designis to announce in a solemn manner that the
symbol of the divine presence and majesty was about to be introduced into the
place of its permanent abode, and that this was an event worthy to be
celebrated;that even the gates of the city should voluntarily open themselves
to admit the greatand glorious King who was to reign there forever.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary7-10. The entrance of the ark,
with the attending procession, into the holy sanctuaryis pictured to us. The
repetition of the terms gives emphasis.
Matthew Poole's Commentary The same verse is repeatedagain, partly to
shame and awakenthe dulness of mankind, who are so hardly brought to a
serious preparation for such solemnities;and partly to signify the greatworth
and importance of the matter, containedunder these expressions.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLift up your heads, O ye gates evenlift
them up, ye everlasting doors;and the King of glory shall come in. See Gill on
Psalm24:7. This is repeatedon accountof the backwardnessand negligence
of churches, and particular believers, to open and let Christ in; as may be seen
in the case ofthe church in Sol 5:2; as well as the more to set forth the

greatness andglory of Christ, about to make his entrance, and to command a
proper awe and reverence of him: some think respectis had to the twofold
coming of Christ; first into the secondtemple, and next at the last judgment;
though rather the certainty of his coming, in a spiritual manner, to his church
and people, is here designed.
Geneva Study BibleLift up your heads, O ye gates;even lift them up, ye
everlasting doors;and the King of glory shall come in.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges9. evenlift &c.]Yea, lift them up …
that the King of glory may come in.
9, 10. Challenge and response are repeated, with some slight variations, and
one important change.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 9. - Lift up your heads, O ye gates;even lift them
up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. A repetition of
ver. 7, the first part of the choir reiterating its challenge.
Keil and DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old TestamentJahve,whose
throne of grace is now setupon Zion, has not a limited dominion, like the
heathen deities: His right to sovereigntyembraces the earth and its fulness
(Psalm 50:12;Psalm 89:12), i.e., everything that is to be found upon it and in
it.
(Note:In 1 Corinthians 10:26, Paul founds on this verse (cf. Psalm50:12) the
doctrine that a Christian (apart from a charitable regard for the weak)may
eat whateveris sold in the shambles, without troubling himself to enquire
whether it has been offeredto idols or not. A Talmudic teacher, B. Berachoth
35a, infers from this passage the duty of prayer before meat: He who eats
without giving thanks is like one who lays hands upon ‫יׁשדק‬ ‫םייד‬ (the sacred
things of God); the right to eatis only obtained by prayer.)
For He, ‫,אוה‬ is the ownerof the world, because its Creator. He has founded it
upon seas, i.e., the oceanand its streams, ‫,תארונ‬ ῥέεθρα (Jonah 2:4); for the
waters existedbefore the dry land, and this has been castup out of them at
God's word, so that consequently the solid land, - which indeed also conceals
in its interior a ‫רהא‬ ‫האוק‬ (Genesis 7:11), - rising above the surface of the sea,
has the waters, as it were, for its foundation (Psalm 136:6), although it would
more readily sink down into them than keepitself above them, if it were not in
itself upheld by the creative powerof God. Hereupon arises the question, who
may ascendthe mountain of Jahve, and stand above in His holy place? The
futures have a potential signification:who can have courage to do it? what,

therefore, must he be, whom Jahve receives into His fellowship, and with
whose worshipHe is well-pleased? Answer:he must be one innocent in his
actions and pure in mind, one who does not lift up his soul to that which is
vain (‫,אווה‬ according to the Masora with Waw minusculum). (‫הא‬ ‫תׂשי‬ ‫תפה‬ (‫,א‬ to
direct one's soul, Psalm25:1, or longing and striving, towards anything,
Deuteronomy 24:15;Proverbs 19:18; Hosea 4:8. The Ker ‫תׂשיד‬ is old and
acknowledgedby the oldestauthorities.
(Note:The reading ‫תׂשיד‬ is adopted by Saadia (in Enumoth ii., where ‫תׂשיד‬ is
equivalent to ‫,)יׁשד‬ Juda ha-Levi (Cuzari iii. 27), Abulwalid (Rikma p. 180),
Rashi, Kimchi, the Sohar, the Codices (and among others by that of the year
1294)and most editions (among which, the Complutensis has ‫תׂשיד‬ in the text).
Nor does Aben-Ezra, whom Norzi has misunderstood, by any means reverse
the relationof the Chethb and Ker; to him ‫תׂשיד‬ is the Ker, and he explains it
as a metaphor (an anthropomorphism): ‫ותוד‬ ‫יו‬ ‫ד‬ ‫תׂש‬ ‫.וונו‬ Elias Levita is the
only one who rejects the Ker ‫;תׂשיד‬ but he does so though misunderstanding a
Masora (vid., Baer's Psalteriump. 130)and not without admitting Masoretic
testimony in favour of it (‫ורנ‬ ‫אׁש‬ ‫בהונ‬ ‫תו‬ ‫רו‬ ‫רהדנד‬ ‫.)ווו‬ He is the only textual
critic who rejects it. For Jacobb. Chajim is merely astonishedthat ‫תׂשיו‬ is not
to be found in the Masorethregisterofwords written with Waw and to be
read with Jod. And even Norzi does not rejectthis Ker, which he is obliged to
admit has greatly preponderating testimony in its favour, and he would only
too gladly get rid of it.)
Even the lxx Cod. Alex. translates: τὴν ψυχὴν μου; whereas Cod. Vat. (Eus.,
Apollin., Theodor., et al.): τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. Critically it is just as intangible,
as it is exegeticallyincomprehensible; ‫תׂשיד‬ might then be equivalent to ‫.יׁשד‬
Exodus 20:7, an explanation, however, which does not seempossible even
from Amos 6:8; Jeremiah 51:14. We let this Ker‫ׁש‬ alone to its undisturbed
critical rights. But that the poet did actually write thus, is incredible.
In Psalm 24:5 (just as at the close of Psalm15:1-5), in continued predicates,
we are told the characterof the man, who is worthy of this privilege, to whom
the question in Psalm24:3 refers. Such an one shall bear away, or acquire
(‫,תיה‬ as e.g., Esther2:17) blessing from Jahve and righteousness fromthe God
of his salvation(Psalm 25:5; Psalm27:9). Righteousness, i.e., conformityto
God and that which is well-pleasing to God, appears here as a gift, and in this
sense it is used interchangeably with ‫דיי‬ (e.g., Psalm132:9, Psalm 132:16). It
is the righteousness ofGodafter which the righteous, but not the self-
righteous, man hungers and thirsts; that moral perfectionwhich is the
likeness ofGod restored to him and at the same time brought about by his
own endeavours;it is the being changed, or transfigured, into the image of the

Holy One Himself. With Psalm24:5 the answerto the question of Psalm 24:3
is at an end; Psalm24:6 adds that those thus qualified, who may accordingly
expectto receive God's gifts of salvation, are the true church of Jahve, the
Israelof God. ‫רור‬ (lit., a revolution, Arabic dahr, root ‫,רי‬ to turn, revolve) is
used here, as in Psalm 14:5; Psalm73:15; Psalm112:2, of a collective whole,
whose bond of union is not contemporaneousness, but similarity of
disposition; and it is an alliteration with the ‫ררידו‬ (Chethb ‫ו‬ ‫,יר‬ without the
Jod plur.) which follows. ‫ׁשתד‬ ‫םיד‬ ‫ׁש‬ is a secondgenitive depending on ‫,רור‬ as in
Psalm27:8. Here at the close the predication passes into the form of
invocation (Thy face). And ‫םיד‬ is a summarising predicate: in short, these are
Jacob, not merely after the flesh, but after the spirit, and thus in truth (Isaiah
44:2, cf. Romans 9:6; Galatians 6:16). By interpolating ‫,דאאה‬ as is done in the
lxx and Peshto, and adopted by Ewald, Olshausen, Hupfeld, and Bttcher, the
nerve, as it were, of the assertionis cut through. The predicate, which has
been expressedin different ways, is concentratedintelligibly enough in the one
word ‫םיד‬ , towards which it all along tends. And here the music becomes
forte. The first part of this double Psalmdies awayamidst the playing of the
instruments of the Levitical priests; for the Ark was brought in ‫ידרדק‬ ‫,הואייב‬
as 2 Samuel 6:5 (cf. 2 Samuel 6:14) is to be read.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
A Triumphal Entrance BY SPURGEON
“Lift up your heads, O you gates!Lift them up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.”
Psalm24:9
ON Monday evening we expounded this Psalm. We then enlarged upon the
glorious ascensionof our Lord Jesus Christ and His triumphal entrance
within the pearly gates ofthe New Jerusalem, to which we believe this verse is
to be referred. Having on that occasionendeavoredto setforth the literal and
proper meaning of the words, amplifying them at some length, we trust we

may be permitted to use them tonight rather by way of accommodationwhile
we speak on quite another subject, and give a different turn to the flow of our
thoughts. Not that we wish to supersede the natural sense ofthe prophetic
song, although we think that without violence, and even with profit, we may
borrow a sentence from it to point a moral of practicalgodliness.
It is worthy of observationthat the Scotchcommentator, Dixon, gives what I
am about to suggestto you as the true meaning of the text, as also do some one
or two other authors, to say nothing of our hymn writers who claim poetical
license for the boldness of their paraphrases. I should myself very strongly
objectto tamper with the literal sense. The allusion of the Psalmist, no doubt,
is primarily to the ascensionofthe Ark of the Covenant into Mount Zion,
where it was permanently to be lodged, and that historicalfact was a type of
the ascensionofChrist into the Jerusalemwhich is above, where He sits as the
Representative ofHis people. Let the meaning be fully understood and
admitted, then we shall feel at liberty to use the words we here find for certain
practicalpurposes.
Give ear then, dear Friends, to the doctrine which I am anxious to setbefore
you. The Lord Jesus Christ, in order to our salvation, must not only enter into
Heaven but He must enter into our hearts. He must not only sprinkle the
blood within the veil, but He must sprinkle the blood within our conscience.
All that Christ has done for us will be of no use unless there shall be a great
work done in us. It is not only Christ on the Cross who is our hope, but
“Christ in you,” says the Apostle, “the hope of glory.
At the time of conversion, Jesus Christenters into the soul, and it is by such a
triumphant entrance, when His Word comes into our hearts, that we get the
personalknowledge ofsalvation.
1. First, then, THE GREAT THING TO BE DESIRED BYEACH OF US
IS THE ENTRANCE OF THE KING OF GLORY INTO OUR SOULS.
Brethren, what if I should saythat Heaven would not be Heaven
without this? Certainly there would be no happiness here on earth, no
Heaven below to any one of us unless we had Christ in our hearts!
There is nothing but mischief in man’s heart when Christ is not there and
another lord usurps dominion over Him. In vain is the Gospelpreachedto any
one of the sons of men so long as they, like the strong man armed, keepthe
gates ofthe castle oftheir heart. The eyes of the understanding are blind to
the wayof peace. Until Christ shall come and take that castle by storm, there
is no doing anything for that man–the spirit that works in him is the “spirit

that works in the children of disobedience”–heis deceivedby Satanand made
a willing slave to that tyrant of evil.
What you need, Sinner, for your salvation, is that Christ should come unto
you, for if He should come unto you, then that dead soul of yours would live.
His Presenceis life. He quickens whom He will. In Him was life, and the life
was the light of men. When He comes into a soul, spiritual life is there. The
sinner wakes up to consciousness andrises from the grave over the mouth of
which his recklessindifference, like a greatstone, has been rolled, and he
cries, “Whatmust I do to be saved?” When Christ comes into the heart, sin is
seento be sinful. In the light of the Cross man begins to repent. He sees that
his sin has slain the Savior, and he loathes it. He now seeks to be delivered
both from its guilt and from its power.
The coming of Christ does that. It takes awaythe guilt of man. Christ in the
heart, revealedto the soul, speaks peaceto the troubled conscience. We look
to Him and are lightened, and our faces are not ashamed. We see the fountain
opened for sin and for uncleanness in Christ. Here we washand are made
clean–asfor the reigning power of sin, nothing can ever conquer that but the
incoming of Christ. If a man serves an evil master, the only way of getting rid
of that hated despot is to bring in the rival Sovereign. “No man can serve two
masters.” The introduction of the King of Glory, Christ Jesus, is the sure way
of casting out that old master, Satan, the prince of the power of the air.
When the Lord Jesus comes, bringing life, and light, and pardon, He puts
down the powerof sin and every blessing comes in His train. Oh, when Christ
rides through the streets ofour souls they are strewnwith flowers of hope and
joy! Then we hang out the streamers ofour sacredbliss! We sing of His
praise! We are ready to dance before Him for holy mirth! Then straightway
we love purity and seek forperfection! Then we adore the living Godwhom
we had before forgotten, but of whom we can now say, “Our Fatherwho are
in Heaven.” We receive the spirit of adoption to which we had been strangers
before!
Then, as soonas Christ has enteredour heart, our course is heavenward–our
way is towards our Father’s face, whereas before, withour backs to the Sun of
Righteousness–wewanderedinto denser gloom. And we would have found our
way into outer darkness where there is weepamfull!“ But until then you will
be naked and poor, and miserable. Or if you are, indeed, a living soul, you will
be uneasy and dissatisfieduntil Christ has entered into you with all His
glorious train, His Spirit and His Word. You will be like a house without a
tenant, cold, cheerless, dilapidated, desolate. Your heart will be as a nest

without a bird–a poor, sad thing! You will be like a body without the soulthat
quickens it.
But if Jesus comes,He will make a man of you after another sort than that
frail image which your father Adam bequeathed you. He will make you new in
the image of Him who createdyou. “Behold, I make all things new,” He says.
Oh, you cannot tell the influences of His scepterwhen He sits upon the throne
of the heart! You cannot tell what showers of mercy, what streams of
benediction, what mountains of joy, and hills of happiness shall be yours when
Jesus comes andreigns in your soul!
This, then, is the greatbusiness that we ought to see to–thatJesus Christ
should come unto us–notmerely that we should hear of Him with the ear, or
talk of Him with the tongue, but that we should have Him as a priest before
the altar, as a king upon the throne of our heart, the chief and highest in the
reverence and the affectionof our inmost soul.
II. Secondly, THERE ARE IMPEDIMENTSTO CHRIST THUS COMING
INTO OUR HEARTS. The text speaks, younotice, about “doors” and
“gates.” Surely, if there were doors and gates that needed to be lifted up
before Christ could enter into Heaven, much more are there doors and gates
that must be opened to receive Him into our hearts! Remember that when
Jesus Christ went up into Heaven, the doors were lifted up, and the gates were
opened, and they have never been shut since.
There is no passagethat says, “Downwith your heads, you gates, andbe you
fast closed, you everlasting doors!” Not a word of that sort. Heaven’s gates are
open wide. What, then, is shut? Why, the gate of the human soul, the door of
the human heart. There are many gates and doors, bars of iron, and bolts of
triple steelthat stand in the way of Christ. Sometimes it is our wicked
prejudice. We do not want to know the Gospel. We are confirmed in our own
self-righteousness, orwe hold the traditions of our fathers who trusted in
some outward forms and ceremonies. We do not want to know Christ.
Perhaps the very name of the preacherof the Gospelis hateful to us, and the
name of the place where Christ is lifted up is detestable to us. What a blessing
it is to us when these gates ofprejudice are taken away, and the hearing earis
given, and the soul pants to know what this Gospelis! Alas, though, it too
often happens that when prejudice is removed, there then remains the gate of
depravity–our love of sin is a strong barrier. We should soonhave hailed
Christ were it not that we had harbored an old foe of His. We do not care to
give up our former love to lay hold of the true Bridegroomof men’s souls.

The greatdifficulty in the way of sinners getting to Heaven is that they love
sin better than they love their souls. A little drink, a little merriment, a
favorite lust, a Sunday holiday–any of these trifling joys, these groveling husks
that are only fit for swine–willkeepsouls from Christ and prevent their laying
hold of eternal life. Man loves his own ruin! The cup is so sweet, thatthough
he knows it will poisonhim, yet he must drink it! And the harlot is so fair, that
though he understands that her ways lead down to Hell, yet like a bull he
follows to the slaughter till the dart goes through his liver! Man is fascinated
and bewitchedby sin. He will not give up the insidious pleasures which are
but for a season, andto gain them he will run the risk of the everlasting ruin
of his undying soul. Oh, when God takes awaythe love of sin, then the gates
are lifted up and the doors are opened. What is there that could prevent our
welcoming Christ if we did but hate our sins?
Another greatdoor is our love of self-righteousness. ThoughI have spokenof
the love of sin as the strongestdoor, ought I not to correctmyself, and say
that, perhaps, the love of our own righteousness is a strongerdoor still? Men
may give up their grossersins while they will hold fastto their fair, but carnal
righteousnesses. Yetyour own righteousness will as certainly destroy you as
your iniquities. If you rest upon what you have done, however goodin your
own eyes, or howeverpraiseworthyin the esteemof your fellow men that
doing may be, you rest on a foundation that will certainly fail you. Your
merits or your demerits are alike useless forsalvation. God grant that we may
no longer boastof ourselves, but put awaythe Pharisee’s pride and never
utter the Pharisee’s prayer. The doors must be lifted up.
Then, again, there is that door which I may call the iron gate that enters into
the city, the innermost door of all, the key of which it is, indeed, hard to turn–
the door of unbelief. Oh, that unbelief! It is the ruin of souls, and ah, what
trouble, and labor, and anxiety it gives to us who are ministers of the Gospel!
When talking with anxious enquirers we are often amazedat the ingenuity
with which they resistthe entrance of Light and Truth into their hearts. I do
not think I have ever been so much astonishedat the invention of locomotive
engines, electric telegraphs, orany other feats of human mechanism as I have
been at the marvelous ingenuity of simple people in finding out reasons why
they should not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ!
After we have proved to them to a demonstration that it is both the most
reasonable and the fit thing in the world to trust themselves with Christ, they
ask, “Why this?” Or, “Why that?” Or they argue, “But one thing, and but
another.” We may patiently go through the whole process again, andeven
when that is done there comes another, “but.” I have hunted these people till

they have gotto their holes, and I have tried to dig them out, and unearth
them, but I find that they can always burrow fasterthan I can follow them. It
is only the Grace ofGod that can deliver us from this ruinous thing, unbelief!
You would count it a strange thing, if, when a man condemned to be hanged
had a pardon presentedto him, he were so ingenious as to find out reasons
why he should not escape the gallows!And when these reasons were all
refuted, their fallacy exposed, and the goodtidings confirmed, he should keep
on finding out more reasons why the sentence of executionshould be carried
into effect!You would say, “Why, foolish man, let these sophistries alone. Put
your wits to better use. Getyour liberty first, and then enquire into the
manner it was procured afterwards.” Menwill not take God at His word, and
trust Christ at His call. That greatdoctrine of, “Believe and live,” they will
reject.
Still, still they will object!O that these gates and doors were all removed! Do
not, I beseechyou, my dear Hearers, do not let me talk about this matter as
though I were speaking to people on the moon. It is into your own hearts that
admission is sought, and remember that there are doors which keepChrist
out. There are gates and doors which some of you willfully close againstHim.
Though in His steadI have stoodthese many Sundays knocking as bestI
could at the door–no, not I, but Christ knocking there through me–you have
resistedevery appeal. You
They have shakensometimes a gooddeal. They have almost seemedto me as if
they were on the jar–I have hastenedto see if I could not put my finger in at
the hole of the door–but could not do so. I wish my Masterwould! How is it
that with such a Friend outside, standing there in such a lovely attitude, laden
with blessings, and ready to enter that He may bless you–how is it that still
you will invent further bars, and make fresh locks to keepHim out?
III. Our third point is this–IN ORDER FOR CHRIST TO ENTRER WE
MUST BE WILLING TO REMOVE THESE BOLTS. You will notice that the
text says, “Lift up your heads, O you gates,”as if the gates were to lift their
own heads up. It is addressedto them as though they were to getout of the
way. Continually, dear Friends, I have to tell you that salvationis by Divine
Grace–emphaticallyI shall have to impress this upon you presently. Yet, at
the same time, we never did say, and we hope we never shall say that we see
no necessityto make any appeals to your will.
We never said that Godwould save you againstyour will. We never thought
so. We never believed that a man was plunged into the blood of Jesus Christ if
he was unwilling to be washedin it. We never believed that a man had the

robe of righteousness put on him by force, he, meanwhile, resisting with all his
might. We never believed that there were pilgrims on the road to Heaven who
went there driven like convicts in the chain gang, insteadof marching
willingly and cheerfully towards their desiredrest. We never meant to say
that you were mere machines whom God had deprived of free agency, or that
in order to make you saints He made you blocks of woodor pieces ofmarble.
No! We have been in the habit of addressing you as reasonable beings, and of
talking to you as those who had a will to choose orto refuse. We have tried,
with the motives of the Gospel, to influence that will. Let us remind you that
the gates are bid to lift up their heads–therefore,in God’s name, Sinner, be
willing! Be willing that Christ should enter into your heart, for, remember, He
never does enter againstour will. He makes us willing in the day of His power,
but willing we must be. True, willingness is His gift, but we are made willing.
In the case ofevery soul that comes to Christ there is first given to him the
willing mind.
“Oh!” says one, “I am willing enough!” Thank God for that, dear Hearer, for
the most of men will not come unto Him that they may have life. “Oh!” says
another, “I am sure my will is goodto come to Christ!” I am glad to hear that,
for there is a question we have often to ask, “Willyou be made whole?” But
there are some men who do not want to be made whole, and would rather
hobble on their crutches, cripples as they are! They would rather indulge their
inclination as sinners than be purified and brought into the obedience of faith.
Among those I address tonight there may be individuals, perhaps, who would
not like to have their conscience touched. Here is one man who is making
money in a bad trade. “Oh,” he says, “I do not want that preacherto make me
uneasy!” There is another man here who has been getting so used to his sinful
pleasures that it would now be inconvenient for him to give them up. He has
even made an appointment that he feels he must keep, and if he were
apprehensive that the Grace of Godmight come and overtake him tonight, he
feels as if he would rather not. Do not be frightened! It will not occurto you,
for the Lord will first give you this premonition of His intending to bless you.
He will make you long to be blessed. Before He puts that cup of cooling water
to your month, He will make you thirsty.
Before He enriches you with His treasure He will make you feelthat you are
naked, and poor, and miserable. Before Christ goes throughthe gate, the
inhabitants of the city shall be willing to receive Him. No, with outstretched
hands they shall look over the battlements and say, “Come in, King of Glory!
I long to see You! Come, and welcome!I will throw the gates of my soul wide
open to receive You, do but come!I long for You! I watch for Your coming as

they that watchfor Your appearing! Yes, more than they that watchfor the
morning light.”
IV. Fourthly, while you must thus be made willing, IT IS GRACE THAT
MUST ENABLE YOU TO BE SO. Notice, “Be youlift up, you everlasting
doors.” “Lift up your heads.” “Be you lift up.” We speak to a man as a man,
and so we must speak to him. Next to this we speak of what God cando,
blessedbe His name, as a God, when He comes to deal with us, making us
willing. And then coming in, with that greatarm of His power, entirely to
remove those gates whichcreature strength could not push an inch out of the
way.
I think I see the inhabitants of that city when the cry is heard, “Lift up your
heads, O you gates!” trying to lift them up! Trying with all their might, but
they cannot do it. The gates are too heavy. The bars seemto be rusted. The
bolts are fastin their places. The people cry, “How shall we ever open the
gates ofthis city, and how can we let in the King?”–whenan invisible Spirit
stands by the side of the wall amid all the struggles, and as He puts out His
power, the gates go up, and the doors fly wide open!
This is how it is with the sinner. God the Holy Spirit comes in and helps our
infirmities. And what we could not do because we are weak through the flesh,
He helps us to do. The love of sin is given up to begin with, and then the Holy
Spirit enables us to give up the sin which we no longer love. Unbelief becomes
to us a burden, and we cry, “Lord, I believe, help You my unbelief!” and He
does help that unbelief and we do believe! That which we could not do, we do!
He who made us willing, makes us able! Where the will is present, the power
is not withheld. When God has subdued the obstinacy of your heart, He will
speedily overcome the infirmity of your hands. If you are thirsty, you shall
drink. If you are hungry, you shall eat. If you would have Christ, you shall
have Christ, for if you cannot open the gates, He can.
The difficulty with these gates is that they are everlasting!Though I cannot
say that the gates which shut Christ out of our hearts are everlasting in one
sense, yetthey certainly are as old as our own nature–forthe old inbred
corruption of that stoodout againstChrist. And they are such perpetual gates
that they never would have been removed if it were not for the Grace which
came to remove them. And they are everlasting in such a sense that they will
be there in time and there in eternity. The man who will not have Christ now,
will not have Him when he comes to die, and will not have Him in eternity.
Even then the gates willstill shut out the Savior. The Savior will be forever a
strangerand an alien to that man’s heart! May God give to you who have

been shutting Him out the will to open the door, and then may He come and
say, “Be you lift up, you everlasting doors,” and may Jesus Christ come in!
1. Not to linger, however, on any one point, let us proceedto notice the
willingness of Christ to enter. We have shown you that it should be our
greatdesire that Christ should come in, but that there are obstacles. We
know that we must be willing to remove them, and that Divine Grace
will come to our assistance.Whatnext?–JESUS WILL ENTER. There
is no difficulty put here after once the gates are lifted up. There is
Oh, yes! When the gates are opened, He shall come in! He was willing to come
in before. He had sentHis servants, and said to them, “Openthe gates.”He
had finished the work which He came to do. He was waiting to be gracious.
There was never any unwillingness in Him! The unwillingness was all in us!
And as soonas ever that unwillingness is takenaway, and the gates are
opened, the King of Glory shall come in. May the Lord bless me in speaking
for a moment to some here who are willing to have the Savior, but who think
that He will never come into their hearts.
O Beloved, do not suffer this infernal suggestionto depress your spirits! Are
you poor? Believe me, it does not matter what dress you wear, nor in what
humble cottage youlive, nor how your face may be begrimed with your toil if
you are willing! The King of Glory will come in! He loves to live in those
men’s hearts whose bodies, like His own, suffer fatigue, and wearthe
garments of the workman. Perhaps you say, “But my body has been defiled
with sin.” But where He comes He cleansesthe house by His Presence!
You never hear it said, “The world is not fit for the sun, because it is so dark,
for where the sun comes he makes light.” And if after a long winter the world
has growncold and frostbitten, it is not said of the spring, “You must not
come, for the world is not fit for you!” No, but the genial influences of spring
loosenthe rivers, and clothe the earth with verdure, and bid the bonds of frost
be removed! And so spring makes a palace fit for herself and strews it with
flowers from her own hands.
My Masterwill come into your house and live, though you are not worthy that
He should come under your roof. He was born in a manger where the horned
oxen fed. He will be born in your heart, where devils once dwelt. My Lord,
when He does stoop, may well stoopas low as He can. It is the greatestwonder
that He should stoopat all–not that He stoops in any one particular direction,
for, after all, though some of you may have been gross offenders, while others
of us, from our youth up, have never uttered an oath, nor entered upon a

lascivious action–yetthere is not so much difference betweenyou and us as
that it should seemstrange that He should come to you.
If you are black in one sense, we are black in another. And if you have been a
drunkard, well, I have been an unbeliever. And if you have been a thief, well, I
have played false to God. And if there is one sin into which I have not
plunged, I have plunged into another. We are very much alike, afterall, and it
is not so wonderful a thing, if we once get our hearts filled with the true
wonder that Christ should have savedsinners at all, that He should
condescendto display that wonderful Grace by saving those who, in the
recklessnessand daring of their crimes, are ostensiblysuch greatsinners!
Jesus Christ will come in.
“Well, but suppose He should not?” says one. Ah, never suppose what cannot
be! “Him that comes unto Me, I will in nowise castout.” Why, the very angels
must sometimes be astonishedas they say, “Lord, here is such a one coming–
shall we shut the gate?” “No,” says He, “forI have said that him that comes, I
will in nowise castout.” Surely, when the angelof mercy saw Saul of Tarsus
coming, he said, “Lord, here is a man who has had his garments spattered
with the blood of Stephen! Here is that fierce wolfwho has whetted his fangs
in the blood of many of the saints! Here comes this blasphemer, this
persecutor–mustnot he be excluded?”
No. The gate stoodopen and he found admittance. And as he entered he
turned round, and saidto the others who were timidly standing outside, “I
obtained mercy, that in me, first, Jesus Christ might show forth all
longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafterbelieve.” O Soul, if
you desire to have Christ, there is no reasonwhy you should not have Him!
No, you shall have Him! If you have got so far, by His Grace, as to have said,
“Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be you lift up, you everlasting doors,”
then “the King of Glory shall come in,” and you shall find a Savior in your
heart if you are but willing to receive Him there.
VI. And now, lastly, observe that our text says, “THE KING OF GLORY
SHALL COME IN. This title belongs to the Savior. It proclaims Him in His
highest authority. How shall I interpret this to you? The weight, the exceeding
eternal weightof glory which belongs to the King of Glory, I cannot explain.
O that your thoughts may excelmy words!I think I hear a cry, "Behold, your
King comes!The King! The King! Stand back, make way! The King comes.”
There is a moment’s bustle, and it is succeededby a breathless pause.
Everyone forgets the business in which he was engagedand loses the thread of
thought in which he was absorbed. All eyes turn, as if by instinct, to look from

what direction that cry has broken on their ears:“THE KING OF GLORY!”
A thrill passes through your nerves, a shock goes to your heart as you listen to
the note which tells of His high prerogative. “Who is this King of Glory?”
What peerless Prince is this, with a name above every name, and a royalty
higher than the kings of the earth?
“THE LORD OF HOSTS, HE IS THE KING OF GLORY.” And while you
look, He is near. You look, you gaze, you behold the pageantryof His high
estate, and awe stifles your breath, admiration chains your senses. “CouldI
have one wish,” said that eloquent preacherat the Hague, Mr. James Saurin,
“Could I have one wish to answermy proposedend of preaching today with
efficacy, it would be to show you God in this assembly.” And I say to you,
Brothers and Sisters, couldI present at the door of your hearts the King of
Glory, and constrainyou to see Him, you would not hesitate, but open wide
the gates to admit Him!
Behold the King! Resplendentwith all the glory which He had with the Father
before the foundation of the world! Invested with all the offices of dignity
which Jehovahhas put upon Him! Wearing all the brilliant trophies of His
victorious achievements. Hark!Hark! The trumpeters proclaim Him!
Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, in loud and swelling notes announce His
advent! The acclamationsofthe redeemed, a vast throng, greetHim! And He
rides in triumph straight up to your heart!
One glance at Him, Sinner, shows you plainly that He challenges your
submission by all the grandeur of His title, by all the illustrious insignia of His
solemn functions, by all the renown of His mighty acts. As the King of Glory,
He must come in–
“But know, nor of the terms complain,
Where Jesus comes,He comes to reign.
To reign, but not with partial sway,
Thoughts must be slain that disobey.”
As liege subjects, then, you must yield Him all your homage. Oh, are you
willing that the priest should come in? “Yes,” yousay, “that is what I want. I
want Christ to come in with His precious blood, like a priest, and sprinkle me
with hyssop, and take awaymy sins.” He will come as a
“Yes,” says another, “I am quite willing to receive Christ as a prophet. I want
to understand the doctrines. They have puzzled me a greatdeal, and I want to
comprehend them.” Well, Christ will come as a prophet, but He will not come
as a prophet unless you are willing to receive Him, also, as your King. O
Sinner, Jesus Christ must have the mastery in your heart, or you shall not

have Him at all! Come, now, you have followedyour own will–that must be
given up. Do you not like that yoke? Do you say, “No, I never did wearone”?
You must wearit, or you will be lost.
Look at it, now–see how softlyit lies! It will never gall your shoulders. “My
yoke is easy:My burden is light.” Now, you know you have been your own
master and what incessantmutiny there has been in your members. Your own
will has been too impotent a ruler to hold the reins of government or maintain
peace. You know very well that your own passions have made a greatslave of
you. Why, the man who gives wayto drunkenness–whereis there a worse
slave in the world than he? Or, take the man who has a passionate temper–
why, he does and says a thousand things that he is disgustedwith afterwards–
but he seems to be driven by his foolishness without the slightestself-control.
A worse slaverythan that of any galleyslave that was ever chained to the oar,
is that slavery of a bad temper.
Now, would it not be better to be a servant of Christ than to be the slave of
your own hateful lusts, or your owncapricious whims? I know what you will
say–youcannot serve King Jesus, foryour companions would laugh at you,
and hold you up to ridicule. Oh, what a meanspirited creature, then, you must
be! And so will you let any peering fool be your chieftain, and become the
vassalof any man bolder in wickednessthan you are? Why, Sir, do you call
yourself an Englishman? Are you a man at all, that you can yield yourself up
to be chaffedafter this fashion? What? Would you let the gibes or taunts of a
workmate restrain you from following what you believe to be good?
Why, I am ashamedof you! Putting aside Christianity altogether, I blush for
you as a coward. Surely, you might sayto them, “What do I care for your
laughs, I can always give you as goodas you send, only I take care it shall not
be in your spirit. I can hold my own, and if you choose to serve the devil,
surely it is a free country. I have as much right to serve the King of Glory as
you have to serve the Prince of Darkness. If you choose to go to Hell, let me go
to Heaven, surely, you will not pass a law against that!”
There are workmen, I believe, and men of business, and gentlemen, as they
are called, of the upper circles who are the most abominable tyrants in their
dealings with one another. If you choose to be a Christian, you are sure to get
the coldshoulder among the upper classes. No, but the very working men,
who prate their democracy, will not let you be a Christian without meeting
you at the shop door and saying, “Ah, here is a Presbyterian,” or “a
Methodist,” or something of the sort. What is this but trampling upon liberty
of consciencewith arroganttyranny? How can we boastof our love of

freedom while such a state of things prevails? Surely, a man has a right to his
religion, and you have no right to interfere with him about it.
But now, my dear Friend, you are afraid of being laughed at. Let me ask you,
which is better, to be a servant of man or a servant of Christ? Whichever way
you may judge, you can never enter Heaven’s door, to wearChrist’s crown
unless you are here willing to be Christ’s servant, and to bear Christ’s Cross.
“Well, but I do not like this. I do not like that.” Referto the Bible–that is the
Master’s Book.As it is written there, so let your life and actions be ruled. You
remember what the mother of Jesus saidto the servants at the wedding in
Cana of Galilee? “WhateverHe says unto you, do it.” I do not see how you
can serve Christ if there is anything in that Book which you see to be there,
and yet willfully neglect.
Perhaps there are some of you whom that sentence will hit very hard. I know
persons who saythey are Baptists in principle, but they have never been
baptized! Baptists without any principle at all, I call them–persons who know
their Master’s will, but who will not obey it. I can make greatexcuses for
Brethren who do not see it. I think they might see it if they liked. But if they
do not discern the precept, I canunderstand their not obeying it. But when
people know their Lord’s will, and do it not–though I am sure I would not
wish to speak hastily on such a matter–I am not certain whether willful
disobedience to a knowncommand of Christ may not be a token of their
rejecting Christ altogether. I should not like to run the risk for myself, at any
rate.
I should feelit unsafe to say that I believed I was saved, while there was some
command of my Lord which I could obey, which I clearly saw to be my duty,
and yet to which I solemnly declaredI would withhold my obedience. Surely,
in such a case, I have not let Christ come into my heart! If you would have
Christ, He will be absolute Lord and Master–everyhumor and stubbornness
of yours must be setaside–forwhere He comes He comes to reign. As He
makes His entrance, He comes as the “King of Glory.” That is to say, He must
be a glorious King, glorious to you–One whom you seek to glorify.
You must not receive Him as though He were some paltry potentate that you
did not care for, but He must be full of glory to you–the “Wonderful,
Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”–
you must receive Him into your heart! Notas men receive a common guest,
but as men receive their dearestand most honored friend–one whom they love
and reverence with all the powers of their nature. He must be the King of
Glory to you. And from now on it must be your desire to glorify Him. This is

not a hard thing to ask, for oh, it is the pleasure, it is the ante past of Heaven!
It is unspeakable bliss to live to the glory of Christ!
Even when one is suffering, suffering is sweetif it brings Him honor! If one is
despisedfor Christ, it is delightful to be reproachedif it does but make Him
more glorious–
“If on my face for Your dear name,
Shame and reproaches be,
I’ll hail reproach, and welcome shame,
If You remember me.”
Oh, to glorify Christ! I think Heaven would lose half its charms for me if I
could not glorify Christ there. And the vast howling wilderness were Heaven
on earth to me if I might but glorify His name here below!To glorify Christ is
far more to the Christian’s mind than harps of gold, streets ofcrystal, or gates
of pearl. This is the true music of the soul! The true excitement of triumph!
The true chorus of eternity–that He ever lives, that the crown is on His head–
that God also has highly exaltedHim. Oh, this is our exultation, this is our joy,
our triumph, our blessedness!If we can but promote His glory, the place
where we can bestpromote it shall be our Heaven. The sick bed, the hospital,
or the poor house shall be our Heaven, if we can there best serve the Lord
Jesus Christ, who is the King of Glory.
The year is fast drawing to a close. We callit “the year of Grace, 1866.”Oh,
that it may, indeed, be “the year of Grace” to some unconverted persons here!
It may be that I am not casting my net tonight where there are many such to
be found. Most of you, my Hearers, are members of the Church of Christ.
You are saved, I trust. Still there are sure to be here and there, like weeds
growing in a garden of flowers, some who are still strangers to the Lord Jesus
Christ. I would to God that the Holy Spirit would move them to say, “Come
in, Savior! Let the King of Glory come in!”
Oh, let this true saying of the faithful and true witness be your
encouragement:“If any man hears My voice, and opens the door, I will come
in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” What a blessedthing! You
breakfastedwith the devil, and dined with the world–whata mercy if you
should sup with Christ! And what a blessedsupper you would have! Why,
when you woke tomorrow it would be to breakfastwith Christ! It would be to
hear Him say, “Come and dine,” and then to sup with Him again, and so on
until you come to eat bread at the marriage supper of the Lamb!

May the Lord bless you. And if He grants me my heart’s desire, you will each
of you say to your souls, “Lift up your heads, O you gates!Lift them up, you
everlasting doors!And the King of Glory shall come in.”
MACLAREN
There is a pause, while the processionascends the hill of the Lord, revolving
the stringent qualifications for entrance. It stands before the barred gates,
while possibly part of the choir is within. The advancing singers summon the
doors to open and receive the incoming Jehovah. Their portals are too low for
Him to enter, and therefore they are calledupon to lift their lintels. They are
grey with age, and round them clusterlong memories; therefore they are
addressedas "gates ofancienttime." The question from within expresses
ignorance and hesitation, and dramatically represents the ancient gates as
sharing the relation of the former inhabitants to the Godof Israel, whose
name they did not know, and whose authority they did not own. It heightens
the force of the triumphant shout proclaiming His mighty name. He is
Jehovah, the self-existentGod, who has made a covenantwith Israel, and
fights for His people, as these grey walls bear witness. His warrior might had
wrestedthem from their former possessors.and the gates must open for their
Conqueror. The repeatedquestion is pertinacious and animated: "Who then
is He, the King of Glory?" as if recognitionand surrender were reluctant. The
answeris sharp and authoritative, being at once briefer and fuller. It peals
forth the greatname "Jehovahof hosts." There may be reference in the name
to God’s command of the armies of Israel, thereby expressing the religious
characterof their wars;but the "hosts" includes the angels. "His ministers
who do His pleasure," and the stars, of which He brings forth the hosts by
number. In fact, the conceptionunderlying the name is that of the universe as
an ordered whole, a disciplined army, a cosmos obedientto His voice. It is the
same conceptionwhich the centurion had learned from his legion, where the
utterance of one will moved all the stern, shining ranks. That mighty name,
like a charge of explosives, bursts the gates ofbrass asunder, and the
processionsweeps throughthem amid yet another burst of triumphant music.
I. Messiah, the King of Glory, reigning in Mount Zion

"The earth is Jehovah's, and the fullness thereof; The world, and they that
dwell therein.
For He hath founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the floods"
(vss. 1,2).
The word, Jehovah, has four different connotations in the Old Testament. The
context is to decide the definite meaning which it has in a given case. This
literary phenomenon is based upon the confession of Israel found in
Deuteronomy 6:4, which reads, when literally translated, as follows:
"Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity."
Sometimes the term refers to the Holy Trinity. On other occasions it indicates
Jehovah the Father; in still other contexts it refers to Jehovah the Son; and in
some instances it signifies the Holy Spirit. In Psalm 24 all the facts show that it
is Jehovah the Son who is mentioned.
The earth and it's fullness belong to Jehovah the Son; the world and they who
dwell therein are likewise His (vs. 1).
The world and all it contains belongs to Jehovah the Son for three reasons:
(1) He created them;
(2) He purchased them by shedding His blood on the cross of Calvary;
(3) He will conquer the usurper, Satan who now is holding the world in his
grasp.
That the earth belongs to Christ as the Creator is seen from many passages.
For instance, see John 1:1-4. The world and the fullness thereof is Christ's by
virtue of redemption, because He has "made peace through the blood of the
cross; through Him, I say, whether things upon earth, or things in the
heavens" (Col. 1:20). The world and the fullness thereof will be Christ's by
right of conquest when He returns. Satan is the God of this world now; but
when Jesus returns, He will deal a crushing blow upon the head of Satan and
will take possession of the world as a triumphant victor. Upon the basis of all
these facts, the psalmist declares that the earth belongs to Christ, and its
fullness.
In verse 2 we are told that Christ, in His creating the earth, founded it upon
the seas and established it upon the floods. This verse of course is referring to
Christ's creating the earth. The discoveries of man have proved that this
statement is true. There are great, subterranean reservoirs of water. In this

verse these underground waters are called seas and floods. Doubtless an
allusion to these is made in the statement in Genesis which tells us that "on the
same day were all the fountains of the deep broken up" (Gen. 7:11). At the
present day wells are sunk deep into the bowels of the earth. And waters gush
forth in the form of artesian wells. Thus the Scriptures speak of these great
subterranean reservoirs and rivers of water, which statements are now
corroborated by man's discoveries. Scientific investigation has proved the
accuracy of the Word of God. We are delighted with such confirmation. We
are thoroughly convinced that the authors of the Scriptures were guided
infallibly by the Spirit of God as they wrote the Sacred Writings for us.
"Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who shall stand in His Holy
place?
He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up His soul
unto falsehood, And hath not sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive a blessing from Jehovah, And righteousness from the God of
His Salvation" (vss. 3-5).
In verse 3 the question is asked regarding the person who will be permitted to
ascend into the hill of Jehovah and to stand in His Holy Place. What is meant
by "the hill of Jehovah"? The Temple mount is called the hill or mountain of
Jehovah, "The mountain of the house" (Micah 3:12), and "the mountain of
Jehovah's house" (Micah 4:1).
In the great millennial reign of our Lord this mountain of the house of
Jehovah will be entirely different from what it is today. At the present time it
is a small hill the top of which covers 35 acres. But in the millennial reign this
mountain of the height of Israel will be exceedingly high. From north to south
it will be 25,000 reeds and from east to west the same distance. According to
the best discoveries made by Biblical students, five hundred reeds make one
mile. Hence this mountain will be 50 miles from north to south and 50 miles
from east to west. According to the description of it found in Ezekiel chapters
47 and 48, it will be located a little south of the middle of the Holy Land. The
rest of the land will be divided into twelve equal portions, seven of which will
be north of this mountain of Jehovah, the oblation, and five portions south of
it. The summit of this mountain will be divided into three sections, the
northern portion of which will be fifty miles from east to west and twenty
miles from north to south.
In the center of this northern section will be the Temple area, which will cover

one square mile. This northern section of the mountain will be for the priests,
who will minister at the sanctuary. The next section of this mountain will be
fifty miles from east to west, and twenty from north to south. This portion will
be allotted to the Levites who will assist the priests in all their ministrations.
Finally, the section on the southern portion of the mountain will be fifty miles
wide, from east to west, and ten miles deep, from north to south. In this
central part of this southern section will be located the city of Jerusalem. It
will be nine by nine miles. There will surround it a suburb one-half of a mile
wide. Thus the city, with its suburbs, will cover an area of one hundred square
miles. The great millennial city of Jerusalem will be the joy spot of the earth.
(Ps. 48:1,2). It will be the city of the great King, King Messiah, the Lord Jesus
Christ. It will be here that He will reside and will administer the government
of the world.
The question is asked "who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who
shall stand in his holy place?" The answer is found in verse 4, which declares
that it will be those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not
lifted up their souls unto falsehood, nor sworn deceitfully. These are the ones
who will be permitted to visit the great millennial Jerusalem and to stand
approved in God's sight. The characters who are here described are those who
have lived a clean, moral life, and who recognize the sanctity and the
sacredness of human life and conduct; and who are putting into practice the
fundamental principles and ethics that are set forth in the Scriptures. The
psalmist is not talking about people who have been regenerated, been born
again. From the context we see that He is speaking simply of those who are
living up to the light that they have, and who will welcome further or
additional light. A fuller statement concerning the character of those who will
be permitted to ascend the mountain of Jehovah is set forth in Psalm 15 which
reads as follows:
"Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy Tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy
hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in
his heart;
He that slandereth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his friend, Nor
taketh up a reproach against his neighbor;
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honoreth them that fear
Jehovah; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;
He that putteth not out his money to interest, Nor taketh reward against the
innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved." (Ps. 15:1-5)

That the writers of Psalm 15 and Psalm 24 were speaking of good, moral
people who are living up to the light that they have is evident from verse 5 of
psalm 24; "He shall receive a blessing from Jehovah, and righteousness from
the God of His salvation." In this verse we are told that people of the
character which is described in Psalm 24:4 will receive a blessing from
Jehovah. This blessing will come in the form of righteousness from the God of
their salvation. We learn that these people will receive this righteousness from
Jehovah, the God of their salvation. In other words, here is the affirmation
that the people of the character described in verse 4 will have righteousness of
God imputed to them. In other words, here is the promise of salvation by
faith. When they see the additional light they will step forward in it and
receive Jehovah, the Son who will confer upon them his imputed
righteousness.
According to the teaching of the Word of God men are saved by grace
through faith. It is not by any righteousness that they themselves do. But it is
by the righteousness of Christ who has purchased our redemption for us.
In verse 6 we have language to this effect:
"This is the generation of them that seek after Him, that seek thy face, even
Jacob." (vs. 6)
The psalmist in vision sees the faithful remnant of Israel in the end time
seeking the face of King Messiah. At the present time they are not seeking His
face. They are not at all interested in Him as a group, but when the time here
foreseen arrives, they will be seeking Him. What will cause them to seek Him
as here foretold? The answer is found in Hosea 5:15: "I will go and return to
my place, till they acknowledge their offense and seek my face; in their
affliction they will seek me earnestly." Israel's affliction is the period of the
great Tribulation when God's judgments are poured out upon the nations.
Israel has always sought for comfort and consolation in the Messianic hope
when she was in distress. She will do that again. Thus the terrific judgments of
the Tribulation will prove to be a blessing for all earnest, conscientious,
sincere truth-seeking Jews as well as Gentiles.
According to Psalm 80:1-3 this faithful remnant will turn to King Messiah
who will be Jehovah enthroned above the cherubim; and they will plead for
Him to come and deliver them. They will make a confession with reference to
the tragedy of Calvary. This confession which the penitent remnant of Israel

will make is found in Isaiah 53:1-9. At the present time Israel cannot make
this confession, because she does not understand that the prophecy of Isaiah
53:1-9 applies to King Messiah. Moreover, she has not been brought to her
extremity by suffering. When however, she does reach that point and does
make this confession, pleading for Him to return, He will do so. When He
returns, He will bring all of her sufferings to a close.
In connection with Psalm 24:1-6 the student should study Isaiah 2:1-4, which
foretells the time when King Messiah reigns upon the mountain of Jehovah's
house, and when people from all over the world will stream in a constant flow
to Jerusalem in order to be taught of Jehovah. At that time will the world for
the first time enjoy peace. From the time that King Messiah thus mounts the
throne, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn
war anymore. This will be indeed the era of peace!
II. An exhortation to Israel to accept King Messiah as her deliverer
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be lifted up, ye everlasting doors: And
the King of Glory will come in.
Who is the King of Glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in
battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors: And
the King of Glory will come in.
Who is this King of Glory? Jehovahof Hosts, He is the King of Glory" (vss. 7-
10).
In verse 7 the Psalmist looks toward Jerusalem and personifying its gates,
shouts, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates;And be lifted up, ye everlasting doors:
And the King of glory will come in." Here the gates and doors stand for the
people who go in and out through them. Ancient Jerusalem is surrounded by
a high wall in which are a number of gates. The psalmist, thinking of the
people with their heads down, assumes that they are in distress and are
downhearted. He therefore shouts to them that they should lift up their heads
and be lifted up; for then the King of Glory will come in.
In this psalm the writer represents himself as a missionary to the sons and
daughters of Israel, telling them that they should cease to be despondent,
downhearted, and should lift up their heads so that the King of glory might
come in. Isaiah used the same imagery in the following passage: "How

beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bring good tidings that
publish peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publish salvation that
saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8 The voice of thy watchman! They lift up
the voice, together do they sing, for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah
returneth to Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for Jehovah hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed
Jerusalem. 10 Jehovah hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth have seenthe salvationof our God" (Isa.
52:7-10).
In this quotation Isaiah pictures Jerusalem with its walls and battlements.
Upon them its watchmen are standing as sentinels. The messenger of glad
tidings comes, approaching the city. Becausehe is the bearer of goodnews, the
prophets speaks of the beauty of his feet. To the prophet he is beautiful
because of the fact that he is bringing glad tidings of salvation to his people.
As this messengerof the cross approaches the city, the watchmen lift up their
voices--they lift them up together--when they have heard his message
concerning the coming of this King of glory whom they will see eye to eye and
face to face upon his returning to Zion. Then the prophet Isaiah exultantly
turns and looks to the waste places around Jerusalem, calling upon them to
"Break forth into joy, sing together" becausethe time will have come for God
to comfort His people Israel.
"Who is the King of glory?" The answer is immediately given: "Jehovah,
strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle." This Jehovah is none other
than Jehovah the Son, who came to earth in order to champion the cause of
man. He fought the battle with Satan on the cross and won the victory, thus
purchasing man's redemption. He left this earth, ascending to the Fathers
right hand where He remains to the present time. But He is coming back
again! When He does He will not be as the meek and lowly Nazarene. On the
contrary He will come as a mighty warrior; He will take the field of battle, go
against His foes, and conquer the world.
We get a picture of Jehovah the Son as a warrior when he returns in the
following passage:
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one,
Thy glory and thy majesty.
And in thy majesty ride on prosperously,
Because of truth and meekness and righteousness:

And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
Thine arrows are sharp: The peoples fall under thee;
They are in the heart of the Kings enemies"
(Ps. 45:3-5).
The reader should turn to Isaiah 63:1-6 for another picture of King Messiah
when he comes as the warrior to conquer all his foes. He should also turn to
Revelation 19:11-21 and see Christ as Jehovah this mighty warrior who
conquers the Antichrist and all his allied forces.
The call for Israel to repent, lifting up her head and to receive this King of
glory, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, is repeated in verses 9
and 10 of Psalm 24. This repetition gives emphasis to the thought.
When Israel pleads for this King of glory to come back, he will do so. After he
conquers all opposition, He will make Jerusalem His capital from which He
will rule the world. On this point see Psalm 2. There Jehovah the Father
declares, "yet I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion" (2:6). That
Christ will reign in the literal Jerusalem here upon this earth is seen in Isaiah
2:1-4; 33:17-22, and Zephaniah 3:14-17.
When he thus returns and takes the government of the world into His hands,
He will reign in righteousness andestablisha regime of justice throughout the
world.
"Mighty Victor, reign for ever;
Wear the crown so dearly won;
Never shall thy people, never
Cease to sing what thou hast done;
Thou hast fought thy people's foes;
Thou hast healed thy people's woes."
Earth's Golden Age is yet out in the future!
https://www.biblicalresearch.info/page71.html

Psalm24 – The Greatand SovereignGod
This psalm issimplytitled A Psalmof David. Manythink this psalm waswritten
upon the occasion of the entrance of the Ark of the CovenantintoJerusalem
during the reign of David (2 Samuel6). YetCharles Spurgeon correctly wrote,
“The eye of the Psalmistlooked, however, beyond the typical upgoingof the ark
to the sublimeascension of the King of glory.”
A. The greatand sovereignGod.
1. (1) The declaration:The whole world belongs to the Lord God.
The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
a. The earth is the Lord’s: David was a noble, successfulking – but of a
relatively small and insignificant kingdom. One might easilythink that the
gods of the Egyptians or Assyrians were greaterbecause those kingdoms were
greater. Yet David rightly knew that the Lord, Yahweh, the covenantGod of
Israel, was God of all the earth.
b. The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness: It wasn’t enough for David to
say that the entire earth belongedto the Lord; he added that all its fullness
also belongedto Him. It’s difficult to think of a more sweeping statementof
God’s ownership.
i. “The ‘fulness’ of the earth may mean its harvests, its wealth, its life, or its
worship; in all these senses the MostHigh God is Possessorofall. The earth is
full of God; he made it full and he keeps it full.” (Spurgeon)
ii. There is a sense in which the “world” belongs to Satan. Satanis called the
god of this age(2 Corinthians 4:4), and when he tempted Jesus with the
promise of giving Him the kingdoms of this world, Jesus did not question the
devil’s ability to do so. Yet Satan canonly do anything at God’s allowance, so
God’s ultimate ownership is true.
iii. Paul quoted the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness twice (1 Corinthians
10:26 and 10:28)to establishthe principle that no food is in itself unclean, and
that there is in fact nothing that actually belongs to the false gods the pagans
made offerings unto.
c. The world and those who dwell therein: God’s ownership of the earth
extends to the peoplewho live upon it. Through the rights of creation and
continuingprovision, Godhas a claim upon every person who has ever lived.

2. (2) The reason:God is creator.
For He has founded it upon the seas,
And establishedit upon the waters.
a. ForHe has founded it upon the seas:God has the right to the earth and all
who dwell upon it because He createdboth it and them. Specifically, David
looks back to the creationaccountof Genesis 1 and remembers the creationof
land in the midst of earth’s waters on the third day of creation.
b. And establishedit upon the waters:To the best of our knowledge, David
had never ventured more than a few hundred miles beyond Israel, and had
never seena large sea other than the Mediterranean(perhaps also the Red
Sea). David never saw a modern globe or earth projection. Yet he knew that
the waters ofthe earth dominated the globe, so much so that it could be said
that the earth is in the midst of the waters insteadof the waters in the midst of
the earth’s land.
i. To David, this may have seemedto be a wonderful engineering marvel –
that God could establishthe earth upon the waters.
ii. “Upon could be translated‘above’, as in Psalm 8:1.” (Kidner)
B. Receivedby the greatand sovereignGod.
1. (3) The question asked – whom does God receive?
Who may ascendinto the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
a. Who may ascendinto the hill of the Lord? In light of God’s sovereign
ownership of the earth and all who live upon it, David wonderedexactly who
had the right to stand before God. This wasn’t about mountain climbing or
hill ascending ability, but about the right to come before God.
b. Who may stand in His holy place? David here clarified his previous
question. David asked, “Who has the right to stand before God at His holy
temple, in the holy place?”
i. This is a question that used to concernmankind much more than it does in
our presentday. There was a time when men and women genuinely wondered
what was required of them to make them right with God. Today, it seems the
most-askedquestionis something like, “How canI be happy?”
ii. Personalhappiness is important; but it isn’t more important than being in
right relationship with our Creatorand Provider. David not only askedan
important question, but the most important question.

2. (4) The answerto the question: the moral characterofthe one whom God
receives.
He who has cleanhands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworndeceitfully.
a. He who has cleanhands and a pure heart: This speaks ofa man or woman
who is pure in both their actions (hands) and intentions (heart). This one can
ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in Hisholy place.
i. David already establishedthat God ruled the earth; now he declaredthat
God rules the earth on a moral foundation. He is concernedwith the moral
behavior of mankind.
ii. Cleanhands are important for goodhygiene, but this speaks ofmuch more
than washing with water. Pontius Pilate washedhis hands, but they were not
clean.
iii. “But ‘clean hands’ would not suffice, unless they were connectedwith ‘a
pure heart.’ True religion is heart-work.” (Spurgeon)
b. Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol: The one acceptedby God also
rejects idolatry, in his actions but especiallyin his soul.
i. “The meaning of liftup his soul is illuminated by Psalm25:1, where it is
parallel to ‘trust’.” (Kidner)
c. Norsworn deceitfully: The words we speak are a goodindication of the
state of our heart, the inner man or woman (Matthew 12:34). One who makes
deceptive promises finds no welcome from God.
i. David understood all this under the generalprinciples of the Old Covenant,
in which God promised to bless and receive obedient Israel, and also promised
to curse and afflict a disobedient Israel(Deuteronomy 27-28).
ii. Outside the terms of the Old Covenant that God made with Israel, these
answers ofDavid may cause one to despair. It’s easyto look at this list and see
that my hands are not always clean;my heart is not always pure. Idolatry can
be both subtle and stubborn in my heart. I also find it too easyto make
promises with at leasta tinge of deceit.
iii. Fortunately, God establisheda better covenant, a new covenantthrough
the personand work of Jesus. Under the new covenant, we see that Jesus is
the one who has cleanhands and a pure heart, perfectly so. Jesus has
neverlifted up his soulto an idol, and has neversworndeceitfully. In His

righteousness, givento all who believe (Romans 3:22), we can ascendHis holy
hill and stand in His holy place.
iv. “Our Lord Jesus Christ could ascendinto the hill of the Lord because his
hands were clean and his heart was pure, and if we by faith in him are
conformed to his image we shall enter too.” (Spurgeon)
v. Nevertheless, David’s principle is also accurate under the New Covenantin
this sense:the conduct of one’s life is a reflectionof his fellowshipwith God.
As John wrote: If we say that wehave fellowship withHim, andwalk in
darkness, welie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1:6). We might saythat
under the Old Covenanta righteous walk was the precondition for fellowship
with God; under the New Covenanta righteous walk is the result of fellowship
with God, founded on faith. Yet under both covenants, Godcares very much
about the moral conduct of mankind, especiallythose who identify themselves
as His people.
3. (5) The promise of blessing to the righteous man.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
a. He shall receive blessing from the Lord: God knows and cares about the
moral behavior of men and women. He rewards those who honor Him with
their lives.
i. This blessing may be understood sometimes in rewardsthat God grants to
the obedient; other times it may be understood as the natural result of living
according to God’s wise order.
ii. “It is here very observable, that the characterof a right and acceptable
worshipper of God is not takenfrom his nation and relation to Abraham, or
from all those costlyand laborious rites and ceremonies ofthe law, in which
the generalityof the Israelites pleasedthemselves, but in moral and spiritual
duties, which most of them grosslyneglected.”(Poole)
iii. He shall receive blessing:“Perhaps alluding to Obed-edom, at whose house
the ark had been lodged, and on whom God had poured out especial
blessings.” (Clarke)
b. And righteousness fromthe God of his salvation:David here spoke in the
idiom of the Old Covenant, where right standing with God might be assumed
from the life of the obedient. At the same time, David wrote of a received
righteousness thatcame from the God of his salvation.

i. We might saythat the obedient life spokenof in Psalm 24:4 is the product of
the receivedrighteousness obtainedby faith, the righteousness from the God
of his salvation.
ii. Even with the important distinctions betweenthe Old and New Covenants,
it is a mistake to say that salvationwas by works under the Old Covenant.
One might say that in some sense blessingwas by works of obedience, but
righteousness was alwaysand is always from the God of his salvation.
iii. Under the Old Covenant, that faith was often expressedby the trust in the
work of sacrifice, looking forwardto the ultimate, perfect sacrifice promised
by God and fulfilled in the work of Jesus at the cross.
4. (6) A description of the blessedand righteous ones.
This is Jacob, the generationof those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
a. This is Jacob:This was David’s way of identifying God’s covenantpeople.
The blessedand righteous ones have enteredinto covenant with God.
b. The generationofthose who seek Him: The blessedand righteous ones do
more than enter into covenantwith God; they also pursue Him with a
continual seeking. This is something eachgenerationmust do afresh.
i. “Heavenis a generationof finders, of possessors, ofenjoyers, seekers of
God. But here we are a generationof seekers.”(Sibbes, citedin Spurgeon)
c. Who seek Your face:The idea is intensified by repetition, by description (to
seek Your face is even closerthan seeking Him), and by the use of a
contemplative pause (Selah).
C. Receiving the greatKing.
1. (7-8) A call to welcome the God who reigns over all the earth.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
a. Lift up your heads, O you gates:The first sectionof this psalm declaredthe
greatness ofGod. The secondsectionspoke ofhow man cancome into
relationship with this greatGod. Now the third sectionwelcomes Godunto
His people by the opening of the gates.

i. “Whenthe King of England wishes to enter the city of London, through the
Temple Bar, the gate being closedagainsthim, the herald demands entrance.
‘Open the gate.’From within a voice is heard, ‘Who is there?’ The herald
answers, ‘The King of England!’ The gate is at once opened, and the king
passes,amidst the joyful acclamationsofhis people.” (Evans, cited in
Spurgeon)
b. And the King of glory shall come in: If we assume that King David wrote
this psalm either for the arrival of the Ark of the Covenantinto Jerusalemor
in commemoration of it, we can also see that “the singersaw in that ceremony
the symbol of greaterthings.” (Morgan)
i. “Ancient rabbinical sources tell us that, in the Jewishliturgy, Psalm 24 was
always used in worship on the first day of the week. The first day of the week
is our Sunday. So, putting these facts together, we may assume that these were
the words being recited by the temple priests at the very time the Lord Jesus
Christ mounted a donkey and ascendedthe rockyapproach to Jerusalem.”
(Boice)
ii. Therefore we canmake severalconnections to this idea that the King of
glory shall come in.
· This was fulfilled when the ark of the covenantcame to Jerusalem(2 Samuel
6:11-18).
· This was fulfilled when the ascendedJesus enteredinto heaven (Acts 1:9-10;
Ephesians 1:20).
· This is fulfilled when an individual heart opens to Jesus as King.
c. And the King of glory shall come in: The idea is plain; it is assumed that
when God is welcomedwith open gates and doors, He is pleasedto come in.
The King of glory will meet with His people when approached correctlyand
the doors are opened unto Him.
i. The idea that the doors or gates might be opened unto God, but He would
not come unto man, isn’t even considered. When we draw near to Him, He
draws near to us (James 4:8).
ii. “Forthe Church is Christ’s temple; and every faithful soul is a gate thereof
to let him in, as in Revelation3:20.” (Trapp)
iii. In Revelation3:20 this idea is presentedas a plea from Jesus unto His
people: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and
opens the door, I willcomein to him and dinewithhim, andhe withMe. Jesus
promised: open the door, and I will come in.

iv. “Surely, if there were doors and gates that neededto be lifted up before
Christ could enter into heaven, much more are there doors and gates that
must be opened to receive him into our hearts.” (Spurgeon)
v. “We must have the King of Glory within.To have Him without, even
though He be on the Throne, will not avail.” (Meyer)
c. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty: Perhaps with a
touch of amazement, David notes that the same God who responds to man’s
welcome is still the King of glory; He is mighty in battle. His openness to man
doesn’t diminish His glory or might.
i. “The expressionmightyin battleis but a strongerform of God’s title of
‘warrior’ first heard in the song of victory at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:3).”
(Kidner)
2. (9-10)Repetition for the sake ofemphasis.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah
a. Lift up your heads, O you gates:As is common in Hebrew poetry, repetition
communicates emphasis. The ideas of Psalm24:7-8 were important and
glorious enough to repeat.
i. When Jesus enteredJerusalemat the Triumphal Entry, Matthew tells us
that the city asked, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10). If they had known who
He was, the response should have been, “The Lord of hosts, He is the King of
glory!”
ii. Lord of hosts:“Under whose command are all the hosts of heaven and
earth, angels and men, and all other creatures.” (Poole)
iii. Lord of hosts: “In fact, the conceptionunderlying the name is that of the
universe as an ordered whole, a disciplined army, a cosmos obedientto His
voice.” (Maclaren)
b. He is the King of glory. Selah: This psalm rightly ends on a reflective pause.
It is no small thing that this King of glory stoops down to receive men and
even to be receivedby men.
i. G. Campbell Morganconnectedthese three psalms of David (22, 23, and 24)
in an interesting way. “By our calendars, yesterdayHe passedthrough Psalm

22. Today He is exercising the office of Psalm23. Tomorrow, He will exercise
finally the authority of Psalm24.” (Morgan)
(c) 2019 The EnduringWord BibleCommentaryby David Guzik –
ewm@enduringword.com
The King of Glory Psalm 24:1-10
The psalm we have read is credited to David. He is believed to have written
this particular psalm as the ark of God was returned unto Jerusalemafter a
more than sixty year absence during the days of Samuel and King Saul. It is
clearly a psalm of rejoicing and praise unto the Lord. Mostagree David likely
penned the words of praise that were offered in jubilation as the ark made its
way into Jerusalem.
“When the temple came to be built in Jerusalemvarious psalms were sung as
part of the daily liturgy. On Monday it was Psalm48, TuesdayPsalm 82,
WednesdayPsalm94, Thursday Psalm81, Friday Psalm93, and on the
Sabbath Psalm 92. On the first day of the week they sang Psalm 24. The very
day that Jesus tore awaythe bars of death and marched in triumph from the
tomb the temple choir was scheduled to sing this victorious psalm.” i
Let’s take a few moments to examine the certainties within this song of praise
as we consider:The King of Glory.

Jesus was the king of glory

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Jesus was the king of glory