The Twenty-fourth Psalm

In part of my personal Bible studies, I have been going through the Psalms. As would be expected, I hit the beautiful 23^rd Psalm on Sunday. Monday morning, the first Psalm on the list is the 24^th; I have never read the 24^th Psalm with a fresh mind before; what a beautiful praise to the Lord! It is even more evocative when you go back to the Hebrew and read the nuances that are there with King David's intent. What first caught my mind in this Psalm was the exuberance that David wrote with. But, there are some deeper meanings in the verses that can be brought to the fore, if we really meditate and open our minds to the guiding of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

The first two verses are an establishment of the Lords sovereignty over the earth:

1The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters. (Psalm 24:1-2 NIV)

Unfortunately, the English language uses only one word to denote God, the Hebrews have over 72! Each one presents a separate aspect of the Lords character as He chose to show it at that time. In verse 1, the name used to denote 'Lord's' is El-Adonai, which means God of Strength or Power. This is the God who rules the earth and everything in it, and founded it complete and finished. Here we are shown that we do not own ourselves; we belong to Adonai! David states it plain and clear in the first verse "The earth is the Lord's (El-Adonai), and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. The Hebrew word used to denote everything is umelov'ah which is translated in the KJV as 'the fullness there of'. Essentially it means completeness/everything. He IS the creator of everything, the Elohim – God of creation.

The next 4 verses ask the question, and describes who can go up the 'hill of the Lord'. This is the most sacred place, this is where Satan was thrown down from (Isaiah 14:12-15) after he tried to make himself greater that Adonai. But who can ascend the 'hill of the Lord'? We know Him as Jesus (Yeshua) our Savior (Moshi'einu).

3 Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?

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

5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God his Savior.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah (Psalm 24:3-6 NIV)

Yeshua is the one with the 'clean hands and a pure heart'. None is worthy but the Lamb (Dan 7:13-14, Matt. 25:31, Rev 5:1-10) to 'ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place'. The form used to designate 'God his Savior' uses the construct form of Elohim, which was the First name of God from Genesis 1:1. This is Elohim - the Creator the Strong one, the Judge. The Hebrew term used is Me'elohei yishov, and can be translated as 'Creator of Salvation', beautiful isn't it? What about the 6^th verse? Some commentators see this as 'those who seek the face of God', which indicates the favor of God, 'are considered the progeny of Jacob'. This further implies the inheritance as sons of Jacob. Putting this all together, how can you seek the favor of God? Only through the Lamb of God who has ascended the 'hill of the Lord and stands in His holy place', who makes us heirs of the promise of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What a true prophetic blessing!

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

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

9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty—
he is the King of glory. Selah (Psalm 24:7-10 NIV)

The repetition of a phrase is used often in music, as we all are aware of. Some of the commentators also see this repetition as prophetic. The first call to open the gates and doors represent heavens gates and doors, which were closed to us because of sin. Jesus (Yeshua HaMachiach) through His sacrifice ascended into heaven as a Glorious King, Strong and mighty in battle over sin and death, and flung open the gates and doors of heaven. The angels and spiritual beings of heaven ask, 'Who is this King of Glory? It is the Lamb of God (Rev 21:22) coming back to His rightful home and place beside the Throne of God. The restatement of the phrase can also represent our hearts response to Yeshua 'standing at the door and knocking' (Rev 3:20), calling for us to throw open our hearts gates and doors to allow Him to reign as our Melach Hak'kavovd (King of Glory). Selah (to lift up, or exalt)(A musical term)

Chaverim, may we throw open the gates of our hearts for our Melach Hak'kavovd Yeshua HaMachiach, Baruch HaShem!