Psalm 24 – Ascension for One and for others

This psalm celebrates the entrance of an important person into the presence of the sovereign God. God’s sovereignty is indicated by his ownership of the earth and its inhabitants as well as by the fact that he controls its shape, including land, sea and rivers (vv. 1-2). That is what he sees as he looks down on the earth. We know that there are powerful and wealthy people on earth, but none of them own it. In fact, they are as much under the authority of God as everyone else.

David asks an important question: ‘Who shall ascend to the heights where the sovereign Lord dwells?’ The location of his presence is very different from the earth – he dwells in the high and holy place. Who from the earth could possibly make the ascent? The answer given is that only a perfect person could, and aspects of that perfection are detailed (vv. 3-4). 

 

That creates a dilemma because who is perfect in this way? Yet verse 6 says that there is a whole generation, or race, who come into this category, but they only do so because they have experienced God’s salvation (v. 5). They have to experience this salvation before they can enter into the holy presence of the sovereign God.

 

But the author tells us that someone is coming into God’s presence (vv. 7-10). Who is he? Surprisingly, he is a divine person who has been involved in a battle, but now he is returning having achieved victory over his enemies. Where did he engage in a battle? He had engaged in it on earth, the earth described in verses 1 and 2. Obviously, he must have the holy character described in the next set of verses. But they describe the character of a holy human.

 

Who can the King of glory be? We know who he is, and we know when he came to earth. He is Jesus, the eternal Son who became a man. And we know where the battle was fought. There were skirmishes with the enemy beforehand, but the battlefield was the cross where he dealt victoriously by paying the penalty due because of the sins of his people and in doing so deprived the powers of darkness of their insistence that his people should be condemned.

 

Having provided salvation, he ascended to heaven and its doors were opened to welcome him in. Because he had provided salvation for his people, the doors were not closed after his entrance because his people can also enter in on his merits. Only he deserves entrance in his own right, but they receive a great welcome because they are linked to him, have his righteousness reckoned to them, and have been changed into his likeness.

 

In fact, such is his salvation and its effects that it will be the case that when they come to the ancient doors they will have the qualifications to enter. What a welcome they will receive from the One who enabled the gates to be open for perfected sinners to enter in? And they will give all the praise to him.