Those who have been made meet for heaven shall be brought safely into God’s presence.
While none may venture to meet God’s standards on the footing of the law,
God’s grace in Christ can make us meet.
Psalm 1
1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall 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 ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
Psalm 1 – J. Vernon McGee
Psalm 24 – Entering Jehovah’s Holy Place
Psalm 22 tells of the cross; Psalm 23 of the crook; Psalm 24 of the crown. This great choral hymn was evidently composed to celebrate the removal of the Ark from the house of Obed-edom to Mount Zion, II Samuel 6. It was conducted with music and song to its resting-place, and this psalm was the marching song of the priests, I Chronicles 15:2-27.
Psalm 24:1-2 were sung by the whole festal crowd; Psalm 24:3 by a soloist; Psalm 24:4-5 by the choir; and Psalm 24:6 by the entire congregation. What a sublime challenge on the part of the approaching host is contained in Psalm 24:7, to be answered by a company from within the gates in Psalm 24:8! To this again the vast shout of the multitude gives reply in Psalm 24:9.
This magnificent ode reached its perfect accomplishment when the mighty Victor over hell and the grave arose on high and sat down at the Father’s right hand. Oh, let the gates of your heart open wide to admit Him! —Through the Bible Day by Day
Psalm 24:7, 9—And the King of Glory shall come in.
This is what we all want. We must have the King of Glory within. To have Him without, even though He be on the Throne, will not avail. He must come in to abide, to reign, to sway his sceptre, to keep the everlasting doors through which He has passed This has been our difficulty, that those doors have so often been forced. We want one who is strong and mighty to keep them strongly barred against our mortal foe.
This Psalm was first realized in the entrance of the Ark into Mount Zion, when God went up with a merry noise. It in supposed that the first part of the verse was a challenge from the warders of the ancient gates, the second was a reply from the escorting band that accompanied the sacred emblem. It was a moment of vast triumph when the Ark of the King of Glory passed to the ancient city of the Jebusites.
A still greater fulfillment took place when Jesus, having overcome the sharpness of death, victor over sin and the grave, mighty in battle, vanquished principalities and powers, and entered the city of God. Then to and fro these challenges and answers flew between the angels that awaited Him, and those who accompanied.
But the most vital fulfillment is when the heart opens to receive Him, and He enters, to go out no more, and to hold it against all comers. Oh, heated and baffled saint, it is impossible for thee to fail when Jesus, all-victorious, garrisons thy heart! He is strong and mighty. Dost thou want strength? It is in the strong Son of God. Dost thou want might! He is all-mighty. Dost thou want deliverance from thy foes? He is mighty in battle. —Our Daily Homily