“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3,4).

From the Jordan Valley, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Jerusalem, God’s holy mountain (Daniel 9:16). This greatest son of David, with clean hands and a pure heart, advanced against one far more terrible than Goliath. The cosmic confrontation was against Satan, and the ultimate battle of good against evil was about to be decided. Things looked grim as David’s Son suffered and died upon a cross and was buried in a tomb. When Sunday arrived, however, death was defeated, Satan was doomed, and the One who had clean hands and a pure heart received “blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (24:5). The Father raised Him in triumph from the grave!

Many believers read the psalms with self in mind, but should not the Christ of the psalms be considered first? Jesus said, “. . . all things must be fulfilled, which were written in . . . the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44). What mere man has not “lifted up his soul unto vanity” nor “sworn deceitfully”?

Psalm 24 continues: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye 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” (vv.7,8).

The Lord’s departure from His disciples may have occasioned sorrow on Earth (John 14:1), but Paradise’s doors and gates must have almost burst from their hinges and foundations when “the King of glory” returned home to heaven. And who was and “is this King of glory”? The Sovereign of the universe, the Redeemer of mankind, the Creator of heaven and earth, “The Lord of hosts,” Jesus the Christ—“He is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:10). PGH