SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The Creator God (vs 1-2)
(2). The Holy God (vs 3-6)
(3). The Sovereign God (vs 7-10)
SERMON BODY:
• Psalms 22, 23, and 24 are a group of psalms written by King David.
• It has often been pointed out that these three Psalms (22, 23 & 24) form a trilogy;
• The cross (Psalm 22), the crook (Psalm 23), and the crown (Psalm 24),
Quote:
Someone has said; “These three psalms are like a sandwich,
though people tend to lick the jam out and leave the bread”
• In other words too many people extract the jam, that is dwell on Psalm 23;
• But reject the bread – i.e. miss the lessons of the other two Psalms on either side of it.
• Yet these three Psalms (22, 23 & 24) form a trilogy;
• They fit together and complement one another because;
• They cover the past, the present, and the future.
• They speak of Christ as the Sufferer in Psalm 22,
• Christ as the Shepherd in Psalm 23, and Christ as the Sovereign in Psalm 24.
• They fit together each and work together as a threesome;
• To know Christ as Shepherd, we must first meet him first at the cross as our saviour.
• And to know his continued care & guidance in our lives;
• We must make him sovereign, the king, the ruler of our lives!
Note: Psalm 24 has traditionally been interpreted in a threefold way:
(A). HISTORICALLY.
• Jewish tradition says that this psalm was written;
• To commemorate David bringing back the ark of covenant to Jerusalem,
• The ark had a temporary resting place in the house of Obed-Edon the Gittite;
• But now it would have a permanent resting place in Jerusalem.
• (see 2 Samuel chapter 6 & 1 Chronicles chapters 13 to 15),
• Don’t miss the excitement of this occasion;
• The pageantry must have been overwhelming;
• ill: Far greater than any Olympic opening ceremony!
• Ever since it had been built soon after the Exodus;
• It had been in temporary quarters.
• Now in Jerusalem it would have a permanent home.
• So when the ark was taken to Jerusalem;
• It would have been appropriate to have composed a hymn like this one.
• And it may well be that David wrote it for that occasion.
Sometime later (we don’t know when);
• Pilgrims (visitors/people) coming to worship in Jerusalem;
• Latched onto this psalm and took it to heart;
• They would sing the opening verses of this psalm as they approached Jerusalem.
(B). TYPICALLY.
• Traditionally the Christian Church have interpreted this Psalm as;
• The ascension of the Lord Jesus back to the Father’s right hand.
Ill:
• I like the story about the little girl in Sunday School who was telling the story of Enoch.
• She said, "Well, one day God & Enoch were just walking along together,
• And it came close to the end of the day.
• And God turned to Enoch & said,
• “We’re closer to my house than to yours. So why don’t you just go home with me?"
The ascension of course marks the day when Jesus Christ went back home to heaven:
• And for years, the church has assigned this psalm to be read on Ascension Day,
• The fortieth day after Easter.
• Quote: Spurgeon calls it "the song of the ascension."
• ill: George Handel, in his oratorio, The Messiah, also applies it in this way.
Note: Normally a Messianic Psalm is one that is quoted in the New Testament:
• That is the ultimate test of whether a psalm is Messianic or not;
• But this psalm is an exception.
• As far as I am aware this psalm is not quoted in the New Testament:
• But it is Messianic because only the Messiah can meet the description contained in this psalm.
The Messiah Jesus meets all four qualifications mentioned in verse 4 of this psalm:
• Clean hands
• Pure heart
• Worships only God
• Is honest with others
• i.e. David did not have clean hands, for he murdered a man;
• Nor did he have a pure heart, for he lusted and committed adultery.
• He lifted up his soul to vanity and pride when he numbered the people.
• i.e. Solomon could not qualify, for he was an idolater.
• i.e. Even great King Hezekiah fell because of pride.
• No, the only king who can qualify is Jesus Christ.
• He had clean hands
• He had a pure heart
• He worshiped only God
• He was totally honest with others
• This psalm remind us of Revelation chapter 5 verses 1-14 when the question is asked,
• “Who is worthy to open the book and break the seals?”
• There can of course be only ever be one answer:
• Jesus Christ the Son of God!
(C). PROPHETICALLY.
• Psalm 24 is seen as an outline of the Lord’s coming in glory;
• When He will establish His kingdom;
• He will establish his throne in the very city where He was rejected and condemned.
Note:
• Ancient rabbinical sources tell us that in the Jewish liturgy;
• Psalm 24 was always used in worship on the first day of the week;
• The first day of the week is of course our Sunday.
• That means these words may well have been recited by the temple priests;
• At the very same time Jesus mounted a donkey;
• And ascended the rocky approaches to Jerusalem.
• The crowds of people on the outside of the walls were crying out;
• “Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”;
• And inside the temple the priests were intoning:
“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”
• We know of course that a few days later both the priests and the crowds;
• Would conspire to have him executed as a blasphemer.
• They rejected him as a fraud.
• Psalm 24 is a reminder of the rejected Lord returning in glory;
• When He will come back to establish His kingdom;
• He will establish his throne in the very city where He was rejected and condemned.
Note:
• I want us to note before we go through the psalm;
• That it is an antiphonal psalm (that is it is sung in three alternating parts)
• The people (or a Levitical choir) opened with verses 1-2;
• A leader then asked the questions in verses 3, 8a, and 10a;
• And the choir or the people answered with verses 4-6, 8b, and 10b.
• Let’s reread it and this time we can read the various parts;
• Ladies you be the Levitical choir and read verses 1-2 (on the screen the green words)
• I will be the Leader and read the questions (on the screen the yellow words)
• And men you can be the people who answer the question (on the screen the white words)
The psalm shows us the threefold privilege God has given his people.
(1). The creator God (vs 1-2).
“The 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.”
• The total number of planets in the universe is unknown,
• There are over 50 billion planets in our galaxy alone!
• Yes, you heard that correct;
• There are over 50 billion planets in our galaxy alone,
• According to Nasa’s own database created by the Kepler telescope.
• Scientists now estimate that not only there are over 500 billion planets in the galaxy,
• And that there are over 500 million life-cable planets out there as well!
Now of all the planets and galaxies that have been created by Almighty God,
• Please note that the earth is the one He has chosen;
• To be His own special sphere of activity.
• Quote: Maybe that’s why Clarence Benson called the earth
• "The theatre of the universe,"
• Quote: For on it the Lord demonstrated His love in what Dorothy Sayers called;
• "The greatest drama ever staged."
Note: The opening verses of this psalm are a reminder to us:
• That although for a time God chose to tie his earthly presence to;
• A chosen people, and dwell in a certain place – Jerusalem, in a certain land - Israel.
• His plan was always much bigger than one people, one place and one land.
• The ‘world and all who dwell in it’ belong to him.
• All the people who have lived on planet earth are God’s,
• They are made in His image,
• And they are all without exception accountable to Him.
Ill:
• Way back in the Old Testament book of Exodus (chapter 19 verse 5);
• The Lord declared: "All the earth is mine",
• Yet in His goodness He has shared this earth with us.
• Human beings are guests on His planet,
• We are stewards of all that He gives us to enjoy and to employ.
• This stewardship is the basis for the way we treat planet Earth;
• And protect the treasures God has shared with us.
• Every human being has a great responsibility;
• But from responsibility there also flows great blessing!
(2). The holy God (vs 3-6).
“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 Saviour.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob”.
Remember the background to this psalm:
(a). It was written by David to commemorate bringing back the ark of covenant to Jerusalem:
• Way back in Exodus chapter 25 verses 10-22.
• When God spoke to Moses and informs him about the Ark of the Covenant.
• Moses was told by God that he will meet with Moses and speak to Moses;
• From from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant.
• (Exodus chapter 25 verse 22).
(b).
• Part of the ark of the covenant was called ‘the mercy seat’.
• The mercy seat was an object which rested upon the Ark of the Covenant.
• In other words the mercy seat on the ark;
• Represented God’s holy throne on earthly.
• Maybe with that picture fresh in his mind David then reminds us in verse 6:
• That there is another holy throne, a greater throne in heaven.
(b).
• If you know the story of the Ark of the Covenant.
• It could only be moved by the Levites (the priests).
• And those priests who carried the ark had to be ceremonially clean.
• Now remember the background to this Psalm in 2 Samuel chapter 6;
Ill:
• In that chapter we read about a man called Uzzah.
• From our perspective Uzzah appeared to be a good guy, with good intentions.
• As the Ark of the Covenant was being transported on a cart and pulled by oxen.
• The oxen stumbled;
• Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God to steady it, to make sure it did not fall.
• And we are told that the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah,
• And God struck him down dead there for his error.
• Now Uzzah could not plead ignorance.
• For God had warned the people on numerous occasions to touch the ark was to die!
This is the background, the picture David has in his mind when he pens verses 4-6:
• To approach the earthly throne represented by the Ark of the Covenant.
• Required people to be ceremonially clean and pure.
• And likewise writes David in verses 4-6;
• To approach the heavenly throne;
• Requires that God’s people must be pure and clean;
• If they wish to worship the King and please Him.
As we noted earlier David mentions 4 qualities in these verses (4-6):
• 4 virtues,
• 4 essentials for the person who can know God:
• "Clean hands" speak of right conduct;
• i.e. how we behave outwardly.
• And a "pure heart" speak of godly character and motives.
• i.e. how we behave outwardly.
• "Worthless things" refers to the worship of idols
• i.e. how we behave upwardly.
• The one who enters God’s presence must only worship the true God
• Is honest with others
• i.e. how we behave across-wards, that is towards others.
• They are not deceptive or liars.
Notice verse 5:
• N.I.V:“He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Saviour”.
• LB: “And have a right relationship with God their saviour.”
• KJB: “The LORD God, who saves them, will bless and reward them.”
• The reward for perfect character and perfect is the blessing of God.
• This is what Jesus promised in his sermon on the mount:
• “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God”
• (Matthew chapter 5 verse 8)
• That little expression to "seek God’s face";
• Is an ancient way of saying “to have an audience with the King.”
Notice: verse 6:
• David compared the generation of God-seeking people to their ancestor Jacob,
• Now to me that is a strange choice because Jacob was a deceiver and a schemer.
• ill: Jacob in the book of Genesis is a bit like Marmite;
• You either like him or you dislike him (no neutral ground).
• Jacob was what we would call today a “rascal”
• As one commentator has said:
“Jacob was the kind of person that could enter a revolving door behind you
and come out ahead of you.”
• Question:
• Why choose him as an example when there are many better men and women to choose from?
• Answer:
• In Genesis chapter 32 verses 24-32:
• Jacob was the man who encountered a stranger;
• And he wrestled with this stranger.
• These verses have been described as one of the;
• ‘Mysterious, baffling and awe-inspiring passages in the Bible’.
• Jacob realised that this stranger was divine;
• He had seen God and wrestled with God;
• And refused to let go of God until he received a blessing.
• And that was Jacob’s secret;
• He exercised faith and was ultimately saved by his faith!
Ill:
• 3 school boys were asked to write their definition of faith:
• One wrote: “Faith is TAKING hold of God”.
• The second wrote: “Faith is HOLDING onto God”.
• The third wrote: “Faith is NOT letting go!”
• Each school boy was right!
• Jacob took God at his word and did all three things!
Jacob was given 3 new things by God:
• He had a new name (‘Israel’ signifying a new start);
• He had a new walk (he was limping – now walking by faith and not by sight),
• He had a new relationship with God (time to walk with God not fight against God).
• Jacob certainly wasn’t a perfect man,
• But the Lord saved him – “He was justified by faith”;
• And the Lord was prepared to be called "the God of Jacob"
(3). The sovereign God (vs 7-10).
“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”.
• In this final section of Psalm 24:
• We have described the entrance of the king into Jerusalem.
• Five times in this text the one entering Jerusalem;
• Is called the King of Glory.
Notice that little expression in verse 7&9: “Be lifted up you gates”.
• The gates of Jerusalem opened outward,
• So what is meant by "be lifted up"?
• It is not used here literally:
• There would have been plenty of headroom for the Levites to carry in the ark,
• Through the gates into the city
• There would have been no need for carpenters to raise the lintels of the gates.
Quote: Martin Luther translated this verse as:
• "Open wide the portals," that is, "Give a hearty welcome to the Lord!"
• And that is a great help in understanding the phrase.
Ill:
• Remember that the government & supervision of an ancient city;
• Business was always transacted at the city gates,
• So the gates in ancient cities;
• Was the equivalent of the city hall or town council in the Western world today.
• By using this expression “Be lifted up”:
• David was commanding the whole city to welcome the Lord;
• To give him a hearty greeting and to honour his name.
Question: But why were the gates of Jerusalem addressed twice (vs 7&9)?
Answer:
• One suggestion is that David is speaking with the voice of prophecy:
• Predicating to his readers that the ‘King of glory’ - Jesus will enter those gates twice.
THE FIRST TIME HAS ALREADY HAPPENED;
• It took place on 2,000 years ago on Palm Sunday,
• When King Jesus He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
• This public parade into Jerusalem;
• Is the only time Jesus allowed a public demonstration on his behalf:
• Remember the way Jesus entered into Jerusalem was calculated & quite deliberate;
• We might say; “He was laying down the gauntlet”.
• He was making a boldest, ‘in your face’ statement that it was possible to make!
• In coming in this way he was claiming to be the promised king;
• The Messiah that the people had been waiting for.
We know of course:
• That the whole city did not obey David’s request and welcome him in,
• And although crowds of people lined the streets with palm branches;
• Not everyone in the city received him and praised him.
• And as we noted earlier although this psalm had been sung that morning at the temple,
• It wasn’t applied to Jesus of Nazareth.
• Instead of accepting Him and honouring Him, the leaders rejected Him;
• And planned to send Him to the place called Golgotha to be crucified.
Yet people like Jacob (like you and me):
• Those who implement faith in him – who welcomed him into our lives;
• Those he has made acceptable!
• As John put it in his gospel (John chapter 1 verse 12):
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God”
THE SECOND TIME IS SOON TO HAPPENED;
• The one who was rejected, killed and buried in a tomb;
• Conquered death and ascended back to heaven as the victor;
• He is the one seated at the right hand of the majesty on high.
• He was the one received as the victorious Lord of Hosts and the King of Glory.
And the scriptures tell us that in a coming day:
• This same Jesus will return to planet earth;
• And fight a battle against the armies of the world and be victorious;
• (Revelation chapter 19 & Isaiah chapter 63).
• He will deliver Jerusalem from her enemies (Zechariah chapter 12-14)
• And he will establish His kingdom on earth.
Then as Philippians chapter 2 verses 10-11 remind us:
“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.
