Psalm 24:1-10

It has been said that life is a rat race and the rats are winning. Have you heard that? Life is moving - fast - accelerating. Do you feel that? We don’t always know where we’re going but we’re moving. We’ve got things to do. Places to go. People to see. Stuff to post on Facebook. We are twittering our lives away.

Last Sunday we attempted to put the brakes on. Which is really one of the great blessings that God give us. Have you ever thought about this? With all the hectic and full stuff of life - God says, “Take one day and focus on Me.” “Just stop and spend time with Me.” What a huge blessing. We’d almost think God knows something about life.

Last Sunday we attempted to put the brakes on. This is Palm Sunday. Thursday is Maundy Thursday - our Last Supper meal and communion service. Friday we’re showing The Passion of the Christ. Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. We have significant opportunity in all that.

All that would be like hitting a pot hole at 90. It might mess with the alignment a tad but we’re already down the road heading towards summer vacation. Moving on with our lives.

We have a great opportunity here that we don’t want to miss out on - focusing on Jesus and all of what God has blessed us with in Him. So we’re putting on the brakes. Which is why we’re looking at Psalm 24.

The scene of Palm Sunday is pretty familiar to us - at least in a heard this on Sunday read it in the Book kind of way. On Palm Sunday, maybe as many as 3 million pilgrims from all over the Jewish Diaspora are gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Festival - commemorating God’s salvation of His people from Pharaoh - from bondage in Egypt. As Jesus enters Jerusalem the crowd cries out, “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:1ff - especially verse 9)

The words they shouted come from Psalm 118:25,26. “Hosanna” meaning “save.” “Son of David” meaning Jesus’ anticipated role as King. “Moses saved us from Pharaoh. Jesus will save us from the Romans. Save us Jesus. Be our King. Restore David’s kingdom.”

Given all that, it’s obvious from reading the Gospels that this crowd - and even the disciples - didn’t get it. They were focused on themselves and what they thought Jesus was going to do for them. Somehow, as they were shouting the words of Psalm 118:25,26 they’d missed the earlier verse of Psalm 118 - verse 22: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.”

A quick flashback in history. Psalm 24 is linked to when King David first brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. What was a significant moment in history. 400 plus years in the making. The climax of the journey of the Ark through the wilderness - a journey that went through the conquest of the Promised Land - through the time of the Judges - to the Tabernacle that David had erected in Jerusalem.

Finally the Ark - constructed to God’s specifications - under the supervision of Moses - the central focus being the Mercy Seat from which God spoke to His people. The throne where God is symbolically seated to reign - the symbol of His lordship - God’s sovereignty over His people.

Finally the Ark - the very symbol of God’s holiness - His power and working among His people - the very presence of God with His people - the Ark is brought into Jerusalem. David - the King - leading a procession in accord with God’s holiness and instructions. The Ark is received by the people with huge celebration of Joy - sacrifices to God - a great feast to enjoy. (2 Samuel 6:12-15)

Psalm 24 is psalm of triumph - of praise - of giving glory to God. Is this sounding kind of familiar?

Flash forward in history about a thousand years. On Palm Sunday Jesus - God - is entering Jerusalem. Psalm 24 is a description of God coming to His people.

Palm Sunday is a defining - singular - moment in time. One of those moments when the threads of time and prophecy - of God’s working in human history - are all coming together in a singular moment. Palm Sunday is purposeful. The timing - the significance - the events - have been planned from before the creation of creation.

Jesus riding into Jerusalem is God moving in human history. Palm Sunday is foremost a fulfillment of prophecy - a declaration - a coronation - of who Jesus really is - the Messiah - God. That’s what we’d like to slow down and focus on this morning. The Sovereign God has come to His people.

Otherwise - it would be way too easy for us - like crowds and disciples and people back then - way to easy to see Jesus as we’ve been conditioned to see Him. To see only an extraordinary man riding on a donkey. Maybe even considering Jesus as the Christ. And still miss what God may have for us to be focused on with our lives.

Please turn or swipe or look on the screen with me at Psalm 24 and let’s read this Psalm together and then we’ll come back and do some unpacking.

Psalm 24 breaks down into 3 main parts. The first part is Yahweh, The Creator King.

Names for the Hebrews are a profound thing. Your name is who you are - your character - your reputation. In Scripture, the “name” of God is the description of who God is - God’s reputation - His character - His nature.

In the Bible there are a number of different names for God that God uses to reveal different aspects of His character or how He deals with people - with us. The two most significant of those names are here in Psalm 24.

Elohim - which is the name for God used in verse 5 - Elohim describes God as the holy sovereign almighty self-sufficient God. Elohim emphasizes God who is transcendent. God who is other than His creation - distant - removed. The Holy God ruling over and sustaining all that He - God - has created.

There are parts of God that we just don’t get. God is free from the succession of time. He creates it. Uses it. We’re linear. Birth - death. God is eternal. How can we process existing in a continual now without end either past or future? That just pops the brain.

God never changes - what theologians call immutability. We’re changing all the time. Things that used to work, don’t.

God is infinite - meaning He’s free from all limitations. Nothing limits His power, His wisdom, His justice. Sometimes its hard for us just to get up and moving in the morning.

God is not dependent on anything outside of Himself. God occupies all space with the entirety of His being.

There are parts of God - attributes - that we just can’t process. And yet, when we hear the name Elohim all that mind popping reality which is God is what we’re to have in mind.

In verse 1 - David uses the name Yahweh. That’s the name of God that’s translated “Lord” in our English language Bibles. In your Bibles you should see that title “Lord” printed in all capitals. Which is a tool the translators use to help us to know that the name here in Hebrew is Yahweh.

Yahweh describes God who is - absolute - unchangeable - holy. And the God who always has been - always is - and always will be - and is present with His people. That’s crucial. Yahweh is the name God uses when entering into relationship with His people.

Yahweh comes to Abraham and tells him to leave his country and all his kin and head south to the Promised Land. Yahweh enters into a covenant relationship with Abraham. Yahweh sends Moses to Egypt to deliver God’s people. Its Yahweh who establishes His covenant with His people - all of what He - Yahweh - will do for His people. What it means to live in relationship with Him.

Yahweh who brings His people to the Promised Land - which is less about dirt and more about what it means to dwell with God - living in His blessings and presence. Relationship.

Point being - as we go through Psalm 24 - what describes what took place as David brings the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem - which is a prefiguring of Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday - what we need to keep in focus is God - in the fullness of Who He is - and that this God - Who is Yahweh - has come to His people.

Meaning that Yahweh owns it all. The fullness of it all is Yahweh’s. Earth - think dirt. Dry land which is what we dwell on. World - think… planet and everything on the planet - especially the people. Its all His.

Meaning that if we’re living on dirt, and we are - if we’re dwelling on this planet, and most of us are - we belong to God. We’re part of the fullness that’s His.

What’s here isn’t some kind of primitive cosmology. The earth riding on the back of a giant tortoise or elephant of something. Or, everything being god - some kind of pantheism or animism. Or, some big accidental boom and out pops a universe. Crystals get zapped and primordial muck accidentally becomes people.

Genesis tells us that God spoke and it happened. God creates the world. God speaks and creates dry land is separated from rivers and seas.

How does God create creation? We’re clueless. Except that we’re told that God did. Its His. He created it. He has the right to possess it. We need to be impressed by Who Yahweh is.

We sing this song - or at least we used to: “Jesus is a friend. He’s a friend next to you.” Remember that? Which is true. But we need to be careful that we don’t let go of just Who Jesus is. He’s more than just some guy riding into town on a donkey. Jesus is God.

Yahweh created us. Our hearts pump blood and our lungs process oxygen because He created it and willed it to be that way. We exist because He wills that we do. He has the right to possess us.

As someone wisely said once: “There is one God and I’m not Him.” We need to grab on to Who God is and who we are.

Verses 1 and 2 are a song of praise - exalting God - lifting up God - Who has dominion - sovereignty - ownership of it all. He is the King - the Potentate - the ruler over it all. We need to see Jesus in all of that.

Verse 3 asks two questions that really are about one major issue for all of us. Verse 3 asks: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place?

Every society. Every religion. At the core of who we are. People have been asking this question since people have been asking questions. Whenever anyone anywhere anytime has thought about God there is a universal down deep knowing that God is there someplace and I’m not even close. And yet - I long to be there.

How can I get to God? How could I even stand before God? He’s Holy. Morally - righteously - He’s everything that I fall short of.

First - clean hands. Clean hands are hands - actions - what we do - hands that are innocent of wrong doing. Which is... none of us. What’s in mind here is not so much the never having done anything wrong - but the point of innocence. Meaning being forgiven of what we’ve done wrong. Meaning we ask for forgiveness when we sin. Point being - we sin.

Second - He who has a pure heart. Pure meaning not diluted. Lots of other crud in it. Pure meaning our heart isn’t divided. Our heart is continually focused completely on obeying God. The singular desire of our heart is to obey God. Which if we’re honest with ourselves we have to admit that we’re not there.

Third - He who does not lift us his soul to what is false. Meaning idols. Meaning anything or anyone having a greater position of authority or devotion in our lives that God.

Fourth - He who does not swear deceitfully. Swearing here is not about using colorful metaphors - four letter words. But about swearing oaths - making a vow - a promise - a commitment. But really having no intention of fulfilling our commitment. Or at least going easy on ourselves - letting ourselves off the hook - when we don’t follow through. Deceit. Hypocrisy. Little white lies.

Which happens all the time in the places where we do life. Which is why lawyers are making a killing. We’ve replaced a handshake with reams of fine print because people don’t trust people. Who can take anyone at their word?

When it comes to God’s people its kind of like identity theft. God’s people should have an understanding that God hears and holds us accountable for what we say - what we commit ourselves to. When we say one thing and do another its like we’re setting ourselves up as only accountable to ourselves rather than to God. Identity theft meaning we take on the role of God in our lives.

Having clean hands and a pure heart is how we live before God - single hearted holy devotion in our actions. Lifting up what is false and swearing deceitfully have to do with what goes on in our heart. At the core of who we are being totally holy devoted to God. All of which we mess up on.

Who can approach God and stand before Him? The one who is completely God’s - in actions - at the heart level. Meaning we’re all in trouble.

Verse 5 - But the person who does live that way - that’s the person Yahweh will bless. That’s the person that Yahweh declares righteous.

In Numbers 6 there’s a blessing that we often use on Sunday mornings. It’s a blessing that Yahweh tells Moses to teach Aaron and Aaron’s sons - so that they will speak this blessing over God’s people in the name of Yahweh. Here it is: “The Lord bless you - literally its… Yahweh bless you and keep you; Yahweh make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)

Yahweh’s face shining - meaning Yahweh smiling on His people and being gracious to them. His countenance - Yahweh taking personal notice of His people and giving them peace. As God’s people live in obedience to God - Yahweh’s desire is to bless His people in the day to day of how they’re living their lives. To be with them and supply the with what the need to do life.

Point being that blessing has to do with God’s active presence in the day-to-day of our lives.

Righteousness translates a Hebrew word that has the idea of vindication. God - the One who saves us - being the one to provide justice - vindicating those who are acceptable to Him.

Let’s slow down and make sure we’re tracking verse 5. Lord translates what name of God? Yahweh. God translates what name of God? Elohim.

Yahweh - God Who blesses us - comes to us with His presence - establishes a relationship with us and supplies to us all we need for life. Elohim the holy almighty transcendent God Who we - by our sin have cut ourselves off from - Who is justified in His wrath against us - Elohim Who saves us - vindicates us - justifies us before God.

All that is God giving us a peek behind the curtain of history. God allowing us a glimpse of His work on our behalf. What He is doing through Jesus on Palm Sunday.

Verse 6 goes on with that truth. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

First we need to know that “generation” means a group of people - these are the king of people who are doing the seeking.

Second - verse 6 is a tad hard to translate because God - as in “the God of Jacob” - the word God isn’t in the original Hebrew. There’s no Elohim or Yahweh here. The translators are giving us an interpretation.

We need to be careful. Probably the best literal way to translate this verse is this: “This generation is seeking him, they are seeking your face, O Jacob.” Did you notice the difference - who’s the subject? “These people are seeking him, they are seeking your face, O Jacob.” Jacob not God.

Point being who’s being sought after here is not God but a human being. Someone coming from the people of God who themselves are seeking after God.

Remember the questions - verse 3 - Who - what man or woman can approach and stand before God?

What man in all of Jacob - the twelve tribes of Israel - given the qualifications - who can stand up and say, “Its me. I’m the one. I can stand before the Lord with absolute purity in my actions and heart - complete devotion to God - absolute moral and spiritual integrity - complete confidence that when I stand before God, He is not going to pour wrath on me and condemn me - but pour out His blessing on me. Vindicate me. Declare me righteous.”

Who can say that? Who among us - among the people of Jacob - who is holy enough to stand before the holy God - the Holy King and potentate of Creation? In Psalm 24 no one answers. We’re seeking that man.

1,000 years of history go by. No one steps up. No one can. Until Jesus - descendant of Jacob - descendant of David - Immanuel - God with us - Yahweh - God - in the flesh of humanity - until Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. We cannot come to God. God comes to us. To bless us. To vindicate us. To give us righteousness - to restore us to Himself.

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

Heads - Gates - and Doors - oh my. Heads are people. People have heads. Mostly. Gates were places where people went in and out of cities. Places where people assembled. Gates are symbolic of large groups of people. Ancient doors reminds us that Jerusalem even in the time of David was a really old city that God had chosen to dwell in. Doors reminds us of people inside the really old city of Jerusalem.

The image of that is in what the prophet Zechariah wrote - what was fulfilled on Palm Sunday: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! - You all with heads living there in Jerusalem - Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

God’s people - dwelling in God’s city - are to receive with joy and celebration the great King of glory.

Jesus enters Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!” “O Yahweh, save us!” “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

There are crowds before Jesus - after Jesus - cloaks and branches laid on the road under Jesus. Children shouting. The whole city is in an uproar. The religious leaders try to get Jesus and the disciples to quiet the crowd. Jesus says, “If they kept quiet the rocks would cry out.”

In all that celebration the question is asked - Matthew 21:10 - the question is asked, “Who is this?” Sounds like Psalm 24:8. Yes? Some in the crowd give this answer, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” Meaning that they’re missing the fullness of Who Jesus is. Good answer. Just way short of complete.

He is the Lord - Yahweh - strong and mighty! He is the Lord - Yahweh - mighty in battle!

He is the King who brings blessing and victory and vindication to His people because He is their Savior. He is the Warrior for His people Who fights for them. Not against them. But for them.

Jesus alone is able to enter into Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!” “O Yahweh, save us!” What ultimately is a cry for His death.

Jesus is the One who is able to ascend the hill to stand before God. He alone is able to come without fear - without guilt - in complete innocence and holiness and righteousness. Jesus is able to come to Calvary and to die in our place - to stand in the gap between the holiness of God and the unholiness of Satan - His minions - and our sin.

To fight for us - against the forces of darkness that have bound us in sin and hopelessness. Jesus fights against them. Giving His life for us.

Who is this King of glory? Verse 10 - He is Yahweh - the Lord of hosts. Hosts are armies. The armies of Heaven.

The crown of thorns mocks Jesus’ sovereignty. The robe He was forced to wear - mocking His sovereignty. The sign over the cross: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” mocking His sovereignty. The creation mocking our creator.

Jesus has at His command innumerable heavenly hosts. He is the undisputed sovereign Lord and potentate of creation. At any time - in the brutality of what led to the cross and the crucifixion - Jesus could have called down the armies of heaven to wipe out a puny little two bit institution like the Roman Empire. One word from Yahweh and creation is not longer creation.

But Jesus uses His sovereignty for us. Doing battle for us. Not against us. On the cross defeating the forces of Satan and his minions. The only One who is able to take our place and lead us forward in His victory.

He is the King of glory - the sovereign holy potentate of creation who comes and fights for and redeems His people.

And - He is the King of Glory - emphasis “glory.” The King who alone is worthy of all praise and honor and worship for Who He is.

Let’s make sure we don’t blow by that doing 90. We need to have a more fuller understanding of His glory.

Almost 2,000 years ago - Palm Sunday - Jesus came down the Mount of Olives - across the Kidron Valley - and up a road through what was the Golden Gate. This gate - on the east side of Jerusalem - directly in front of the Temple Mount - facing the Mount of Olives.

You’ll notice that the gate looks more like a wall. Years ago the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent - back in the 1500’s and probably for defensive reasons - walled up this gate. To keep his enemies out.

Many years ago Turkish Muslims - occupying Jerusalem - they learned that the Jewish and Christian Messiah would enter Jerusalem through this gate. So they buried their dead in front of it and added a wall to keep the Messiah out.

Fast forwarding through future history there is other well anticipated event planned by God before creation was creation. An event that is almost 2,000 years closer than it was on that first Palm Sunday. That is the return of Jesus.

Scripture tells us that when Jesus returns He’s going to touch down on the Mount of Olives - there’ll be an earthquake the splits the Mount of Olives in two - and Jesus is entering the city through this gate. How long do you think those walls are going to keep Jesus out?

The Apostle John writes, “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns. A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and His title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses. From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” (Revelation 19:11-16 NLT)

The next time Jesus rides into Jerusalem He’s riding on a white charger not a donkey. The next time He isn’t coming to be mocked and paraded and whipped and beaten and crucified. He’s coming in power and majesty - accompanied by the hosts of heaven - to receive our blessing and praise and worship for ever and ever - the glory and honor that is due to Him and Him alone.

Zechariah 14:9 tells us that when Jesus comes back: “The Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord - His name alone will be worshiped.” (NLT)

Hold onto this for yourself. On that day there will be a celebration such has never been experienced in the history of creation. A celebration - when we who are trusting in Jesus as our Messiah - will join the hosts of heaven - all of creation - in singing praise - words of joy - words of triumph and victory and worship - a huge eternal choir giving praise and honor and glory to the King of glory - the Lord of lords.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.