Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Today is 2-for-1 Friday!
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The Questions
1) What type of psalm is this and who is the author?
2) Why is there an emphasis on holiness in verses 3-4?
3) Who is the King of Glory? (verses 7-10)
Psalm 24:3-10
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not appealed to what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord,
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who inquire of him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Rise up, ancient doors!
Then the King of glory will come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord of Armies,
he is the King of glory. Selah
Original Intent
1) What type of psalm is this and who is the author?
There is not a single author for the book of Psalms in our Bibles as it is actually a collection of songs, poems, and journal styles. Various psalms are attributed to different authors including David, Moses, and worship leaders like Asaph and Korah’s sons. (Got Questions) Many psalms are written as songs to be sung by the Israelites on different occasions. Psalm 24 is attributed to David. Every psalm was written with intentional purpose and this one describes the Kingdom of God. “It is supposed that the psalm was penned upon occasion of David’s bringing up the ark to the place prepared for it, and that the intention of it was to lead the people above the pomp of external ceremonies to a holy life and faith in Christ, of whom the ark was a type.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)
2) Why is there an emphasis on holiness in verses 3-4?
Verse 3 begins by asking the question, “who is worthy?”. David is proclaiming the holiness of God and the Israelites would have immediately drawn to mind the Ark of the Covenant where God’s presence dwelt. In the Tabernacle, the Ark was kept in the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest was permitted entrance once a year. This was the most sacred place in the Tabernacle, distinctly set apart to emphasize God’s holiness and His necessary separation from sinful humanity. The priest was permitted to enter this holy place for one purpose, to offer sacrifice for the sins of Israel. Verse 4 describes the only kind of people holy enough to enter the presence of God; a person who does not lie and is not deceitful. Even the high priest was not worthy enough to enter God’s presence before cleansing himself. Because of the deceitful sin nature of mankind, no one was truly worthy to be in God’s presence.
3) Who is the King of Glory? (verses 7-10)
These verses would have likely been sung by the worshipping nation of Israel who rejoiced as the Ark was carried into its place. The doors would have opened to permit entrance to the Ark symbolizing the presence of God, the only One holy enough to enter. After the Ark was in place and this psalm was sung, its presence in the Tabernacle would serve as a reminder of the presence of Yahweh, the Lord of Lords, among the people. The Old Testament Ark pointed forward to Jesus as the Promised Messiah who would come as the perfect High Priest. He alone would be able to enter into the presence of God on His own merit because He IS the Lord God, the beautiful King of Glory.
Everyday Application
1) What type of psalm is this and who is the author?
While it is presumed that David wrote this psalm to celebrate the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Israel, this doesn’t devoid it of meaning for us today. David’s words point all believers toward the holiness of God and His Kingdom, both on earth through the Church, and the kingdom to come in Heaven when we will finally dwell with God forever. As believers, we rejoice and look forward to the promise of this coming Kingdom, while being reminded to live now for that Kingdom that will surely come! As you read through this psalm, how are you encouraged to consider God’s holiness? In what ways are you challenged to bring praise to the Holy God of all?
2) Why is there an emphasis on holiness in verses 3-4?
While the answer to “who is worthy?” is no human being, we no longer live in a time where only the High Priest has access to God. The Only One who is worthy, God Himself, has already come in the form of Jesus. The author of Revelation writes, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9) We now are able to be washed by the blood of Jesus and our sins can be forgiven and washed away “as far as the east is from the west”. (Psalm 103:12) We are made worthy not by the sacrifice of a sinful high priest atoning for our sins, but by the sacrifice of the perfect High Priest, Jesus. Only in Him was “no deceit found in His mouth”. (1 Peter 2:2) Through His sacrifice, we are able to enter into the presence of God and eventually into His perfect Kingdom.
3) Who is the King of Glory? (verses 7-10)
On this side of the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, we see the entire picture of the King of Glory. Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died in our place on the cross, and rose again to unequivocally defeat death, sin, and the grave. When it comes to the doors mentioned in verses 7 and 9, Matthew Henry writes, “Our Redeemer found them shut, but, having by His blood made atonement for sin and gained a title to enter into the holy place, as One having authority, He demanded entrance, not for Himself only, but for us; for, as the forerunner, He has for us entered and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.” What an incredible picture and promise! Jesus paid the price of admission into the Presence of God for me and you. We see the completion of this in Revelation 21 when we are admitted into the New Heaven and the New Earth, the perfect Kingdom which will be established when Jesus returns. We are not permitted entrance by our own merit but because we are clean because of His sacrifice. We enter through the righteousness of Christ, given to us by our faith.
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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