The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.
-Psalm 24:1-2
When we read Scripture, it’s easy to forget it was written in times without iPhones, internet, orbital satellites, and Walmart. Historically, the world has been a very uncertain place. Government was uncertain. Weather was uncertain. Peace was uncertain. Health was uncertain. Even life itself was uncertain. People lived on the cusp of chaos.
In virtually every Ancient Near Eastern culture, chaos was epitomized by large bodies of water. What lies beyond? What lies beneath? In numerous creation stories of ancient cultures, chaotic waters seem pre-existent. From those seas and oceans of uncertainty - monsters, gods, and animals arose.
In this ancient world of uncertainty and chaos, it would be an earth-shattering revelation to read something so bold and profound as Psalm 24:1-2.
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.
This Davidic song of praise was a public profession of faith in Yahweh as Almighty and Sovereign Creator! The God of Jacob, David’s God, unlike the gods of other nations, wasn’t limited to a specific sphere of influence. He wasn’t the created offspring of some eternal watery chaos. Instead, Israel’s God created the cosmos, founded the seas, established the waters: He owns everything and everyone.
God’s privileged commission to the nation of Israel was stated explicitly at the onset. Following their mass exodus from 400+ years of slavery in Egypt, Moses led Israel to Mount Sinai. There, God Almighty instructed, “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Israel’s national commission was intended to attract surrounding nations by adorning their unique God of certainty, peace, order, and harmony amid times of uncertainty and chaos.
As Psalm 24 continues, we read:
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swears falsely.
Psalm 24 asks our own question: “How can imperfect people - how can I - ascend to Him? How can I stand before God with unclean hands and an impure heart?” Living in desperate times of uncertainty and chaos undeniably leads to regrettable decisions, guilt, remorse, and shame. Therefore, awareness of an all-knowing, all-powerful, holy, and perfect God provides little comfort for those burdened with, and buried beneath, a sordid past. Blessing and vindication seem wholly unattainable until we read:
They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek Him,
who seek Your face, God of Jacob.
Exoneration, justification, and salvation are, in fact, made available by God Almighty! Those offered blessing, vindication, and salvation are quite simply, “Those who seek Him, who seek Your face, God of Jacob.” Ascending the mountain of the LORD is possible because He has condescended to us! Standing in His holy place, i.e. His presence, becomes a reality merely by desiring, begging, looking, pleading, and desperately seeking out the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
The gates of our hearts were shut to God long ago. In Eden, we freely chose rebellion. Those ancient doors have been rusted shut - incapable of opening. We are incapable of elevating our heads, lifting gates, or opening doors to allow the King of glory in. Thankfully, Psalm 3:3 instructs that God is also our glory, our shield, and the lifter of our heads! Amazingly, God doesn’t require us to fix the problems and chaos we created. Seeking His face simultaneously makes Him the lifter of our heads, the elevator of our gates, and the opener of our ancient doors!
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.
This King of glory, the Almighty and Sovereign God of Jacob, created the cosmos, founded the seas, and established the waters. He owns everything and everyone. The Almighty doesn’t fight trivial skirmishes over the transient and insignificant. In the book of Ephesians, Paul informs us that our battle, thus God’s, “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” The King of glory’s battle is for us, for our hearts, for our minds, and for our eternal souls. His battle is to bring us to a place where we desperately, earnestly, and wholeheartedly seek Him.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
In a darkened sea of chaos and a bleak ocean of uncertainty, our eternal Creator brings light and peace. His insurmountable mountain of perfection has been made level. Access to His holy presence has been granted. Blessing, exoneration, justification, and salvation are graciously imparted to those of every generation who earnestly seek Him. To those, He is our glory, our shield, the lifter of our heads, and opener of those ancient doors!
Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
The King of glory has descended from heaven! The LORD, mighty in battle, waged war upon the powers of darkness, death, and deception at the Cross of Calvary - and won!
Before King David died, God made a promise, saying:
When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
King Jesus came down from heaven and fulfilled that, and every other, covenant promise God ever made to us. Amid our legitimate oceans of chaos, confusion, uncertainty, doubt, regret, and shame - Jesus comes. Amid our inability to seek (Rom 3:10; Psalm 53:2) - He blesses us with eyes of recognition and hearts of longing.
Who is our Creator and Sovereign over chaos?
Who is the Descending One allowing us to ascend?
Who is our Vindicator and Savior?
Who is the One making us holy and righteous?
Who is the Lifter of our heads?
Who is He giving us eyes to seek and see?
Who is the One who fought and won on our behalf?
Who is this God fighting for you - even now?
David asked, and answered, the question, “Who is this King of glory?”
Now King Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?”
Blessings,
-Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com
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