A Psalm of Victory for the Defeated
Psalm 24
Feeling defeated lately? These times have brought about a lot of emotions swirling around in our minds. Some are fleeting and others have camped out affecting our lives. Seeing shelter in place orders lengthen and living with a fear of our own illness or condition of our loved ones, it can be rather easy to feel defeated. These feelings were not foreign to those in David’s time. He wrote Psalm 24 for them and for us.
Psalm 24 is a picture of a king returning victoriously from battle. When the king left for battle the people were left with all the “what if” scenarios. What if the king and his army are defeated? What if the king is gone for a long time? When will we know? They did not celebrate nor mourn. They waited. Alone with their thoughts, worries, fears, and emotions trying to live out their lives as best they could. Sound familiar?
Psalm 24:1 — 2 (ESV)
The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
His Dominion
David begins his psalm with a declaration of the dominion of this King. Praise like this is something that David was used to when entering the city after being victorious in battle. It was common practice of the people when their king returned from battle victorious to declare his dominion, power and authority. The king, obviously, knew this already. This practice was for the people. David’s declaration is a reminder for David and for us.
What is this King’s dominion? The earth and the fullness thereof, AKA everything. Everything in the created order is His. What about “those who dwell therein”? It means every human being is under His rule and reign.
Why is it His? He founded it and established it. It has always been His. He did not conquer it. He spoke it into existence and there has never been a moment where His dominion has been in question.
Psalm 24:3 — 6 (ESV)
Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the LORD
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
His Celebration
The return of the victorious king would culminate in a sacrifice. David did not have a temple to go to but he did have a designated high place to offer sacrifice to the Lord by the priest. It was the Hill of the LORD. David is providing an allegory of his victory ritual to the LORD’s victory.
This section begins with a question. If there is going to be a celebration, a party, then it is natural to want to know who is invited. Who is worthy to attend?
Those whose allegiances are to the king. Those who did not desert while the king was away at battle. Those whose consciences are clean and pure because they did not split their allegiance. They did not hedge their bets. They did not try to save themselves. They did not run to another kingdom or ruler. They placed their trust and full faith in the King’s ability to save them. They trusted in His victory.
To those who trust fully in this King, they are given a promise. A promise of blessing and righteousness. The people eagerly awaited the return of the conquering king not just because they could maintain their regular lives. It was for the spoils that the king would bring back. The spoils were a picture of the king’s dominion spreading. These spoils were a picture of what the king had secured for his people. Spices, jewels, gold, silver, linens were common to bring back. These spoils or blessings would accompany the king. They would be placed in the storehouses for the use of the people. You see the victory of the king was the peoples’ victory as well.
This King, by His victory, has secured for His people blessing and righteousness.
This section ends with the promise that this King has secured blessing and righteousness who declare their allegiance, trust, faith in Him and His victory. This promise is now delivered to us.
Psalm 24:7 — 10 (ESV)
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah
His Invitation
The people in David’s time would wait anxiously for the return of the king. They would set watchmen at the gates. These watchmen would either prepare the people for an invasion or a celebration. The people would either reinforce the city’s gates or open them up.
Why the command though? Clearly they would be able to see the king returning. The one who led their army and fought and won their battle. Why would it be in question what the people would do in this situation? Well, while the king was away the people could have set up a new king. They could have got their own ideas on how to be governed. No King. No ruler. Just them.
Now the king stands outside His own city that He established. He stands outside with rebellious people inside setting up their own kingdom and their own rule.
The people have two choices upon the return of the king: be a covenant people or a conquered one.
The covenant people are the ones that have been described earlier. The ones that have blessing and righteousness secured for them by the king. The prerequisite to be these people is faith alone in the king.
The conquered ones have forgotten who this King is. Somewhere along the way they minimized Him. They have made Him approachable. They made Him like them. But He is not. He is the LORD of hosts, strong and mighty.
So David presents the invitation. Let this King in and be the recipients of all that He has conquered. If you refuse, then you are declaring you are His enemy. No middle ground.
Covenant or Conquered.
Your Decision
This psalm ends with a question. Who is this King of glory?
Maybe the picture and application is not clear.
But much like David, Jesus had his own Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:6–9). He entered Jerusalem as a victorious King. They declared praise over him, “Hosanna in the highest!” Making their allegiance known that Jesus was the one who would save them. This King made His way up the hill to the temple where He cleansed it so that proper sacrifices could be made. Later that week, this King would ascend another hill to offer His sacrifice to the Father. It would not be an animal. It would be Himself. This is where the battle would be fought and won. In order for us to partake in His celebration, He would have to secure for us victory over sin (Hebrews 9:12) that would “purify our conscience from dead works” (Hebrews 9:14). His death defeated sin once and for all. His perfect life secured for us the blessing and righteousness that we need to be in the presence of the LORD in His eternal celebration. Jesus is the King of Glory. He has secured the victory over our greatest enemy — sin and death. The watchmen of the city gates of your life have seen His approach.
Are you reinforcing your gates or opening them up?
Are you the ruler or Christ? In whom is your faith placed?
Of which people are you a citizen? Covenant or Conquered?
Will you remain defeated or accept the victory secured for you?
