Or, He Who Lifts Up Our Souls
Scripture: Psalm 24:1-10
Date: November 26, 2023
Speaker: Sean Higgins
We finished the major section on welcoming one another in the context of disputable things in Romans. From Romans 15:14 to the end of the letter, Paul wraps up his long goodbye. And since I plan to start next Sunday with four messages on advent/Christmas, with our annual worship/liturgy reminders after that, it seemed good to wait for the final downhill in Romans.
The last Psalm I taught, in the series I have titled as “The Soundtrack of the Righteous,” was Psalm 23 (a year ago August). Looking at Psalm 24 I realized it might be the perfect pre-Advent and worship song we needed. They already started playing Mariah Carey before Thanksgiving whether we like it or not, and these truths would be much more profitable to get stuck in our heads as we greet the season.
It’s a song about our worldview, our worship, and our warfare. In its original context it’s a song from Israel’s arsenal, but the inspired songs are for all the Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:18-10), and the ancient writings are for our endurance and encouragement and hope (Romans 15:4). There was profit in its original setting, and there’s profit for us as we anticipate the second advent of the incarnate King of glory.
Where does our hope come from? It comes from the Lord who made order instead of furor.
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.
(Psalm 24:1–2 ESV)
The song starts with the theology of science. The world not only works, and so we can observe and study and test, it is full of wonders. It’s all His, from Him and through Him and to Him. The dry parts and the wet parts, the animate and the inanimate. These verses echo Genesis 1, they are particularized in John 1 and Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1, as “all things were made through [the Logos], and without Him was not anything made that was made,” as God gave His Son “through whom also He created the world…and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.”
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S,
and on them he has set the world. (1 Samuel 2:8 ESV)
The naming of the seas and the rivers appears to be insider smack talk against a couple Canaanite gods, yam and nahar. The waters were chaos, like crashing waves and raging floods. But the Lord made a cosmos, an ordered thing, an adorned universe.
There is a way to read this as establishing the brute force power of the owner of all things. Don’t go against the Big Boss. Rebels who refuse to honor Him and give thanks will be abandoned to their ludicrousness.
But as God’s people who acknowledge His power, we should acknowledge that this is how He delighted to use His power, and how He still uses it. When we celebrate God taking on flesh, we are not only celebrating the condescension but also the affirmation that He likes what He made. We answer to Him, as we give Him full credit and as we receive in fulness all that are ours. (Hence why Paul quotes verse 1 in 1 Corinthians 10:26 in reference to the meats).
The Worldview King has authority to give and share all that is on the planet.
Want to be on the Creator-Lord’s side? Here are some basic requirements for those worshiping the Lord.
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
(Psalm 24:3–6 ESV)
Verse 6 was probably a call and response part of liturgy. It’s not just order over chaos, it is truth over falsehood.
Three lines in verse 7 show what’s necessary. 1) Clean hands are the external evidence of a pure heart; we don’t have blood on our hands because we don’t have hate in our hearts. 2) Lifting up one’s soul to what is false is also what is “empty,” and sometimes translated as an idol. 3) There should be no falsehood from one’s face.
The second line stands out to me. Lifting up one’s nephesh, one’s soul, one’s life, is an expression of commitment. Here are various ways to put it:
In Psalm 24 it’s a god of vapor, of delusion. In Psalm 25 it’s the opposite: “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul” (Psalm 25:1).
Such a humble worshiper will receive blessing…and righteousness. It’s still of grace, not works. But grace is not no grace, and I say that to emphasize that God gives blessings to those who worship Him. “He rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6) by faith.
The generation might also be the assembly. They are those who seek the face, who desire to be in the presence of God.
The Worldview King has authority to bless and fellowship with all who lift up their souls to Him.
The final section returns to a focus on the Lord as King, and especially the King as victorious warrior.
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
(Psalm 24:7–10 ESV)
Verses 7 and 9 are the same, verses 8 and 10 are close. Chris Tomlin did not start repetition in worship songs, even if he maybe overdid it.
The call and command suggests some sort of procession, but there’s no obvious use scenario with the kings of Israel. More than that, David is singing about Yahweh, the LORD as King.
The heads of gates are personified, probably the gates of the city, since the temple wasn’t built until after David; these doors are ancient doors. The King is pictured as returning and the gates are opening to receive Him. The throng of worshippers rejoice in the King’s triumph. His glorious victory is their good.
The King of glory is named five times. He is also strong, mighty, mighty in battle, the LORD of hosts, over the army.
The Worldview King has authority to unite and protect all who desire His honor.
In context, David wrote this song to praise the King of order, of blessing, of victory. The Lord is the King of glory who gives us our worldview. In the broader context, we know the Lord Jesus Christ as Creator, Priest, King.
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits;
The King of Kings is drawing near,
The Savior of the world is here.
Life and salvation he doth bring,
Wherefore rejoice and gladly sing.
We praise Thee, Father, now,
Creator wise art Thou!
—Georg Weissel, Lift Up Your Heads (1642)
With particular application for this season, Christmas is empty, or wicked, if God Himself doesn’t care about the earth. Christmas is empty or wicked if we try to honor Christ’s birth with an impure heart. Christmas is empty or wicked if we do not anticipate the return of the King of glory.
When He lifts up our souls, He lifts us up to what is SOLID and TRUE and STRONG. He lifts up our souls to see His world, to see His face, to see His glory. He lifts up our souls as we see His power to bring order over chaos, His grace to give blessing to the humble, and His might to defeat every enemy. In this King (and in Him alone) is hope and joy, substance and meaning, the world and righteousness, acceptance and anticipation. Lift up your heads, you who seek Him.
Beloved, do not lift up your soul to what is false, fleeting, or feeble. Lift up your soul to the King of glory, to Him who is true and faithful and strong. All are yours, and you are the King’s, and the King is God’s anointed. Boast in His blessings!
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24–26 ESV)