24:1 The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and
those who live in it;
24:2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the
rivers.
24:3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in
his holy place?
24:4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up
their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
24:5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from
the God of their salvation.
24:6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of
the God of Jacob. Selah
24:7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
24:8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the
LORD, mighty in battle.
24:9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King
of glory. Selah
From verse 4 the question becomes: Just how clean is clean and how
pure is pure?
Rev. Dave in Green Bay
A midweek musing or two:
I'm doing a lectionary-based sermon series on the psalms this summer
(the first psalm in each instance). Last week was Psalm 48, with the
NRSV reading of vs. 14 which implies that the Temple is identified
with God. In this week's psalm (if it is indeed about the return of
the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple), there is a similar
identification of the Ark with God.
Don't we sometimes confuse sacred places (the Temple, Jacob's altar at
Bethel) with the Sacred? Don't we sometimes confuse sacred objects
(the Bible, the cross, the elements of the Eucharist) with the Sacred?
What is it that makes a place or an object or a time (kairos) sacred?
"Clean hands" and "pure hearts" seem here to be synonymous with
honesty and truthfulness.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Mt 5:8; cf.
Ps 24:4-6).
Doug in Riverside
Doug in Riverside,
Thank you for your musings from mid-week as I was casting about on
Saturday morning for a children's message. What a simple and perfect
message. Thank you. CLW in CO
I did a children's sermon last year in which I asked whether the
children could see God's hands. After a mixed answer, I held each
child's hands in turn and said "these are God's hands". It was a
rather moving moment until I got to one of my 4-year-olds.
Irrepressibly, he looked up at me and said "No, they're not! My hands
are dirty!"
Who needs a sermon after that?? :-)
Question: The phrase of "Lift up your heads, O gates and be lifted up,
O ancient doors" is used repeatedly. What are the gates and doors
symbolic of?
To Question: The phrase of "Lift up your heads, O gates and be lifted
up, O ancient doors" is used repeatedly. What are the gates and doors
symbolic of?
I've always assumed that these referred to the gates and doors of the
city (Jerusalem?) into which the King of Glory wishes to enter. Seems
like it's not too much of a stretch to suggest that they may also
represent the gates and doors of our spirits that seem too often
closed to the kingship of Christ.
SELOFTIS in NC
