Who is the King of Glory?

Only One is worthy to stand before a holy God—and through Him, we can stand there too.

Everything Belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1–2)

David begins with a declaration that leaves no room for misunderstanding. The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it belongs to Him (Genesis 4:19, 22; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 10:14). Why? Because He created it. The land we walk on, the resources we enjoy, and even our very lives belong to God. He has given humanity dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28), but we're only leasing this place. He's the owner of it all.

That truth should both challenge us and comfort us. Here's the challenge: You're not your own. We like to think we're the kings of our own castles and the captains of our own ships, but we all belong to God and are accountable to Him (Romans 3:19). This is especially true for believers because we've been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:14). But here's the comfort: We're living in our Father's world. Wherever we go and whatever circumstances we face, we're never outside the presence of the God who owns it all (Psalm 139:7-12).

Who Can Stand Before a Holy God? (Psalm 24:3–6)

David asks two questions that ought to stop us in our tracks. Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? And who can stand in His holy place? The answer describes someone with clean hands, a pure heart, undivided devotion, being truthful, and no hypocrisy. Clean hands speak of our outward conduct, while a pure heart speaks of our inward thoughts, motives, attitudes, and desires. God isn't concerned only with what people see on the outside. He's concerned with what's going on inside our hearts.

David also warns against lifting our souls to what is false. We may not bow before carved idols, but there are plenty of things competing for the devotion of our hearts. Money, comfort, relationships, possessions, and personal ambitions can become the treasures we look to for satisfaction and security. Instead, our hearts are to be devoted to the Lord alone. We're also called to be people of truth, living without dishonesty or hypocrisy. So how are we doing with that? How are our hands, our hearts, and our devotion to God?

Many are more concerned with happiness than they are with holiness. We spend our lives asking how we can be happier, healthier, more successful, or more comfortable while neglecting the most pressing question of all: How can I be right with God? God isn't simply a life coach or a cheerleader whose primary concern is our earthly happiness. He is the holy Creator of heaven and earth, and His concern is that we become a people declared holy who reflect His holy, righteous character. There's tremendous joy and happiness in knowing Christ (Psalm 16:11), but God's greatest concern is not merely our happiness. It's our holiness.

Only One Is Worthy

Here's the problem. God's standard of holiness is far beyond anything we can attain on our own. Who among us can say we've always had clean hands, pure hearts, undivided devotion, and completely truthful lives? None of us. We all have dirty hands, impure hearts, and sinful lives. If entering God's presence depended upon our ability to make ourselves righteous, we would have no hope.

But there is One who is worthy. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled every requirement of God's holiness. His hands were clean, His heart was pure, His devotion to the Father was complete, and no deceit was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). Through His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, He accomplished what we could never accomplish for ourselves. Hebrews 10 tells us that Christ offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin and then sat down at the right hand of God because His saving work was finished (vv. 10-14).

When we turn from our sin and place our faith in Jesus Christ, God declares us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). Not because we've earned His favor or performed enough good works, but because Christ's righteousness is credited to us through faith. As Paul explains in Philippians 3, our hope is not in a righteousness of our own but in the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ (vv. 7-11). Through Him alone, we can ascend the holy hill of the Lord and stand in His presence forever. That's the gospel! Through Him we are forever blessed by God, and not only declared righteous by God, but will be vindicated by His righteous justice in ultimate victory.

Declared Righteous and Being Made Righteous

Now, don't misunderstand what I'm saying. Just because we're declared righteous through faith in Christ doesn't mean our conduct no longer matters. Hebrews 10:14 says Christ has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. In Christ, we've been declared righteous before God, but God is also at work making us righteous in the way we live. He's declared us righteous, and He's making us righteous, sanctifying us, making us look more like His Son.

We begin to recognize the sin in our lives, the idols competing for our devotion, and the ways our conduct fails to reflect God's character. By His grace, God continues changing us. Titus 2:11–14 reminds us that the same grace that brings salvation also trains us to live godly lives. Grace doesn't give us permission to disregard holiness. Grace teaches us to pursue holiness. We don't live righteous lives to earn salvation; we pursue righteousness because God has saved us and is transforming us into the likeness of Christ. We seek His face, desire Him, worship Him, obey Him, reflect Him, and know Him as the Great Object of the pursuit of our lives. We live our lives as before His face, His constant, favorable gaze. Does this describe you?

Welcome the King of Glory (Psalm 24:7–10)

The final verses picture a great procession of worship approaching the gates of Jerusalem, perhaps carrying the ark of the covenant following a great victory. The gates are commanded to open and welcome the King of Glory. Who is this King of Glory? He is the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts. The picture is one of tremendous victory and worship. Lift up your heads! Make way for the King of Glory!

And what a beautiful picture this gives us of Jesus Christ. Following His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven as the victorious King who had defeated sin, Satan, death, and hell. The One who alone possesses clean hands and a pure heart entered the heavenly presence of God (Hebrews 12:22), welcomed as the Warrior-King of Glory who had won. As the only One worthy, He ascended the holy, heavenly hill of God where He now intercedes for His people as our great High Priest (Hebrews 7:25–26). And one day, He's coming again to establish His kingdom and will be welcomed as the King of Glory by all. The One who was rejected and crucified will return in glory, and every knee will bow before Him as He reigns over His world in universal dominion. He has the forever victory.

Now do you see how Psalms 22, 23, and 24 fit together? In Psalm 22, we see the suffering Savior who laid down His life for His sheep. In Psalm 23, we see the caring Shepherd who provides for, protects, and leads His people. And in Psalm 24, we see the victorious King of Glory who has ascended into heaven, intercedes for His people, and will one day return. What a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ! The Savior who suffered for us is the Shepherd who cares for us and the King who reigns victorious over all...forever.

Carry This Into the Week

As we go through this week, I want us to remember who owns our lives. The earth belongs to the Lord, and so do we. Let that truth challenge the way we live and comfort us in whatever circumstances we face. We're living in our Father's world, and He is sovereign over it all.

I also want us to examine our hands and our hearts. Are our actions reflecting God's righteous character? Are our motives and desires pure before Him? Have we allowed the treasures or priorities of this world to compete with our devotion to Christ? Are we living single-minded, truthful, non-hypocritical lives? God's saving grace is also His sanctifying grace, continually working to make us more like Jesus.

And above all, remember where our righteousness comes from. We cannot make ourselves worthy to stand before God. Only Jesus Christ can do that for us. Trust in His finished work, seek His face, and allow His grace to continue transforming your life.

Questions for Reflection

1. How should knowing that everything belongs to God change the way you live and make decisions?
2. When you examine your hands and your heart, what areas of your life need to reflect God's holiness more faithfully?
3. Are you more concerned with your earthly happiness than your spiritual holiness? What does your daily life reveal?
4. Are you trusting in your own goodness to make you acceptable to God, or are you resting entirely in the righteousness of Jesus Christ?

Have You Welcomed the King of Glory?

Have you turned from your sin and placed your faith in Jesus Christ, the only One worthy to stand before a holy God? Only through Him can we be forgiven, justified, and welcomed into God's presence forever. The King of Glory has won the victory, and He invites us to come to the Father through Him.

Want to know more about what it means to follow Jesus? Visit our "What is the Gospel" page to learn how you can have a personal relationship with Christ.