Once King David in writing Psalm 24 establishes the supremacy of GOD over all He created, he turns to GOD’s dwelling place on Earth.

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.

According to Jewish tradition, Psalm 24 was composed by King David when the site of the Temple, the House of GOD, was revealed to him as being Mount Moriah. It was not, however, until after King David’s death that this Temple was actually built.

From King David’s house, he would walk up to Mount Moriah. He’d no doubt been there before, and knew the walk up there well. Now King David must now think differently about the hill and the house for GOD that he desires to be built atop the mountain. Perhaps he goes up there often to pray, to think about what the Temple could look like.

No doubt his thoughts turn to who would have the right to actually ascend that hill to come into our GOD’s presence. After all, as King David declares, the hill is the LORD’s and it is a Holy Place.

The answer is straight forward. People who have clean hands, pure hearts, desire truth, and are honest. Only four things are required, according to King David, to come into the presence of GOD. Pretty simple.

It gets complicated, however. Clean hands and pure heart means that a person’s actions and heart must be righteous. Apostle Paul, writing to the Romans, tells us that no one is righteous, that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of GOD” (Romans 3:23).

Mount Moriah looms above us. GOD is enthroned there. Within humanity there is a longing for GOD, from Whom we’ve become estranged. The Temple on Mount Moriah gleams in morning’s light. It beckons us. GOD beckons us to come up the hill. But we know within us, whether or not we care to admit it, that we harbor all sorts of impure thoughts, that we’ve done things we know we ought not have done. We may say we are good people, but inside we know we are not; we know we are dirty, inside and out. Who will make us clean?

There is a “righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” (Romans 3:22)

It is through this righteousness that we are now justified to ascend the mountain, to come into the presence of the Living GOD, our Creator. This righteousness is freely gifted to us; GOD’s grace is receiving that which we didn’t merit.

LORD Bless, Keep, Shine. . .
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