This is a sermon preached by Pastor Andrew Ray titled "A Song of Ascension " taken from Psalm 24 and is part of a larger expository study through The Book of Psalms.

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For more information on this sermon, please see the outline below.

A Song of Ascension

Psalm 24:1-10 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

I. LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

A. The Suspected Authorship

1. It is supposed that David wrote this psalm as he was bringing the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem.
2. If this is the case, David would have had in mind that the hill of the LORD was Jerusalem and the holy place was the dwelling place of the ark.
3. He would have likely suspected that the clean hands and pure heart applied to the priest that would minister before the LORD at the ark.

B. The Prophetic Look

1. The question is asked “Who shall ascend” (Psalm 24:3) and later stated that one “shall come in” (Psalm 24:7).
2. Obviously, the context ties it all together and the picture is of heavenly gates opening to receive the Lord Jesus Christ after His earthly sacrifice for the sins of the world.

II. THE OWNERSHIP OF THE LORD (Psalm 24:1-2)

A. The Declaration of His Ownership (Psalm 24:1)

1. The place—The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof.
2. The people—The world is the LORD’S, and they that dwell therein.

B. The Right to His Ownership (Psalm 24:2)

1. He hath founded it upon the seas.
2. He hath established it upon the floods.

III. THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST (Psalm 24:3-6)

A. The Question of Ascension (Psalm 24:3)

1. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?
2. Who shall stand in His holy place? Note: The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into the holy place with His blood (Hebrews 9:12) and would later stand in the holy place after His ascension.

B. The Qualifications of the Ascender (Psalm 24:4)

1. He that hath clean hands
2. He that hath a pure heart
3. He who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity
4. He who hath not sworn deceitfully
5. Note: In the immediate view, David likely thought of the ascension in worship to the Lord’s earthly dwelling place. However, only the Lord Jesus Christ adequately meets the qualifications listed.

C. The Reward of the Ascender (Psalm 24:5)

1. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD.
2. He shall receive righteousness from the God of his salvation.

D. The Life of the Ascender (Psalm 24:6)

1. This is the generation of them that seek him.
2. This is the generation of them that seek Jacob’s face. Note: It would seem that the reference to Jacob is a reference to God. Perhaps God was satisfied to be identified by the name of His people because Christ did His work adorned in a body of flesh.

IV. THE RECEPTION OF CHRIST (Psalm 24:7-10)

A. The Request for Entry (Psalm 24:7, 9)

1. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (Psalm 24:7, 9).
2. Be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors (Psalm 24:7, 9).

B. The Promise of Entry (Psalm 24:7, 9)

1. The King of glory shall come in (Psalm 24:7).
2. The King of glory shall come in (Psalm 24:9).

C. The Certainty of the Enterer (Psalm 24:8, 10)

1. The question—Who is this King of glory (Psalm 24:8, 10)?
2. The answer (Psalm 24:8, 10)
a. The LORD strong and mighty
b. The LORD mighty in battle
c. The LORD of hosts
d. He is the King of glory