Psalm 24:1-2 - 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.
"The earth is the Lord's." The opening words of this psalm establish who is in charge of everything. The world and "those who dwell therein" belong to God our Creator. He created the world and "the fullness thereof." It all belongs to Him. After praising the majesty of the Creator, the psalmist wonders if anyone who dwells on earth would be able to stand in the Creator's presence. What is the answer? Only those who have "clean hands and a pure heart," that is, hands and hearts unstained by sin, can stand before God (Psalm 24:4b). No one on earth meets that standard of perfection because "none is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God" (Romans 3:10b-11). On our own we could never be qualified to stand in His presence. We sin against God in our thoughts, words, and actions. Our hearts and hands are stained by sin.
The psalm continues with welcome news. There is Someone who can stand in holiness before God. The psalm calls on the gates of Jerusalem to open and receive the King of glory, the Son of God. On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. As foretold by the prophet, the ancient doors opened as the King of glory entered in humility: "Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9b). The King came to Jerusalem to take His final steps to the cross. On that cross the innocent Savior suffered and died, and for our sake God "made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21b). Our salvation was accomplished and the gates of heaven opened to receive the risen and exalted Lord. The victorious King of glory ascended to stand with clean hands and a pure heart before the Father's throne, where He intercedes for us.
The earth and "those who dwell therein" belong to the Lord. He loves the world and the people He created and sent His Son, the King of glory, to redeem us. The Lord who created us has created us anew in Jesus Christ. Through faith in Jesus our sins are forgiven. We stand before God with clean hands and pure hearts because we are clothed in Jesus' righteousness. The earth belongs to our Lord, but He has given the earth to us as a gift, a place to serve Him as caretakers for His creation and as witnesses to the love that brought the King of glory down to earth to save us.
WE PRAY: Jesus, King of glory, help me to serve You with clean hands and pure heart. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. If we're sinful, how can we ever appear before God with "clean hands and a pure heart"?
2. What did Jesus accomplish to make us sinless before God the Father?
3. What comfort do you get from knowing that by faith God sees you as clean?
Today's Bible Readings: Proverbs 19-21 Acts 3
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