 |  |
(Ezek. 48: 35) is with me even in the valley of the shadow. Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord is
my protection (Exodus 17: 15) guards me even in the presence of my enemies.
Jehovah-Mekkadishkem, the Lord that anoints and sanctifies (Exod. 31: 13) does so
with the oil of gladness. He is the One Who leads me in paths of righteousness because
He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord my righteousness (Jer. 23: 6; 33: 16).
What more can one say? This is the great God Who gives us rest, refreshment,
restoration, guidance, companionship, comfort, sustenance and abounding joy. Truly we
can say with gratitude "my cup runneth over". By these great truths multitudes have
lived and died, and every one of these truths is treasured up in the Lord Jesus Christ and
if we have Him, we have everything! Surely Christ is ALL (Col. 3: 11).
Psalm 24:
If Psa. 22: can be summarized by the word CROSS, and Psa. 23: by CROOK,
Psa. 24: is summed up in the word CROWN, for here we look into the future with the
establishment of God's kingdom on earth in power and great glory, when the Lord Jesus
shall return in triumph, binding the deceiver Satan and taking complete control of this
world's affairs. Men forget that the earth and all its content belong to the One Who
created it, namely Jehovah. Today men act as if they owned the earth. Arab and Jew
wrestle over Palestine, but God said "the land is Mine" (Lev. 25: 23) and He gives it to
whomsoever He wills to have it.
When Psa. 24: becomes reality in the millennial age mankind will be brought to the
point when at last they recognize this. Ezekiel's glorious temple (Ezek. 40: 2; Isa. 2: 2),
yet to be built we believe, near Jerusalem, will be the divine centre from which light and
blessing will radiate over the whole earth. Micah 4: 1-4 describes this time when the
nations will long to know God (so different from the present time) and will journey to
this house of God upon its high mountain, to learn His ways and His truth which will "go
forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Micah 4: 2). But they will have
to learn the truth of Psa. 24: 3, 5:
"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 . . . . . he shall receive the blessing from the Lord,
and righteousness from God . . . . .".
It never has been a light thing to approach a holy God. The Psalm concludes with a
wonderful anthem of praise concerning the Lord Jesus, the King of glory, entering this
Temple. It is sung antiphonally, one choir asks the question and the other answers it:
"Lift up your heads O ye gates; and
be ye lifted 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" (24: 9 and 10).