For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 24 – Who can come to God

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.

3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.

5 They will receive blessing from the Lord
    and vindication from God their Saviour.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face, God of Jacob.

7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty –
    he is the King of glory.

A. Find Out:

1. What does David declare about the world? v.1,2
2. So what question comes into his mind? v.3
3. What was his answer? v.4
4. What will happen to this person? v.5
5. What is he required to do? v.6
6. How is the Lord described? v.7-10

B. Think:

1. Why did David have a question?
2. How would you summarise his answer?
3. How would you summarise the descriptions of the Lord?

C. Comment:

    The more revelation we have the greater the wonder as to how we can approach God. When we realise how incredible He is, we question how we, mere mortals, can ever approach Him.

    David again proclaims the Lord who is Creator of all things. This God that we would worship is the One who made this very world. He is incredible, powerful, beyond our imagination really. So how can we come to such a powerful and perfect being?

    David’s answer is simple: in purity and holiness. He speaks of clean hands – that indicates we have not got into anything unclean or evil, and a pure heart – that indicates that we will allow nothing unclean on the inside, i.e. that both by our outward actions and our inward outlook we will be pure and holy. He continues: we must not worship idols or put our trust in anything that is false. Blessing comes on the one who seeks the Lord alone.

      For us today our trust is in Jesus as our Saviour-Redeemer who pays the penalty for our misdemeanours, but that does not absolve us from our responsibility to live holy lives. Salvation is for people who have submitted to Jesus as Saviour (from sins) AND Lord (requiring submission to him and to a holy life).

D. Application?

1. God is holy, pure and Almighty. We dare not approach casually.
2. Jesus is the means of our approach, but we are to be holy.