JESUS our King of Glory (Ps.24)

King David writes another psalm with prophetic references to Jesus, which were already truths for people back then.  First of all, David talks about receiving righteousness from the God of salvation...

(Psalm 24:4-5)  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully.  5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This message is echoed in these New Testament verses...

(2 Corinthians 5:20-21)  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Then we see David appealing to us that we be "like" Jacob and seek God's face...

(Psalm 24:6)  This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob.Selah.

From the previous devotional entries, we know that anytime anyone has seen God, it has been THE angel of the LORD (the Jesus of the Old Testament, God manifested).

The verse that follows this is...

(Psalm 24:7)  Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!

These New Testament verses nicely tie together these two verses from Psalm 24...

(Matthew 7:7-14)  "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it..."

We know that Jesus is the door, from New Testament verses such as this...

(John 14:6)  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me..."

David ends this psalm with an encouragement - to let the King of glory enter your life.  These verses are also prophetic, explaining how Jesus will have victory over death (after His work on the cross) and eventually will reign as King over all the earth (in the Millennium)...

(Psalm 24: 8-10)  Who is the King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.  9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!  10 Who is this King of glory?  The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.

This encouragement is echoed in the New Testament.  When we believe and receive Jesus into our lives, we are born again - we become children of God...

(John 1:12-13)  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

JESUS our Shepherd (Ps.23)

A very well-known psalm!  David begins with a great description of Jesus...

(Psalm 23:1)  The Lord is my shepherd...

Jesus Himself used this description to teach the people.  Back then, most people could relate to farming illustrations.  Now, let's also remember that the people of the Old Testament had heard the events of Abraham's offering: when God had provided the ram in place of Abraham's only son for the sacrifice... which parallels how God provided HIS only Son as the perfect offering in place of all people... Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God (was going to live among us, as our perfect example, and then die in our place to pay for our sins).  So then as Christians, we should WANT to be Christ-like... not only to live righteously, but also to be shepherds... examples to others... a light to the world...

And God does not just leave us on our own to figure things out or fend for ouselves (sheep need a shepherd), so Jesus is there to lead the way as our example, as our Shepherd.

(Mark 6:34)  When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

In John 10, we find Jesus teaching the people - A LOT - using sheep and shepherd illustrations in this amazing parable (or really, a series of parables)...

(John 10:1-30)  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words.  20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”

22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.  26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Hmmm, near the end of this passage, people ask Jesus to speak plainly.  If only they would connect the dots - and the dots were laid out very nice and close!  Right at the end of this chapter we see this...

(John 10:41)  Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” 42 Many believed in Him there.

Now going back to Psalm 23.  David describes how wonderful the Shepherd is as he describes all the blessings that we receive through Him:  nourishment, guidance, peace, protection, loving discipline... - and most importantly - eternal life.

(Psalm 23:1-6)  The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;  He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;  He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;  Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;  You have anointed my head with oil;  my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.   

JESUS and Prophecies (Ps.22)

In Psalm 22, king David gives details of Jesus' crucifixion.  Interestingly, the psalm begins with what Jesus would cry out as He took on the world's sin, right before willingly giving up His spirit...

(Psalm 22:1)  My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?  Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.  2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;  and by night, but I have no rest.  3 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.  4 In You our fathers trusted;  they trusted and You delivered them.  5 To You they cried out and were delivered;  in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

God is holy and cannot look on sin.  Considering the Trinity, I kind of explain Jesus' reaction like this:  God is omnipresent, and had manifested Himself in one tiny section of Himself.  Let's define "God's everywhere" as a person's body.  Let's define the "manifestation of Himself as Jesus" as a hand.  Often when we experience a lot of pain in the hand, we have to look away.

You see, this is just something we cannot comprehend because it is so huge.  God gives more details about the physical pain and abuse, because this is what we tend to understand most.  If I think about it, I've had more physical pain than I've had excruciating emotional pain.  I can complain endlessly over a paper cut!  But there have been a few times I have sinned - so big - that I literally felt sick to my stomach, and just wanted to melt into the earth.

Well, imagine Jesus taking ALL SIN of ALL TIME onto Himself.  This included the sins of people like Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Caligula, Attila the Hun, Ivan the Terrible, Ted Bundy... (just to name just a few)... Jesus died and paid for these sins - whether or not people would appreciate what He did for us!!!  Talk about emotional pain!!!

Now here, this emotional kind of pain most of us can relate to - the taunting, verbal abuse...

(Psalm 22:7-8)  All who see me sneer at me;  they separate with the lip,  they wag the head, saying, 8 “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

So similar to what we find in the New Testament, as Jesus hung on the cross...

(Mark 15:29-30)  Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 

As we look at the next verses of Psalm 22, we see actual descriptions of the physical pains that are experienced when people are crucified.  Even though this form of execution was not known until Roman times, somehow, in verses 14-16, David talks about  the pain, extreme thirst, asphyxiation, and agony to the hands and feet - which are unique experiences when dying on a cross...

(Psalm 22:14-16)  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint;  my heart is like wax;  it is melted within me.  15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;  and You lay me in the dust of death.  16 For dogs have surrounded me;  a band of evildoers has encompassed me;  they pierced my hands and my feet.

In verse 18, David gives details of Jesus' crucifixion which were carried out by people who had no knowledge of these predictions.

(Psalm 22:18)  They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Roman soldiers were the ones who carried out this act.  It was customary that the executioners got to take the garments of a victim.

(Mark 15:24)  And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take.

In verses 19-21, David now cries out for deliverance.  This could only be accomplished because Jesus rose from the dead.

(Psalm 22:19-21)  But You, O Lord, be not far off; o You my help, hasten to my assistance.  20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my only life from the power of the dog.  21 Save me from the lion’s mouth; from the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.

Even though David is writing this before Jesus' work on the cross, it WAS going to happen.  And Jesus' work on the cross was retroactive.

(Hebrews 11:1-2)  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

At the end of the psalm, David moves on to expressions of thankfulness, which back then were celebrated publicly with a sacrifice and a feast.

(Psalm 22:22-26)  I will tell of Your name to my brethren;  in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him;  all you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;  nor has He hidden His face from him;  but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.

25 From You comes my praise in the great assembly;  I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied;  those who seek Him will praise the Lord.  Let your heart live forever!

David even spoke about eternal security.  Once we put our faith in Jesus, we cannot lose our salvation.  Well, there are so many verses about this, but here is just one...

(John 6:37)  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.

David ends the psalm with a description - a prophecy - of millennial blessings, the wedding feast... when the Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled!

(Psalm 22:27-31)  All the ends of the earth will remember 
and turn to the Lord, 
And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s And He rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.  
Posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.
31 They will come and will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.

How much should we appreciate Jesus and be thankful for all that He has done and all that He will do???  Let us never forget.