Questions and answers from Psalm 24

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He ........ who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity.

If I may paraphrase here; Who may approach the holy presence of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy presence? He who has not set his heart on things of the earth. He who has not given his soul (the real you) to the vain, empty, worthless things of this world.

The soul, that part of you that is you, the real you. The soul is that part of you that will live from now on. When your brain quits sending impulses, when your heart quits beating, when your blood quits flowing, hardens, and grows cold, when your body dies, your soul will continue on. It shall live from now on. The real you will never die.

With that thought in mind, what have you lifted your soul up to? what have you given yourself to in this life? When all is quiet and you have free time on your hands and free time to let your mind wander, where do you go? in your mind? what does your soul crave? what does your heart desire?

Do you desire God? do you crave after the Son of God? or do you desire vain things? worthless things? Be honest with yourself. Do not measure yourself with yourself? Do not compare yourself to others? What does the word of God say? What does the Holy Spirit say to your soul?

Some of you have written off the the Bible. You have come to think of it as just a book of men's writings, just a book of men's opinions. But, what do you say now? What do you say when Psalm 24 speaks to your heart? When it penetrates to your very soul? When it divides the spirit from the soul? When it discerns the thoughts and intents of your heart? Read it again, look at it. Think on it. Go ahead and try to run from it. Where will you go? You cannot hide from God, you cannot escape His holy word. Go ahead and try, go to the farthest point away, climb the highest mountain, take a submarine to the lowest depths of the sea. It's all His, "the earth is the Lord's"!

Others of you put great stock in your own keeping of religion. You credit yourself with some measure of righteousness. After all, you do believe there is one God. The problem with that belief, as James points out in the new testament: "thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble". You take pride in your religion, you've established your own form of righteousness. You think you will stand in the holy presence of God because you attend church regularly, you read your bible occasionally, you pray before you eat, you put money in the offering plate, you go through certain ceremonies at church and on and on. You have submitted yourselves to cold, empty, phrases and rituals. You lifted your soul to these things, you gave your heart to vanity, to empty meaningless rituals. Have you not read what the Lord Jesus says: "But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

So, who will ascend to the holy hill of the Lord? Who will stand in His holy place? The psalmist tells us: there is One, the Man Christ Jesus! The King of Glory! "Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." Jeremiah called Him the "Righteous Branch": "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

Have you lifted your soul unto vanity? Have you fallen short of the glory of God? Have you trusted in your own righteousnesses, which are nothing but filthy rags? Are you guilty? Then look to this King! Look to the Righteous branch! Isaiah quoted this King; "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." God the Father said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him."

He, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has clean hands and a pure heart, He is the only one who has not lifted His soul to vanity. He is the only one who has kept His word, he never swore deceitfully to God or man. He met the holy requirements of a thrice holy God. In that holy innocence He then submitted Himself to the worst death of His day, a public execution. He was hung on a cross. It was on the cross that He poured His life's blood out, He the guiltless One bore the sin of the guilty. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of all His sheep, He bore the wrath of a holy God. But death could not hold Him, God raised Him from the dead, the chains of death were broken, the gates of hell shall not prevail against Him!

The King of Glory Himself says, even now; "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Oh, praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above you heavenly host, praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

May God give you grace to see Him!