The Pauses



Psalm 24 
A Psalm of David.
1The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
2for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
5He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!
9Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

Diving into these Psalms on a Friday morning seems like such a wonderful way to start the day, end the week, and live my life. Each phrase of this song causes the mind to take a brief pause to really think about what is being said. Each phrase seems to demand meditation. We are not certain as to what events in David’s life caused him to pen these words. It really doesn’t matter because this song of praise seems to work perfectly for any given day of the week. The greatness of God rolls off of every word.

Last night there was a full moon and life circumstances demanded that I be out past midnight. I couldn’t help but look up and marvel at that beautiful orb that is so constant in our lives. Because we see it so often we forget to take a moment and realize that the God of heaven placed it right there for our benefit and edification. The vision of that moon explodes back into my mind when I read verse one. The earth is indeed the Lord’s!

This psalm also serves to remind us, as New Testament Christians, that we a people of clean hands because Jesus Christ has shed His blood and died so that we might be pure of heart. The rampant problem of idolatry which is so pervasive in the human heart is forgiven by God through Jesus. That forgiveness doesn’t mean we just allow that idolatry to run our lives though. Instead, we seek the face of God, just as did our forefather, Jacob. Finally, the psalm demands that we join in the chorus of praise that emanates from the heavens. We fall to our knees with all of the angels the saints and declare the Glory of God with grateful hearts.

Each phrase is worthy of meditation. It’s the pauses that make an impact on our hearts today. I’ve included a link to a song that was inspired by this Psalm by Charlie Hall. Whenever words are put to music, it makes them easier to remember. Play this song a few times and this Psalm will ride with you all day long!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuYwNX3wzl8

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