This Psalm is thought to have been sung as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem by David and would have been sung again when Solomon places the same Ark in the temple once he had finished its construction as God had directed him. This was of course the temple David himself had wanted to build, but was directed by God that this was not his to build, but would be his son, Solomon’s job.

The language used is very easy to interpret. Verses 1 to 2 refer to God being the owner of all the earth as its Creator.  It in part recounts the Genesis account of how the seas were created first of all, but then the waters were separated with areas of dry land. The Psalm continues to identify the hill of the lord as being a holy place. This again is a parallel with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where Solomon built the temple but at the time of writing doubtless referred to the holy tabernacle where the Ark was housed prior to the temple being built.

The reference to clean hands and a pure heart are referring to righteousness and the fact that we can outwardly appear to be righteous, but only God can see inside a person’s heart. Another meaning for righteous is clean. Thus only He knows if we are truly clean. For us, living in the post Jesus era, we are clean by His precious blood. We no longer stand before the thrown condemned by our sin and the evil one. We ARE Christ’s and Christ’s alone!  Amen.

When the Jews brought the ark into Jerusalem, they believed that God came in with it. God was so great that they told the gates, "Lift up your heads". This means, "God is great. He cannot get under you. You must make more room". The head of the gate or door is its top. The doors were very old. Jerusalem was a city long before David came. Many kings had lived there. They were not kings of the Jews.

The Jews believed that God was their king. They believed that he went everywhere with the ark. They carried the ark through the gates. This was a picture to the Jews. It was a picture of God as king of Jerusalem. The psalm calls God "the king of glory" 4 times. God had special servants. The Jews called them priests. The priests shouted, "Who is the King of Glory?" All the people answered, "The LORD!"

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Dear Lord God. May you be now and always my king of glory, hope and love. I worship your holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen