PART FOUR: THE KING OF GLORY AS YAHWEH BECOME MAN (A STUDY OF THE MESSIANIC NATURE OF PSALM 24)

These three sections, then, taken in order have to do with: 

(1) Verses 1-2: What Yahweh is in relationship to His world (He is creator and owner of everything); 

(2) Verses 3-6: What Yahweh is as blemishless Lamb or sin offering, a man (the Messiah) with clean hands and pure heart who lays down his life for the sheep, taking upon himself the wrath of God due them, and thus worthy to ascend the hill of Yahweh; 

(3) Verses 7-10: What honor Yahweh rightly deserves (with the purity and obedience spoken of in verses 3-6) as the King of Glory in His triumphal entry into heaven as both God and man. 

How did I arrive at this interpretation? 

Let's begin with the original Hebrew. I will write below what a literal (admittedly awkward) reading of the Hebrew translated into English looks like. Seeing the original helps us see what translators are looking at. Notice, particularly, two things which I believe support the interpretation I am proposing: 

(1) The emphasis (I have it in bold) in this text on the question, "Who?" It occurs in both sections two and three and has to do with the same reference: Yahweh. Importantly, the "Who?" of the third section (vss. 7-9), I am suggesting then, is the same "Who?" spoken of in the second section (vss. 3-6). 

(2) Notice as well in verse 4, the use of the third person singular and first person singular, when it says, "he" and "soul-of me" or "my soul." Two different persons are spoken of there. That is: Someone ("he") is doing something on behalf of someone else (the "soul-of-me" or "my soul").  Now, with that in mind, let's read it in its more literal form.

First Section:

to-Yahweh the-earth and-fullness-of-her habitance and-ones-dwelling-of in-her (verse 1):

that he on seas he-founded-her and-on streams he-is-establishing her (verse 2)

Second Section:

who? he-shall-ascend in-mountain-of Yahweh and

who? he-shall-rise in-place-of holiness-of-him (verse 3):

innocent-one-of palms and-pure-one-of heart

who not he-lifted-up to-futility

soul-of-me and-not he-swears to-deceit (verse 4)

he-shall-obtain blessing from Yahweh and-righteousness from-Elohim-of salvation-of-him (verse 5)

this generation-of one-inquiring-of-him ones-inquiring-of-him ones-seeking-of faces-of-you Jacob (verse 6):

Third Section:

lift-up-you! gates heads-of-you and-be-lifted-up-you! portals-of eon and-he-shall-enter king-of the-glory (verse 7)

who? this king-of the-glory Yahweh strong and-masterful Yahweh masterful-of battle (verse 8)

lifting-up-you! gates heads-of-you and lift-up-you! portals-of eon and-he-shall-enter king-of glory (verse 8)

who? he this king-of the-glory Yahweh-of hosts he king-of the-glory (verse 9):

Again, as we look at the original, more literal rendering of the Hebrew, it is evident that this psalm is focused throughout on the "who?" — on this one, Yahweh. The "who" or the "he" who has clean hands and a pure heart, who alone is worthy to ascend "the hill of the LORD" (or, literally, "Yahweh's mountain") is Yahweh Himself.  As I have been suggesting, what is indicated here is that there will come a Messiah who is both God and man and this man will be without sin. He will be a lamb without blemish, be offered as such for the sin of the world. He will do a great work, live and die valiantly like a mighty warrior to redeem His people from their sins. For all who trust in that Messiah there will be reconciliation between themselves as sinful humans and the holy God.

Yahweh as Man who is thus worthy of ascending "the hill of the LORD" — or thus qualified by his conquest of sin and death to enter the presence of God — is, in the third section, the same one who presents Himself for entry into heaven as the King of Glory. "Who is this King of Glory?," is answered with great enthusiasm, "He is Yahweh!," the original says. That is, this is an awesome thing! What He has accomplished in this triumphal entry (what we find in verses 7-9) is the redemption of a people who trust in Him (what we find in verses 3-6). He is their representative and forerunner. He brings them to glory, the presence of the Father, by his obedience, death, and resurrection. All of the blessings His people enjoy come because of what He has earned for them. They don't deserve any of them. They come entirely as a gift. This is what wins them to God so as to love and serve Him with all their hearts both now and for eternity.