2018.11.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 24

Read Psalm 24

Questions for Littles: To whom does the earth belong (v1)? How much of the fullness of what it contains belongs to Him? What else belongs to Him? Who else belong to Him? Why—what has the Lord done to the earth (v2)? What questions does v3 ask? How does v4 answer? What two things does v5 say He receives? From whom does He receive them? What does v6 call the generation of those who seek God? What commands do v7 and 9 give? To whom? What questions do v8 and 10 ask? What answer do they give?  

This week’s Call to Worship, Prayer of Invocation and Confession of Sin came from Psalm 24, which have to do with the worthiness of God, and the worthiness required of those who would come near to Him.

First, the Lord is worthy of everything because He made everything. Every single thing belongs to Him. Every single person belongs to Him.

So, He is worthy of worship that is absolutely perfect. But are we worthy to give Him that worship? If we look at the criteria in v4, we have to answer that we are not!

The clean hands in v4 are not our hands. The pure heart is not our heart. The faithfully devoted soul and reliably true lips are not ours either. We know this to be true because of our Scriptural theology and personal experience, but we can also see it in the fanfare in vv7-10.

The One who is ascending the hill of Yahweh to stand in His holy place is Yahweh of hosts, the King of glory Himself! For Him, the gates are to lift up their heads. For Him, the everlasting doors are to be lifted up. He is the Champion, returning from battle!

On this side of the cross, it is not so difficult to know how this can be. The LORD Himself became a man, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. His hands have always been perfectly clean. His heart pure. His soul faithful. His lips true.

We are His and belong to Him by faith—by seeking Christ, and in Christ seeking the very face of God. And Christ has received for us blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of our salvation.

Christ alone is worthy, and we must cling to Him alone as our worthiness!

What kind of worship does God deserve? How are you going to give it to Him? 

Suggested songs: ARP24 “The Earth and the Riches” or TPH24B “The Earth and the Riches”