Open the Doors!

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory.

Psalm 24:9-10

Psalm 24 celebrates the greatness of God and prepares us to worship him. The first verses point to his superlative power in creation. Because the Lord made all things, they ultimately belong to him (including us!). The next section of Psalm 24 focuses on what is required of those who worship God. They must not bow down to idols or tell lies, but must be people "whose hands and hearts are pure" (24:4).

The final section of Psalm 24 is a call to welcome God into our lives.

Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
Who is the King of glory?
The LORD of Heaven’s Armies—
he is the King of glory.

These verses picture the Lord as a majestic, victorious king entering one of his cities. The people are to throw open the gates to greet and honor him.

Psalm 24 is often used in Christian worship on Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. But even if it is not Palm Sunday today, this psalm still encourages us to throw open the gates of our lives for the Lord. How can we welcome him as our King of glory? To be sure, we do this as we gather with the people of God for worship, singing songs of praise that celebrate God's greatness.

But if we are welcoming a king, we do so not only by our acclamation, but also by our submission. In the ancient world, when people entered the presence of a sovereign, they got down on their knees as a symbol of offering their lives in service. Similarly, when we welcome the King of glory into our lives, we acknowledge his right to rule over us. We commit ourselves to honor the Lord, not just in our songs of praise, but in every facet of our lives.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: When you picture opening up the doors of your life to the Lord, how do you respond? What do you think and feel? What helps you to offer your whole self to God? What keeps you from doing this?

PRAYER: Gracious God, King of glory, today I open the doors of my life to you. Come in, Lord, and be at home in me. Come in, Lord, and reign over me. Fill my mind and heart with your presence. Teach me to think as you think, to feel as you feel.

Today I offer my life to you, bowing before you. Use me for your sovereign purposes. May you be glorified in all that I do and say.

Welcome, King of glory! Amen.