Psalm 24:7-10 reads,
Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doros, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah
One difficult thing about this psalm is that it is hard to be sure of its original setting. Some have explained it from the perspective of the ark’s return from battle, while others see it as relating to when David brought up the ark from Jerusalem to Kiriath-Jearim. Still some see it as a theophany, or a revealing of God, that happened in the temple. This difficulty raises the question as to what is meant by “heads” “gates” and “doors”. Based on other scriptures, some see the reference “lift up your heads” as an expression of rejoicing for the godly. However, the psalmist could be speaking of the literal gates of the temple, but since the temple was not built in David’s time, this is highly unlikely.
What David probably meant was that since Jerusalem was the city of God, the place in which God chose to dwell, the city and all of its inhabitants were called on to receive the Great King with joy and anticipation. The Great King of Glory in whom they are to receive with such honor is mentioned here as the Lord of Host or in Hebrew, Yahweh Sabaoth. This Great King is also a Divine Warrior who has at His command an innumerable heavenly “host”. He is the commander of all power in heaven and earth. He is the one who always wins in battle. Thus, in Psalm 24, we see the celebration of the entrance of this great warrior into Zion. His presence is what gives His people peace and drives out all fear. His presence is the foundation and defense of the Zion. This Divine Warrior is constant and steadfast to His covenant loyalty. He wards off attackers and liters the battlefield with the corpses of those who oppose Him. Thus, Yahweh is the Creator and judge; the sole object of worship. Therefore, we must learn how to welcome this Great Warrior through our worship.
So this begs the question, what constitutes worship? We have seen that the Hebrew word means to bow down, but surely the implication of this psalm, as we have seen, refers to more than just the outward expressions; it also has to do with the motivation of the heart, and since the heart is the seat of life and affects all we do, this means that worship can be defined more than just bowing down in reverence to God. J.I. Packer says in his Consice Theology that
Worship in the Bible is the due response of rational creatures to the self-revelation of their Creator. It is an honoring and glorifying of God by gratefully offering back to him all the good gifts, and all the knowledge of his greatness and graciousness, that he has given. It involves praising him for what he is, thanking him for what he has done, desiring him to get himself more glory by further acts of mercy, judgment, and power, and trusting him with our concern for our own and others’ future well-being. Moods of awestruck wonder and grateful celebration are all part of it.
1. “To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God.” (awareness)
2. “To worship is to feed the mind the truth of God.” (meditation and understanding)
3. “To worship is to purge the imagination by the beauty of God” (renewing of the mind; excellency)
4. “To worship is to open the heart to the love of God” (repentance and acceptance of who He is)
5. To worship is to devote the will to the purposes of God” (dedication/commitment)
The way in which we welcome God into our midst speaks a lot about what we really think of Him and how close we really are to Him. We must welcome God in all of these areas listed above. This is Yahweh, the Divine Warrior, Jesus, the Lamb of God. Give him the honor He deserves, for God inhabits the praise of His people. Welcome Him in with glad hearts, shouting for joy for what He has done for you.
Furthermore, remember that God will fight your battles for you, so praise Him. Have you been betrayed? Praise Him. Have you been abandoned by "friends"? Praise Him. Do those with hidden agendas and impure motives seem to prosper? Praise Him. Have you been wronged? Praise Him. Do not take matters into your own hands, but rather live in the presence of God and go with Him, for where His presence is, so is His power. With His presence and power comes the ability to smash the teeth of those who oppose Him; to shatter the jaw of those who mock you; to humble the arrogant who think they are getting away with their sin. Trust God. Praise God. Worship God. Welcome the Divine Warrior into your midst, walk with Him, and watch Him conquer your foes for you.