A Road Map for Life | Beginning With GodSample

THE BLESSING (Psalm 24)

Would you like the blessing of God on your life — on your family, your work, your church, your community? All of us do But we are living in a world in which everyone wants the product, but very few want the process. Even fewer are willing to pay the price.

Psalm 24 literally revolves around the blessing. Right in the heart of its ten verses is the subject of God’s blessing upon our lives:

“The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.”

This psalm is not really about the blessing so much as it is about the God of the blessing. Sometimes we get so consumed with the blessings that we forget the Blesser. Psalm 24 is about knowing the God who brings so many good things into our lives.

It breaks down into three main parts. The first two verses give us a look at eternity past, where we see Christ as the Creator. At the end, verses 7-10 give us a glimpse of eternity future, with Christ as the King of Glory.

That leaves us with verses 3-6, which deal with the present — right where we are at this moment. This is where we see Christ as our High Priest. We are ascending to the tabernacle with David and to the holy place with the son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I think of the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:8. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” I ask you again, would you like the blessing? God shows us several things in these few verses.

1. A revelation of Who the blessing is.

Notice that I did not say “What.” The blessing is not something; it is Someone. Do you know what the greatest blessing in life is? It is simply to be in the presence of God. Listen to the great question in verse 3: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?” It is all about just being near God, knowing there is nothing between you and Him.

Can you say that today about yourself? Are you walking constantly and consciously in the presence of our holy God? Every joy, every good thing, every blessing flows out of His presence. So stop seeking some thing and seek the Lord.

We are never told in Scripture to seek revival. We are told to seek the Lord. When we do, He brings revival. He wants you to have not just a revival meeting, but a revived life in His presence.

2. An instruction of how to seek the blessing.

If you want to live in the presence of God and have the blessing of being near Him, how is that possible? It is illustrated in verse 4: “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

Notice thatHe moves from the outside in.He starts with the hands, which are external, and them moving to the heart, which represents the most intimate, secret things in your life. God knows even the innermost part of us!

The Jewish people at the time this psalm was written would have lifted up their hands in worship. We are told in I Timothy 2:8 to “pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” God wants your hands right and your heart right. The last part of the verse extends that to the soul and the lips as well. He wants every part of you to be as clean as it can be.

To do this, you need to confess your sin before Him and make sure everything in you is clean and out of God’s way. It is a beautiful parallel to James 4:8, which says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

3. A question of who wants the blessing.

Is there a hunger and thirst in you for more of God? Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

The word “ascend” in verse 3 of the psalm is a very beautiful word. I believe the Christian life should be an ever-ascending life, as pictured by people going up the temple stairs into the presence of God.

The Bible says in Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Would you really be willing today to seek the Lord?

Someone once said that the way to have revival is to draw a circle, step into it, and ask God to make everyone in that circle right with Him. I like that. Don’t ask the Lord to straighten everyone else out; ask Him to get you clean.

Matthew Henry once said, “When God is about to pour out unusual blessings, He first sets His people a-praying.” I believe that is true. It is why verse 6 says, “This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.” I wonder if we could be that generation.

Why is Jacob’s name mentioned there? That was Israel’s first name. It meant supplanter, trickster, deceiver. Jacob was the cripple, the weak one. Aren’t you glad God is the God of the weak ones?

If you are weak today and feel as though you can only limp into the presence of God, that’s all right. Declare your utter dependence on Him and say, “Lord, I want you more than anything. I want the blessing of living in your presence today.”

Psalm 24 is more than historical or prophetical; it is personal. If you want the blessing, you can receive it by living in the presence of God. Do not forget the Blesser!