Text: Psalm 24
Theme: Universal Proprietor
Greetings: The Lord is good and His love endures forever.
Introduction: This psalm was penned upon occasion of David's bringing up the Ark of the Covenant to the place prepared for it.
David had witnessed the death of Uzza for touching the ARK. who can stand before him. Ancient rabbinical sources tell us that, in the Jewish liturgy, Psalm 24 was always used in worship on the first day of the week, Sunday.
The psalm 24 bears a three-part structure: The Lord as creator of all (Vv.1-2), the entrance of men into God’s sphere (Vv.3-6), the entrance of the Lord into the human sphere (Vv 7-10). It glorifies God as universal dominion. It describes the true Israel who communes with him; and it pictures the true Redeemer.
The Universal Proprietor (Psalm 24:1-2), the Universal Provincial or ruler (Psalm 24:3-6), and the Universal lover and redeemer (Psalm 24:7-10, John 3:16).
The modern society, particularly this generation of kids, values earning, spending, and having fun. The older generation believed in earning, conserving, investing, spending, and accumulating wealth for generations to come. We'll examine the importance of labour, hard work, wages, budgeting, savings, spending, sharing, and giving to God and poor. The theme for this month is “God shall Supply”.
The Universal Proprietor (Psalm 24:1-2):
Psalms 24:1-2 “THE EARTH is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers.”
The world’s richest guys are Elon Musk- $252 billion owner of Tesla motors, Jeff Bezos-$209 billion owner of Amazon, Bernard Arnault - $185 billion owner of largest Luxury goods company, Mark Zuckerberg $169 billion owner of Facebook, Bill Gates $156 billion owner of Microsoft and computers. We have top billionaires in India are Ambani, Adani, Shiv Nadar and so on. Then, who is the owner? Now the race is who will own the world?
Here the psalmist recognises that God, the creator is the Proprietor of the entire universe. Genesis 1:1 says that the Lord has created ‘the Heavens’ and ‘the Earth’. So, God is the true owner of everything that we own (Psalm 24:1). We look after his resources as stewards (Matthew 25:14-30). He is the Owner of the Heavens and the milky ways, celestial beings but even the earth and the fillings of the oceans.
John Gill comments: ‘The whole universe, all the terraqueous globe, both land and water, and the circumambient air, and all that is therein; the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, all plants and vegetables that spring out of the earth, and metals and minerals in the bowels of it; all are the riches of the Lord” (Psalm 24:1, Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalm 50:11-12, 89:11). Abraham called YHWH as "Possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:22).
Blue letter Bible: ‘He made it, formed it, founded it, and fitted it for the use of man. The matter is his, for he made it out of nothing; the form is his, for he made it according to the eternal designs and ideas of his own mind.’ “We are not our own; our bodies, our souls, are not ours.” (Mathew Henry). How badly we are holding things of the World. God is the Universal Proprietor.
Barnes comments: He is the Creator of the earth, and therefore, he is the Proprietor. He is the owner, we are the Trustees of his properties.
The Bhagavad-gita, says, “He is the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor of everything and anything within this creation, and the supreme friend of everyone. When one knows these things perfectly, he is always satisfied.” We are just guest in His house. We are not the proprietors.
There are a few false claims on the universe as their properties. Satan claimed that the World and its authorities are given to him (Luke 4:5-6). Many Kings in the history of the world claim it. But, in fact, nothing we own everything is the gift of the Lord.
Illustration: Alexander, the Great said, "I want the world to know the three lessons I have just learned." 1. "I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can cure anybody. They are helpless in front of death." 2. "I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people know that wealth is nothing but dust." 3. “I wish all to know that I came empty-handed into this world, and I will go empty-handed."
The Universal Ruler (Psalm 24:3-6):
Psalms 24:5-6 “He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him who seek Your face, O God of Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!”
Now David says the universal judge, justice and righteousness. But, Our hearts are disturbed while we read about the wars, bombings, nations fighting with one another, Gaza fights, Russia and Ukraine war, Bangladesh civil unrest , Sri Lanka civil unrest, unsafe working atmospheres, sexual abuses, rapes, violence against women? Who rules the world? Where is God? Is there justice?
Keil comments: “Jahve, whose throne of grace is now set upon Zion, has not a limited dominion, like the heathen deities: His right to sovereignty embraces the earth and its fullness.” The psalmist begins with a representation of God’s dominion over this world in general, and his providential presence in every part of it. After which follows a declaration of his special presence in his tabernacle. The heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool (Isaiah 66:1, Psalm 11:4, Matthew 5:34).
Now, how the worshipper should behave, and how to enter into His presence (Psalm 24:3-4) according to the law; and what are the blessings after entering into God’s presence (Psalm 24:5-6). At the Altar of the Lord we leave ourselves, our substances, then we leave from Altar with his favours, with his blessings, with his comforts and with his authority. He bestows the blessings and righteousness, justice to the worshippers.
Enduring Word commentary says: David was noble and a successful king, but his kingdom was small and insignificant compared to the kingdoms of Egypt or Assyria. So those gods were greater than Yahweh for a simple understanding. However, David rightly knew that Yahweh was God of the universe. He who has clean hands and a pure heart can see God, and worship Him. It refers to man to the pure in both their actions (hands) and intentions (heart).
The Lord of Hosts reminds that of the universe as an ordered whole, a disciplined army, a cosmos obedient to His voice. “God's supreme sovereignty requires a befitting holiness of life and heart in His worshippers”. (Jamieson). Remember the sermon on the mountain of Jesus, which reflects this Psalm 24.
“It is not he who sings so well or so many Psalms, nor he who fasts or watches so many days, nor he who divides his own among the poor, nor he who preaches to others, nor he who lives quietly, kindly, and friendly; nor, in fine, is it he who knows all sciences and languages, nor he who works all virtuous and all good works that ever any man spoke or read of, but it is he alone, who is pure within and without.” (Martin Luther).
The Universal Redeemer (Psalm 24:7-10, John 3:16):
Psalms 24:7-8 “Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” Selah [pause, and think of that]!
Many came into this world claiming redeemers, every religion claims their authority over redemption, they suggest many ways and means but Christ has done the greatest things to this world.
John 3:16-18: “For God so greatly loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not judged but he who does not believe is judged already because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God”.
The coming of the King of Glory into the human space. The Jews believed that God was their king. They believed that he went everywhere they went with their ark. The psalm calls God "the king of glory" 4 times. When we confess the Lord as king means that we are not the ruler of our lives. They carried the ark through the gates. The Ark of the Covenant was God’s presence with his people. The King of glory shall come in. The Lord of Hosts, the lover of Souls, the father of all human beings love to dwell in midst of the People.
"Who is the king of glory?" answer is "The LORD!" This King is from eternity had the power, authority, and sovereignty. He dwells between the Cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4, 2 Samuel 6:2).
Open the doors and gates of hearts and souls for the Lord to come in. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”(Revelation 3:20 NASV).
1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” Revelation 21:3 ESV: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
Conclusion: we are not the owners of our properties, our selves. So let’s seek him everyday for his guidance, counsel, direction to take care of everything in life. Complete trust in God shapes us by God’s Torah. The resulting “blessing” is not a material reward for good behaviour, but rather the satisfaction of being in full and right relationship with the God of life. Amen, Amen.
