The Triumphal Entry of the King Text: Psalm 24:7-10
Introduction: The Ascended Victor
The Psalms are the prayer book of the church, but they are also the songbook of her King. In these ancient hymns, we are not simply given expressions of human emotion, whether of agony as in Psalm 22 or peaceful trust as in Psalm 23. We are also given a prophetic and theological window into the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. This psalm, Psalm 24, is a psalm of pure, unadulterated triumph. It begins with the global dominion of God in creation, "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof," and it moves to the question of who can possibly stand in fellowship with such a God. The answer is the one with clean hands and a pure heart. But as we read that, we know that this is a description that none of us can meet in ourselves. There is only one man who has ever perfectly fulfilled that requirement, and that is the man Christ Jesus.
This psalm, therefore, is not about us trying to climb our way up to God. It is about the one Man who did ascend the holy hill of the Lord, who did stand in the holy place, and who did it as our representative. The final section of this psalm, our text for this morning, is a dramatic depiction of His arrival. It is a coronation anthem. It is the scene at the gates of the celestial city after the victory has been won. The resurrection was the victory declared on earth; the ascension was the victory declared in heaven.
We often think of the ascension as a quiet, almost melancholy departure. The disciples stared into the sky as Jesus disappeared into a cloud. But what this psalm shows us is what happened on the other side of that cloud. It was not a quiet exit, but a thunderous entrance. It was a conqueror returning from the war, leading captivity captive, and approaching the gates of His capital city. This is not just poetry; it is a theological reality that undergirds our entire faith. Because He entered, we have access. Because He was welcomed, we are accepted. This is the triumphal entry of the King.
The Text
Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
Who is this King of glory?
Yahweh strong and mighty,
Yahweh mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift yourselves up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
Who is He, this King of glory?
Yahweh of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.
(Psalm 24:7-10 LSB)
The Royal Summons (v. 7, 9)
The scene opens with a command, a summons issued to the very gates of heaven. This is repeated for emphasis, a stereophonic announcement.
"Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!" (Psalm 24:7)
The imagery here is likely that of a city gate with a portcullis, a heavy grating that is lifted up to grant entry. To "lift up your heads" is to open wide. These are not just any doors; they are "ancient doors," or everlasting doors. They are the gates to the eternal city, the heavenly Jerusalem. And they are being commanded to open. This is not a request. It is a demand. The King is not asking for permission to enter His own city.
But why do the gates need to be told to open? Is there some resistance in heaven? Of course not. This is liturgical drama. It is a call and response, designed to build anticipation and to declare the significance of the one who approaches. The universe is being called to attention. The angelic sentries are being summoned to perform their glorious duty. Everything must make way for the arrival of the King.
And who is this King? He is designated the "King of glory." Glory is the manifestation of God's infinite worth and weighty significance. This is not a king of a petty, earthly kingdom. This is the King whose intrinsic honor and majesty are the source of all other honor and majesty. He is glory personified. When He was born, the angels sang "Glory to God in the highest." When He returns, He will come "in the glory of His Father with His angels" (Matt. 16:27). And here, at His ascension, He is entering heaven as the King of glory. He is returning to the glory He had with the Father before the world began, but He is returning as something new: the victorious God-man, our champion.
The Herald's Challenge (v. 8a, 10a)
In response to the summons, a question is posed from within the city. A herald at the gate issues a formal challenge.
"Who is this King of glory?" (Psalm 24:8a)
Again, this is not a question born of ignorance. The inhabitants of heaven know perfectly well who is approaching. This question is a liturgical device, a prompt for the declaration of the King's identity and His battle-won credentials. It is the angelic equivalent of "State your name and business." It is an invitation to boast in the name of the approaching champion. It is a cue for the universe to hear the resume of the victor.
Think of it. When the Lord Jesus was born, a baby lying in a feed box, the celestial hosts could not contain themselves and a multitude filled the night sky with exultation. Now, imagine the scene after the triumph was fully and finally won. Imagine the gates of heaven, the walls thronged with galaxies of angels, as the greater David, the Lord Jesus, rides up to the gates, not with the head of Goliath in His hand, but having crushed the head of the ancient serpent. He has conquered sin, death, and Hell. He has disarmed principalities and powers and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross. This question is the setup for the grand announcement of that victory.
The Victor's Credentials (v. 8b, 10b)
The answer to the challenge is a thunderous declaration of the King's identity, grounded in His mighty works.
"Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle." (Psalm 24:8b)
The first answer identifies Him by His character and recent accomplishment. He is Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God. He is the one who makes promises and keeps them. But He is not just a promise-maker; He is "strong and mighty." This is not an abstract strength. It is a strength that has been proven, demonstrated, and flexed in the field of combat. He is "Yahweh mighty in battle."
What battle? The central battle of all of history. The war against sin and death. On the cross, He engaged the enemy in mortal combat. He absorbed the full wrath of God against our sin. He exhausted the curse. He swallowed death. And on the third day, He rose from the grave, having defeated our last and greatest enemy. He is not mighty in a theoretical sense. He is mighty in battle because He has fought the battle and won decisively. He has the scars to prove it. He is the warrior returning from the war, and His garments are stained with the blood of His enemies. This is the ground of His entrance. He enters not just because He is the eternal Son, but because He is the victorious Savior.
The summons and challenge are repeated, and the final answer broadens the scope of His authority.
"Who is He, this King of glory? Yahweh of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah." (Psalm 24:10)
This time, the answer is "Yahweh of hosts." This is the Hebrew, Yahweh Sabaoth. It means the Lord of armies. It refers to His command over the angelic armies of heaven. He is not just a solitary warrior; He is the commander-in-chief of innumerable, loyal, and powerful angelic beings. He is the Lord of all heavenly and earthly power. This title affirms His absolute sovereignty over all things. As He Himself said after His resurrection, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matt. 28:18).
The psalm then concludes with a final, emphatic declaration: "He is the King of glory." There is no other. The question has been asked and answered. His identity is settled. His right to enter is unquestionable. And then we have the word, "Selah." This is a musical or liturgical notation, likely calling for a pause. It is a moment to stop and let the weight of this reality sink in. Pause and consider. The triumphant, ascended Christ, the Lord of Armies, has entered the heavenly city as the King of glory. He has taken His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on High.
Our Ascended King
This grand, dramatic scene is not a piece of historical trivia. The ascension of Jesus Christ as the King of glory is the foundation of our present reality. Because He entered those ancient doors, the way into the holiest of all has been opened for us. He did not enter for Himself alone, but as our forerunner, as our head, as our representative.
When the gates lifted up their heads for Him, they lifted them for all who are in Him. His entry was our entry. His welcome was our welcome. The author of Hebrews tells us that we have "confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh" (Hebrews 10:19-20). He is the King of glory, and we are members of His court. He is Yahweh mighty in battle, and we are the beneficiaries of His victory.
This means that our lives in this world are not lived under an absent king. He is the enthroned King. He is Yahweh of hosts, and He is currently ruling and reigning until all His enemies are made His footstool. The battles we face, whether personal struggles with sin, or cultural battles against wickedness, are not fought alone. We fight under the banner of a King who has already won the decisive victory. He is not wringing His hands in heaven, wondering how it will all turn out. He is ruling. He is directing all of history toward its appointed end.
Therefore, we can have an unshakeable confidence. The King has entered His city. His reign is secure. And because He is the King of glory, He is in the business of turning inglorious sinners like us into glorious saints like Him. He is strong and mighty, and He is mighty to save. He is the Lord of hosts, and He has dispatched His servants to gather His people from every tribe and tongue. The gates of heaven opened for Him, and because of that, the gates of Hell will not prevail against His church.