Psalm 24 seems to be divided up into 3 distinct sections:

— :1-2 The Lord’s creation and Lordship over all the world
— :3-6 The holiness required of those who would seek the Lord
— :7-10 The entrance of the King of glory

All 3 sections speak of qualities of God: as Creator; as Holy; as Glorious. The first section reminds us of some fundamental truths about the God of the Bible:

:1-2 “The earth is YHWH’s, and its fullness, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.”

In Old Testament times, each nation had its own god — there were one or more for each people group, and they were assumed to rule over their particular territory. But the Bible asserts here that Yahweh, the God of Israel, was NOT just another “territorial god”; He is the God of ALL the earth –“The EARTH is the Lord’s.” This was an important and unique teaching in Israel’s day.

This understanding is likewise vital in our culture today: the God of the Bible is not just “our God” – the God of Christians only — and everyone else’s religion is just as good. No, the scripture makes it clear that Yahweh is the One, True God – of ALL the earth — and all objective truth and reality revolve around Him.

Since this is true, there is one motivation which should drive each one of us. We find that in :3-6, and will address it in our next segment tomorrow morning.