Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 24
Overview:
Concerning the kingdom of
Christ, and the subjects of that
kingdom.
(1-6) Concerning the
King of that kingdom.
(7-10)
1-6 We ourselves are not our own; our bodies, our souls, are
not. Even those of the children of men are
God's, who know him
not, nor own their relation to him. A soul that knows and
considers its own nature, and that it must live for ever, when
it has viewed the
Earth and the
Fulness thereof, will sit down
unsatisfied. It will think of ascending toward
God, and will
ask, What shall I do, that I may abide in that happy, holy
place, where he makes his people holy and happy? We make nothing
of religion, if we do not make
Heart-work of it. We can only be
cleansed from our sins, and renewed unto
Holiness,
By the
Blood
of
Christ and the
Washing of the
Holy Ghost. Thus we become his
people; thus we receive blessing from the
Lord, and
Righteousness from the
God of our
Salvation.
God's
Peculiar
people shall be made truly and for ever happy. Where
God gives
Righteousness, he designs
Salvation. Those that are made meet
for
Heaven, shall be brought safe to
Heaven, and will find what
they have been seeking.
7-10 The splendid entry here described, refers to the solemn
bringing in of the
Ark into the
Tent David pitched for it, or
the
Temple Solomon built for it. We may also apply it to the
Ascension of
Christ into
Heaven, and the welcome given to him
there. Our
Redeemer found the gates of
Heaven shut, but having
By his
Blood made
Atonement for
Sin, as one having authority, he
demanded entrance. The angels were to
Worship him, Heb 1:6:
they ask with wonder, Who is he? It is answered, that he is
strong and mighty; mighty in battle to save his people, and to
subdue his and their enemies. We may apply it to
Christ's
entrance into the souls of men
By his
Word and
Spirit, that they
may be his temples. Behold, he stands at the door, and knocks,
Rev 3:20. The gates and
Doors of the
Heart are to be opened to
him, as possession is delivered to the rightful owner. We may
apply it to his second coming with glorious power.
Lord, open
the
Everlasting door of our souls
By thy
Grace, that we may now
receive thee, and be wholly thine; and that, at length, we may
be numbered with thy saints in
Glory.