How does Psalm 118:20 define the "gate of the LORD" for believers? Setting the Scene Psalm 118 celebrates God’s steadfast love, culminating in the invitation of verse 20: “This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.” What the Phrase Literally Says • “The gate” points to the physical temple entrance in Jerusalem, the single approved access to God’s earthly dwelling. • “Of the LORD” underscores ownership—God alone determines the way in. • “The righteous shall enter” restricts entry to those in right standing with Him. Who May Enter—“the righteous” Scripture consistently links temple access with moral and spiritual purity: • Psalm 24:3-4—only clean-handed, pure-hearted worshipers ascend. • Isaiah 26:2—gates open for a righteous, faithful nation. • The psalm therefore defines the gate as an exclusive passage reserved for righteous people, not for the merely religious or culturally affiliated. How Believers Become Righteous Left to ourselves, “there is no one righteous” (Romans 3:10). God Himself supplies the righteousness required: • 2 Corinthians 5:21—Christ “became sin for us… so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” • Hebrews 10:19-20—His blood opens “a new and living way” into God’s presence. Through faith in Christ, believers receive the status Psalm 118:20 demands. Jesus and the Gate Theme • John 10:9—“I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved.” • Matthew 7:13-14—only a “small gate” and “narrow way” lead to life. Jesus identifies Himself as the very “gate of the LORD” foretold in Psalm 118. To meet the Psalm’s condition of righteousness, we must enter by Him. Living Lessons for Today • Confidence, not presumption—Hebrews 4:16 urges believers to “approach the throne of grace with confidence,” because Christ qualifies us. • Holiness matters—1 Peter 1:15 calls us to live out the righteous identity that grants gate-access. • Worship with gratitude—each time we gather, we rehearse entering God’s gate, echoing Psalm 100:4: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving.” Psalm 118:20 defines the gate of the LORD as God’s divinely appointed, righteousness-restricted entryway into His presence—ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the one true Gate through whom believers confidently draw near today. |
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