What is the meaning of Psalm 24:8? Who is this King of Glory? Psalm 24:8 begins with a question that sounds like a call-and-response at the gates of Jerusalem. It draws the listener in to identify the true ruler: • This question isn’t posed because the speaker lacks knowledge; it is meant to awaken everyone to recognize God’s presence, much like the crowd on Palm Sunday asked, “Who is this?” as Jesus entered Jerusalem (Matthew 21:10-11). • The title “King of Glory” points to the LORD’s absolute sovereignty (Psalm 29:10) and the radiant honor that surrounds Him (Exodus 24:16-17). • By asking, David highlights that no earthly monarch can claim such glory; only the LORD fills the throne of the universe (1 Timothy 6:15-16). “The earth is the LORD’s” statement earlier in the psalm (Psalm 24:1) sets the stage—He owns the gates and the people inside, and now He approaches to take His place. The LORD strong and mighty “The LORD, strong and mighty” answers the question by proclaiming God’s unmatched power: • Strong: His strength is inherent, not delegated. He split the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31) and sustained Israel in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:15-16). • Mighty: He is able to accomplish His will against any opposition, as seen when He toppled the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:20) and empowered David over Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45-47). • This strength is moral and spiritual as well—He forgives sin and transforms hearts (Isaiah 1:18, Ezekiel 36:26-27). When Jesus calmed the storm with a word (Mark 4:39-41), the disciples echoed the psalm’s awe: “Who then is this?” The answer: the same LORD who rules the seas in Psalm 24 (cf. Psalm 89:9). The LORD mighty in battle God’s might shows up in warfare language because He defends His people and defeats evil: • At the Red Sea He was “the LORD is a warrior” (Exodus 15:3). • He fought for Israel against Amalek (Exodus 17:8-15) and later against the Assyrians when one angel struck down 185,000 (2 Kings 19:32-35). • Ultimately, the battle points forward to Christ’s victory over sin, death, and Satan at the cross and empty tomb (Colossians 2:15, Hebrews 2:14-15). • Revelation 19:11-16 pictures the returning Christ as the Faithful and True warrior-King, fulfilling Psalm 24:8 on a cosmic scale. Because He is “mighty in battle,” believers can trust His protection and final triumph (Romans 8:31-39). summary Psalm 24:8 celebrates the arrival of the sovereign, all-glorious LORD. The probing question “Who is this King of Glory?” invites every heart to recognize God alone as the strong and mighty warrior-King. He owns all creation, possesses limitless power, fights for His people, and wins every battle—ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the King of Glory who enters not only Jerusalem’s gates but the gates of every believing heart. |
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