“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?” (vs3)
The Lord Jesus makes us holy, so that we may dwell upon God's holy hill in peace and safety, rather than wrath.
The throne is God's in Christ (vs1-3). We read, “The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters”. He made this world, and He rules it absolutely. He is the One that we will answer to, because He hasn't abdicated His rights as God. He didn't create us, and then “leave it up to us to decide” how we'll live, and He'll just accept us. No, He declares, “The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness”, so that we're to honor Him with our lives, living that others know Christ (1 Cor 10:27-31). We do this by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby God reveals our salvation in Christ, so that we follow Him willingly.
Secondly, holiness is in heart and life (vs3-6). Scripture says, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation”.
God cleanses us inwardly by faith, removing the old man's dominance, forgiven sin, and giving us a new nature of love (1 Pet 1:17-21). He sent His Son a sacrifice, and He predestined Him from the world's beginning, so that we could have a relationship with God in holiness by faith alone. We trust what Christ has done for us, which is love us unto death, and thereby, we live that others know the Christ, in love to our fellow man, in the forgiveness of their sins! We've received reconciliation, so our lives are spent reconciling others. We bring sinners to Christ by the grace that brought us, and we live that others see the beauty of Him who was eternally ordained for our salvation. We are pure, not because of our efforts, but by the grace of God, working in us to do His will. He calls us unto Himself continually in repentance and faith, and we confess like Jacob, “I will not let You go unless You bless me” with holy obedience and peace (Gen 32:26).
Bless God, we love Him because we are sure He first loved us, and it shows itself in our behavior. We are the “generation of those who seek Him”, the real Jacob (Ps 24:6).
Thirdly, the Lord Jesus, by whom we enter glory, comes into glory on His own (vs7-10). Scripture says, “Lift up your head, O you gates! And be lifted up (look), you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battled”. We make it by grace. The Lord Jesus enters heaven meritoriously, having earned His reward. We come into bliss, but when Christ comes, the heavens must stand at attention and give special heed to their Creator and Lord. He is the One who earned the throne by His blood, whereby He sits with all the Father gave Him, saved, holy, and happy.
Lastly, if the gospel is the love of your life, if you live that others know Christ, then you are one who believes the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. You render Him honor by faith, loving men at His command. You shall be saved at the Judgment, and you'll be rewarded by the holy God who loves to exalt the righteous and puts down sin.
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