Some of the things that make the strongest impression on us as children are the things that confuse us – things we don’t understand.  I must have been quite young when I first heard Psalm 24, which was my father’s favorite (something I still don’t fathom, but tastes differ). 

The second part of the psalm reads like this:

Lift up your heads, O gates!

    and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

    that the King of glory may come in.

Who is the King of glory?

    The Lord, strong and mighty,

    the Lord, mighty in battle. (vss. 7-8)

What I couldn’t get past was the image of gates and doors lifting up their heads.  Eventually, I understood the imagery when, some years later, I saw a portcullis operate while watching a Robin Hood movie or some such thing.

You see, Psalm 24 is a processional psalm.  The ancient Israelites used to take the ark of the covenant out with the army in battle so that they might literally have God on their side.  When they returned safe and victorious to the walled city, they would sing Psalm 24 or one like it.

This is not just a history lesson.  I’ve come to realize that our worship is also an ‘after-action’ celebration.  The struggle is over and so we rejoice.  Our praise, in large part, is retrospective.

If our worship lacks the deep sense of joy and celebration that you detect in this psalm, maybe that’s because we haven’t been out beyond the safety of the walled city, where we learn that all we can rely on is God.  Unless you venture beyond safety you cannot experience deep joy. 

Prayer:  Strong deliverer, lead us forth in faith and lead us home with rejoicing.  Amen.