Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19960421.htm

PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm Twenty-Four: A Call To REVERE God So As To HEED His Requirements For Blessing
(Psalm 24:1-10)
  1. Introduction
    1. We know from Scripture itself, let alone from our Church's Statement of Faith, that our faith and practice should be metered by God's Word, cf. 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Nepaug Bylaws, Art. III, Section 1.
    2. However, there are times when in all good intentions God does not bless, but even chastises the believer's best efforts because they violate His WORD! The problem is that, for some reason, we had set out on a course of action without first seriously examining SCRIPTURE to see if our methods were RIGHT!
    3. The solution for this problem is detailed in the historical context and content of Psalm 24:1-10 as follows:
  2. A Call To REVERE God So As To HEED His Requirements For Blessing, Ps. 24:1-10.
    1. Many authorities believe that the events preceding this psalm's authorship are recorded in 2 Sam. 6:1-15, Leupold, Exposition of the Psalms, p. 215.
    2. Those events reveal a tragedy arising out of Israel's failure to check Scripture on transporting the ark:
      1. God had stipulated that the ark of the covenant was to be carried on foot by the Levites with staves that were thrust through the rings at the ark's corners, Ex. 25:14-15; Num. 3:30-31.
      2. However, David resorted to a convenience supplied by the Canaanites to carry the ark incorrectly:
        1. After having captured the ark in battle some time before, and after experiencing pressures from God, the Canaanites, ignorant of the Law's stipulations, had put the ark on a new cart drawn by cattle to return to Israel, 1 Sam. 6:1-10.
        2. The cattle stopped at the border town of Beth-shemesh where Israel retrieved it, 1 Sam. 6:12-18.
        3. For twenty years, the ark of God was stored in the home of a Hebrew named Abinadab, 7:1-2.
        4. When David came to the throne, he sought to transport the ark back to the tabernacle in Jerusalem. To do so, instead of using the Levites to carry the ark on foot with staves in the ark's rings, a way that would have made the transportation smooth even over rough ground, he copied the ignorant Philistines in putting it on a new cart, 2 Sam. 6:1-4.
      3. This erroneous method of transporting the ark led to a tragic death of a well-meaning Hebrew:
        1. As the cart rolled along, it hit a rough spot and the ark looked like it might topple. A well-meaning Hebrew, a non-Levite named Uzzah put out his hand to steady the ark to keep it on the cart, 6:6.
        2. Since this action with all good intentions nevertheless violated the holiness of God, God struck Uzzah so that he died on the spot in judgment, 2 Sam. 6:7!
      4. David questioned how he could get the ark up to Jerusalem if it was so difficult to steady it on a cart and God was disposed to kill anyone who steadied it, 2 Sam. 6:8-9. Accordingly he left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite fo r 3 months until he could figure out an answer, 2 Sam. 6:10-11.
      5. When it was discovered that God had blessed the house of Obed-edom where the ark stayed, David was encouraged to bring the ark up to Jerusalem, 6:12.
      6. However, this time they did it correctly by using the Levites, and all went well, 2 Samuel 6:13-15.
    3. Thus, Psalm 24:1-10 reflects the learned lesson from this incident in transporting the ark of God:
      1. Psalm 24:1-2 establish the truth that Israel's God is the CREATOR. Thus, He is to be respected!
      2. As a result of respecting God, only those who bothered to use that respect (pure heart) to check His Word so as to do what pleased Him (clean hands) could ascend Zion and stand in His temple as the ark was transported back to the tabernacle, Psalm 24:3-4.
      3. In fact, such a one would receive God's blessing as had Obed-edom and Abinadab in whose homes the ark had stayed, Psalm 24:5 with 1 Sam. 7:1-2 and 2 Sam. 6:10-12.
      4. Having established these conditions for proper conducting of the ark, the psalm continues with phrases of joyous worship during the procession of bringing the ark of God into the tabernacle, Ps. 24:6,7-10.
Lesson: David and Israel lacked enough RESPECT for God to CHECK His WORD on how the ark was to be transported to lead to the tragic death of the WELL-MEANING Uzzah. Once coming to RESPECT God so as to CHECK Scripture on the ark's proper way of tra nsportation, all went well.

Application: The amount of RESPECT one has for God cannot be emphasized ENOUGH, for only when we RESPECT Him enough will we CHECK our lives by SCRIPTURE to enjoy God's blessing!