Daily Devotions

You’ve heard the old cliché: “You only get one time to make a first impression.”

It’s true. How we appear when we first enter a room can make a huge difference in the way people perceive us.

Nonverbal communication experts advise several things if you want to make a good first impression: (1) Always look your best. (2) Before entering a room, take a deep breath and check your posture. (3) Relax and get rid of tension. (4) Keep a happy expression on your face as you enter. (5) Survey the room to see who’s there. (6) Look other people in the eye and smile.

But have you ever wondered, how would the Lord God make an entrance? How would the King of glory come into a room?

Many scholars believe David wrote Psalm 24 to commemorate the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.

The Ark represented the very dwelling place of God. The people of Israel understood that the Lord dwelt between the wings of the two cherubim mounted on the lid of the ark.

The Ark’s return to the city symbolized the entrance of the Lord to His temple. That’s why it’s so fitting that the Psalm ends with these words:

Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, 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 battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah (Psalm 24:7–10, NKJV)

As this celebrative song reaches its conclusion, the worshipers call out: “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!” These ancient doors are the Temple gates. David is calling for the doors of the Temple to be flung wide open for the King to enter.

Then, as the doors open wide, the King comes in.

Twice the question rings out: “Who is this King of glory?”

The answer comes back loudly: “The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle ... the Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.”

This One who enters is the majestic, mighty, victorious King who commands the armies of Heaven and whose kingdom never knows defeat!

As you think about those words, don’t miss the deeper truth behind them.

The entrance of the Ark into the Holy City was only a precursor of the entry of Jesus Christ, the King of glory, when He came into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday, riding on a donkey’s colt as the people shouted: “Hosanna!”

Even that triumphal entry, however, paled in comparison to our victorious, risen Lord’s return to the Holy City of Heaven after His death, resurrection, and ascension.

But, greater still, there is coming a day when Jesus, the King of glory, will return to earth to establish His kingdom. Jesus said:

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. (Matthew 25:31, NKJV)