Psalm 24:7-10 – Who is the King of Glory?
Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them high, O 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 gates; lift them high, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.
How Does a King Dance
Psalm 24 is a powerful declaration of God’s sovereignty, often believed to have been written for the triumphant return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Some scholars suggest it was composed to commemorate King David’s historic procession as he brought the Ark back from enemy hands into the holy city. This moment was marked by an unforgettable display—David, the mighty king of Israel, dancing before the Lord with total abandon, stripped of his royal garments, much to the dismay of his wife.
But why did David dance like this? Why would a king lower himself in such a way?
The return of the Ark was more than a victory—it was a divine event. David, a man after God’s own heart, was acutely aware that his position, his power, and even his life were all by the grace of God. He was a warrior, a ruler, but also a flawed man—a man who had stumbled in sin, tried to cover it up with murder and yet found redemption because God is merciful. In this moment, he was not merely a king; he was a worshipper, humbling himself before the true King of Glory.
Dance of Humility
I believe David’s uninhibited dancing was his way of proclaiming to the people: “It is not me—it is God. The Lord of hosts, He is the true King! I may sit on the throne, but I am just a man, no different from you.” In his humility, David pointed all glory to the One who truly deserved it.
I am reminded of Isaiah in chapter six. Isaiah mentions the death of king Uzziah as he describes seeing the Lord in His temple. An earthly king dies and the prophet sees a true king sitting on a heavenly throne. Isaiah has a response that mirrors David’s perspective. It is in the Lord’s presence that Isaiah, like all of us, sees who he truly is.
So, when we ask, “Who is this King of glory?” the answer resounds through time: The Lord of hosts. The King of kings. And He alone is worthy of our praise.