Today’s news is basically the same content: steal, kill, and destroy. How can one live in this world with peace and joy? Humankind looks to all kinds of activities that, for a short time, may try to fill the void that only Yahweh can fill.  Many Christians today, if asked, will report that they are not happy or joyful but instead are burdened and confused.  One of the main reasons for all of this is that many Christians have forgotten what David wrote in Psalm 24.

Psalm 24:1-2 (NIV)  The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

The earth is Yahweh’s. Everything in it is His. He made and created everything. For a season, Satan has dominion over those who do not accept Christ as their Savior and Yahweh as God. Those who trust in Yahweh are in His care, and He provides for us. Is it just that simple?

Psalm 24:3-4    Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.

We are admonished to have clean hands and a pure heart. Clean hands are guiltless actions. When we abstain from sinful deeds, we have guiltless actions. Maintaining our loving relationship with Yahweh is based on living according to His Word. Having unclean hands or an impure heart is an insult to Yahweh to assume that we can have a loving relationship with Him and continue in our evil, sinful selfishness.  The priests in the Old Testament would wash their hands to ceremoniously represent purity before Yahweh. Only those who were “clean” were allowed to do service for the LORD.

James 4:8    Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

When we accepted Christ as our Savior, we were washed clean of our sin. Our responsibility for this gift is to continue to walk blamelessly, without double mindedness, making certain that our actions are guiltless and from a heart of love.

1 John 1:9    If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Yahweh knows that we will have times of trouble and sin. The one thing about having clean hands is that we can wash ourselves frequently. They will get soiled (meaning we will unfortunately sin on occasion). Yahweh has provided for us the forgiveness of sins and the spiritual washing to make us clean. We are able to continue to live a righteous life.

A pure heart is one that has right attitudes and motives. Matthew 5:8 states that those with a pure heart will see God. We are expected to guard our hearts to think about the things of God, being thankful and thoughtful of Him, while maintaining a hope-filled lifestyle of the love of God being shed abroad in our hearts.

Romans 5:5b   the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

What do we receive when we have clean hands and a pure heart?

Psalm 24:5-6   They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.

Seeking God is a daily, moment by moment task. The way to salvation is clear, keep our hands clean and our hearts pure. Watching, talking about, feeding on worldly pains, tragedies, and misery will not help us. Looking to other lustful things to fill the lost and lonely places in our hearts will not help us. Only by keeping our hearts and minds filled with love, grace, and mercy of Yahweh will we be able to keep ourselves from evil things. Trust in Yahweh and His Son, Jesus the Messiah.

The more we know of God’s character and the closer we remain in our relationship with Him, we will be acutely aware and capable of keeping our clean hands and pure heart. Faithfully live according to the Scriptures and to what Yahweh reveals that need to change. When we do these things, we will witness Yahweh working in our life that which can only be explained by His mighty presence.

The end of Psalm 24 is the jubilant reception of the King of glory.  Instead of living in a world of stealing, killing, and destruction, we will live with Yahweh, Jesus Christ, and the saints for all eternity in the greatest of love. We will have a jubilant entrance into the Kingdom of God as we work diligently to be guiltless in our actions and maintain a godly heart today.