Lift Up Your Heads, O Gates

The Psalm climbs in three movements. First the earth — "The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof." Then the holy hill — "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? He who has clean hands and a pure heart." And then, suddenly, a great voice cries to the very gates of heaven: "Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!" From earth to temple to throne in twelve verses, and at the top of the climb we are not asked to ascend any further — we are asked to throw open the doors and let Someone in. The question of verse three has been turned around. It is no longer "who shall ascend the hill?" It is "who is this King of glory entering the city?" And the gates themselves are summoned by name, like sleeping doormen, to rouse and lift their heads.

There is only one King in human history who has clean hands and a pure heart in the absolute sense, and who has therefore ascended the hill of the LORD without being turned away at the door. He went up not for Himself but for us. The same Lord who walked the dust of Galilee ascended in a body, was received into the throne room of His Father, and the gates lifted their heads to welcome Him. The Psalm is the soundtrack of His arrival home. The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle, has finished His battle, and the doors of heaven swing open at the sound of His name. And the wonder is this: because He is our King and our High Priest, His clean hands count for us. His pure heart is reckoned to us. When the gates lifted up for Him, they lifted up for the people hidden in Him. The doorkeeper of heaven now knows our names because He knows His.