"Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD of Armies, he is the King of glory." I love the way this passage ends. It reorients my mind and soul to be reminded the LORD of Armies is still, and always has been, in control!

The week began with divided peoples and disinherited nations but ended in a song and Psalm of praise, ownership, and glory.

Psalm 24 helps us focus our gaze beyond Babel, beyond the rebellious rulers and the raging nations ... beyond all the conflict itself.  Ever since the exile from Eden, the earth and the spiritual entities involved with it have been locked in conflict, but the final words over all that conflict and reality are "The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD." No matter what happens, no matter how dark it gets, how deep the rebellion, there is nothing outside the authority and purview of God Almighty.
 
In light of His majesty, it seems fitting to end the week with worship. Worship is not an escape from the conflict but a direct defiance of it. When we worship, we are joining the hosts of heaven in their praise and exaltation of the King of Glory. We are declaring that God, not the lesser rulers, have the final word. No darkness can topple who really owns the world. Worship realigns us with this reality.

There's also a very pointed and probing question in verse 3: “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?” After a week of discovery, affirming the reality of the world in which we live, this question matters a great deal.  So far we've seen rebellious nations, corrupt rulers, and all out spiritual warfare. What we haven't seen is that "only the strong survive" or only the clever are exalted. Victory isn't predicated by some fabricated moral superiority.

The Truth is, only those with clean hands and pure hearts can stand before God. If we stop reading there, we are faced with an insurmountable problem. Left to our own devices, none of us are clean (Romans 3:10). Thankfully, the Psalmist doesn't leave us in despair. The song builds towards the entrance of the King of Glory; the gates are commanded to open because the true King is coming in.

 This truth is the only reason a week of disinheritance and disgrace can end in boundless hope. The King is here. He is strong and mighty in battle. He does what rebellious humanity could never do ... He enters, conquers, and restores.

This battle isn't imaginary. It is very real. But we can worship in Hope because our King is very real as well. The earth is still His and the handing over of the nations is but temporary. History isn't aimlessly drifting towards an unknown future but instead marches triumphantly towards the full and visible reign of Jesus.

Worship helps the world make sense again. It reminds us Who is in charge and who owns the world. It reminds us He and He alone can make it possible for us to stand in His holiness.

What in our world of late has seemed too large to deal with or even threatening? How does the Truth that the world belongs to God help stabilize your fear, hope, and worship?

Father, my heart is far too quick to lash out at the things I can see and forget who our battle is against. It forgets sometimes that you sit enthroned in the heavens and on the earth. Help me to fix my eyes on your glory and majesty. Cleanse my heart and steady my feet to stand in this world. Teach me to worship in truth as I welcome the Lord of Armies! Help me to live in such a way that my life continually proclaims that you, and you alone, are LORD. Amen.