Before we look at those verses it is important to know that this Psalm of David looks on to the Millennial Reign of Christ. Verses 1-2 say, “The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters” (NKJV). This speaks of what belongs to Christ because He is the CREATOR. But as we read the rest of the Psalm, we see that He is coming back again as the “King of glory” (see verses 7-10) to establish His kingdom over the earth. Now let’s read verses 3-4: “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has CLEAN HANDS and a PURE HEART, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully” (NASB).

As I stated at the outset, Christ is coming back to the earth as the KING OF GLORY. We read in Zechariah 14:4a, “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” and this is also spoken of in Acts 1:9-12 where we read that Christ ASCENDED from “the mount called Olivet.” He will return to that very spot which is called “the hill of the LORD.” Psalm 48:1 refers to this place too, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His HOLY MOUNTAIN.” And on that “holy hill” the TEMPLE of God will be built, which is the “holy place.” Christ will be the FIRST ONE to “ascend the hill of the LORD” and then “stand in His holy place,” for He “has clean hands” that have never sinned, a “pure heart” that has never been tempted to sin, and He never became proud and spoke deceitfully (see 1 Peter 2:21-22).

But there will be others with clean hands and a pure heart who have the privilege to go up that “holy hill” and into the “holy place.” Yet how can that be when Scripture says, “There is none righteous, no, not one…there is none who seeks after God…there is none who does good, no, not one…with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans 3:10-14)? The answer to that is, THEY WILL BE BORN AGAIN and thus have a “new nature which cannot sin.” You may recall that Jesus told a man named Nicodemus, “Unless a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” or “enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, 5). When Christ comes, as the King of kings and Lord of lords, to establish His kingdom, there will be many who will have experienced this New Birth. Many Jews will be born again (see Ezekiel 36:22-28). Gentiles will too, and they will manifest this by their treatment of God’s missionaries during the Tribulation Period (see Matthew 25:31-36). Their HANDS will minister unto them by “giving them food and drink” and their HEARTS will cause them to open their homes to “take them in and clothe them” (verses 35-36). Because of this Jesus says, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (verse 34). We see then that CLEAN HANDS and a PURE HEART are the result of God’s giving them a “new heart” that enables them to have “clean hands” that are used to bless others.

I will close by mentioning that those who are privileged to enter the “holy place above” (the “heavenly city” …. see Hebrews 12:18-24) will also be there because of the New Birth. They too have PURE HEARTS and CLEAN HANDS because of being “born again.” The Apostle Peter writes of this heavenly company in in 1 Peter 1:3-16 and he ends on this lofty note: “Since you have PURIFIED YOUR SOULS in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another with a PURE HEART, HAVING BEEN BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (verses 22-23).  (DO)  (718.1)