clean hands and pure heart

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false

and does not swear deceitfully.

Psalm 24:3-4

Jesus in the only One Who can make of my soul what this psalm requires. I can only stand before the Father because of the righteousness of His Son. Jesus has cleansed these hands and has purified this heart. Jesus is the way, truth, and life who keep me from lifting up my idolatrous heart to the worship of another. Jesus made the way for me to be able to know the peace of God as I worship God.

I cannot stand before God on my own merit. Even one sin is me makes me deserving of judgment before a holy God. I need the righteousness of Christ to be applied to me as I go to God each day. And God, in His merciful grace, sent His Son to pay my sin debt, to take my judgment upon Himself, so that I may be declared righteous by faith and have access to all my Father wants for me. I can be holy because of the holiness of Jesus, my Lord and my Savior. 

I should never take for granted just how precious is this grace. I open God’s Word daily, I bring my worship and my requests to God. And I can do so because the blood of Jesus cleanses me from all unrighteousness. Thank You, Lord! Give us clean hands, and give us pure hearts. Let us not lift our souls to another!