The occasion of this Psalm is about the old testament perspective of the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Ark of God had been stolen, recovered, and put back in the presence of His people. David asks a question: "Who can ascend the hill of the Lord?" (To bring the ark up the mountain.) This is the ultimate question for self examination. Who can stand in the Lord's Holy presence? We mark our sins and we understand it is all in Christ do we not?!

The figure: We see Jesus and the cross through the picture of the old testament. Christ is ascending into the presence of the Heavenly Father. The ark is carried up on Mount Zion...God's holy hill! The ark had always been behind the veil with God's people only being able to enter into the presence of God. Now David was privileged to bring the ark from the house of Obed-Edom up Mount Zion. David had conquered and had peace with his neighbors now. He now dances around the ark and testifies to the fact that all things (earth and the fullness of) were designed to glorify God! And he asks this question..."Who can stand in the presence of Almighty God?" Almost a rhetorical question. Only one with a pure heart, clean hands, only not lifted to vanity, or deceitful.

The approach: God cannot be approached as He is in the most holy place and we cannot approach Him unless we partake of the bounties of His grace! One who ascends Mount Zion must be perfect and without sin! Christ struggles in the garden NOT with HIS SIN, but having been laid with OUR SIN. He struggled with what David says because He wrote it! Having been made sin and conquering He ascended! Jesus Christ having attained redemption for us enters into heaven for us! Up to Mount Zion! He imparts to us so it is as if we had in ourselves made reconciliation for our sins. He wipes the picture and tears the veil and sheds blessings upon us without number!

Blessing: He sends the blessings of His Spirit upon us...blessing galore! God gave Israel the land of milk and honey because He dealt with them...but that was only a picture. You and I too have that blessing and are given blessing. We can now stand as Christ stands in the face of God in glory and you and I can stand as we share in Christ's blessings.