THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS

When David was made king over all Israel, he had the exercise to bring the ark up to mount Zion, 1 Chron. 13. 3. We have seen in Psalm 68 that this was typical of the Lord’s ascension after which He gave gifts to His people, Eph. 4. 8. When this was achieved, David composed a suitable psalm, and gave it to Asaph and his brethren in order to give thanks unto the Lord before the ark, 1 Chron. 16. 7, 8. This psalm, vv. 8-36, is really a splicing together of parts Of three psalms:

vv. 8-22 = Psalm 105. 1-15, the rest being omitted; vv. 23-33 = Psalm 96, with minor alterations;

vv. 34-36 = Psalm 106. 1, 47, 48, the rest being omitted. While the omitted parts may be unsuitable for worship under such lofty conditions, nevertheless the whole of Psalm 96 was judged suitable for worship.

There is the recognition that “beauty” was in His sanctuary, v. 6, that glory and an offering were to be brought into His courts, vv. 7, 8. Additionally, worship had to be “in the beauty of holiness”. What beauty is this?

Certainly Moses’ tabernacle was a place of beauty (physically), as were the garments of the priests. But we read of no physical beauty in the plain tent that David erected on mount Zion to receive the ark. What we do read is that the Levites sanctified themselves, 1 Chron. 15. 12, and David and the Levites were “clothed with a robe of fine linen”, v. 27. And this answers to the alternative rendering given by Bible expositors to “the beauty of holiness”, namely “in holy attire” referring to the Levitical dress for the occasion. God looked beyond the physical whiteness and saw moral excellence granted by Himself.

Thus “the beauty of holiness” or “in holy attire” refers to spiritual standing and not physical position; in Psalm 96 it refers to worship, as it also does in Psalm 29. 2. In 2 Chron. 20. 21, the singers went before the army into warfare, again in the “beauty of holiness”. Finally, under millennial conditions, there is willingness, for the people shall be willing “in the beauty of holiness”, Psa. 110. 3. This should characterize us in service too.

“Put on the new man”, Eph. 4. 24.