Psalm 15
King David wrote this psalm in Hebrew, he had a house in Jerusalem for the Lord—a tent made from goat skins. The king called his tent the house of the LORD. David thought that God lived in it. God is holy, so David said this made the hill of Zion holy too. People that loved the LORD came to his house. They asked, "Who can come into the house of the like on the inside.
A believer is a Christian who believes in the
Lord. This psalm clarifies the personality of those Christians who God would
have worshipped Him and we are reminded of basic principles of righteous conduct
required by God.
This psalm may have been written in
anticipation of the ark's restoration to Israel and establishment of public worship
in Jerusalem since David “was afraid of
the LORD that day, and said, how shall the ark of the LORD come to me? So David
would not remove the ark of the LORD to him into the city of David: but David
carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of the
LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD
blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.” (2 Sam 6:9-11).
This psalm begins with two questions
addressed to God, perhaps prompted by the incident involving Uzzah touching the
ark when it was being transported improperly on the back of a cart (2 Sam
6:3-7; Num 4:5-15; 7:9).
Since no one could actually take up residence
in the tabernacle, the inquiry could be paraphrased “Whom will you accept when
he comes to your house, O Lord?” (v1). The answer provided begins with a
general description of a true worshiper as one who walks uprightly and works
righteousness. More specifically, the true worshiper is one who does not lie, backbite
with his tongue, do evil to his neighbor, or take up a reproach against his
friend. He despises a vile (despicable) person, but honors those who fear the
Lord.
David’s question
posed. He asks: who may abide in the Lord's
tabernacle? “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy
hill? The answer is provided in verses 2 to 5, He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness…this is in general terms. Specifically, this
means “he who speaks truth in his heart and he who does not backbite with his
tongue, do evil to his neighbor and take up a reproach against his friend.
A true worshipper never shows disrespect to
anyone and detests any wrongdoing and deception. He is very careful to do hurt
to no man by speaking evil to him and not others' faults the matter of his
common talk. While he makes the best of everybody, and the worst of nobody, he
values every man by their virtue and piety. Every true living Christian, with the
grace of God, have this temper and conduct, and in these respects proved
himself to be one. “In whose eyes...a vile person is despised; the one who
fears the Lord is honored and he who swears to his own hurt and does not change.
He who does not...put out his money at usury (interest), take a bribe against
the innocent and he who does these things shall never be moved.” The Christian
is a good neighbor and is good in his relations with them; all persons with
whom we have anything to do.
The true worshipper’s upright character is
illustrated by his unwillingness to go back on his word even if he has sworn to
his own detriment. The psalm ends with a declaration that one who does these
things shall never be moved. This is because he is privileged to draw near to
God and he prospers in everything he does. AMEN
