Who may worship in Your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter Your presence on [Y]our holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the LORD, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever. Psalm 15, NLT.
Holy Father, we bow in awe at Your expectations of us! When we realize how sinful we are, and yet how much You believe we are capable of accomplishing, we ask in deepest humility, LORD, please teach us how, as we enter the study of Your Word! In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen and Amen.
This short Psalm, of merely five verses, holds such a profound concept of Christlike living, that we would do well if we were to read it over and over. What I find rather interesting is the fact that it seems to represent a moral code of conduct, that is expected of church-goers, “Who may worship in Your sanctuary, LORD?”. Perhaps this study will serve to burst some of our bubbles of self-righteousness that we tend to tote around. Some of us may have to do a “double take” at our lives, which is always a spiritually healthy, thing to do.
Let us take a few minutes to consider what the psalmist, under inspiration, is saying to us. The majority of Bible translations renders the first phrase of verse two as, “walk blamelessly” (NRSV); “walk straight” (MSG); “walk is blameless” (NIV); “walks and lives uprightly and blamelessly” (AMP). I want to compare this with the message that God gave to Abraham in Genesis 17: 1, a year before the promised child, with whom the covenant would be established, was born, ” ‘Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life’ ” (NLT). “… Walk before me and be blameless” (NKJV).
When God calls us to live “blamelessly,” He is actually asking us to make “godliness” our way of life! The Christian “walk” depicts his or her way of life! The day to day way of living, and doing business. It is the way we speak, the way we act, the way we think; that is characteristic of us. It is not a cloak we put on on the Sabbath or on Sunday. It is how we live seven days a week! It is wearing Christ’s righteousness daily, in place of our self-righteousness! Once this concept is internalized, everything else is possible!
Someone who is living according to such a standard, has no desire for lying and gossiping. People who participate in these activities are usually people who do not feel very good about themselves. In order to “survive,” they make it their duty to “feast” on other peoples’ shortcomings! And when they can find nothing, they invent lies! The person who is living in Christ’s righteousness, has the truth embedded in his or her heart, so speaking the truth is their way of life. It is the natural thing for them to do! You can take them at their word!
Those who “walk blamelessly,” appreciate a faithful friend; and has no problem living peacefully, with his or her neighbor. They love the company of those who love the LORD. What they do take a stand against, is, evil; wherever it is found, and in whatever form! They have learned a major lesson in living the Christian life, successfully. They have mastered the ability to separate the sinner from the sin! Therefore, he or she, hates sin and sinfulness, while freely loving the sinner, for whom Christ shed His blood. They have learned to love as Christ loves! The love of money is not a problem for them. The love of God has so captivated them that there is no room for any other “god” in their lives. Therefore, they shun the sins influenced by the “almighty Mammon.”
They will stand firm forever, in the presence of the LORD!