NEVER UPENDED

A brief study of Psalm 15

“LORD, who may be a guest in your home?
Who may live on your holy hill?”
Paul reminds us candidly in the book of Romans that there is no one who is without sin; that we ALL fall short of the glory of God. That is, every one of us fails to glorify God, and we fail to live a life that illustrates God’s glory. Only in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit are we able to glorify God and all His glory to show through us.

Consequently, without Christ at the center of our lives, we are not able to live with God, to live on His “holy hill”.

The psalmist proceeds to answer his question.

“Whoever lives a blameless life”
This translation and concept is often misunderstood. There were many saints in the OT who were considered “blameless”, but it does not mean they are without sin. That would be impossible. It refers to someone whose main intent in life is to do everything they can to honor God law and live out His commands.
EX. Noah, Abram, David were all considered ‘blameless’ before the LORD, despite their shortcomings, and sins.

“does what is right”
One who lives righteously, who endeavors to always live with integrity, never undermining others or seeking their own benefit. This person’s FIRST priority is to honor God with their choices. It’s not that they will always “get it right” but their daily devotion is to honor God first and foremost. It’s not about being right, it’s more about doing right.

“and speaks honestly.
He does not slander,
or do harm to others,
or insult his neighbor.”
Notice how much emphasis is placed on being honorable and leaving other people’s reputations intact. God cars about how we treat one another. It has never been about what >I< get. Yet, I submit to you, it has always been about what others derive from my interaction with them.

We are never to gossip about, or undercut others. Most of us fail miserably at this; it’s become too easy to use someone else to make ourselves look good, more intelligent, or more successful.

We are not to harm:physically, emotionally, intellectually or spiritually; nor are we to harm others by sabotaging their reputation of standing.’Insulting’ one’s neighbor doesn’t only refer to calling them names, but in the context of this passage of also refers to taking cheap shots at them in front of others, treating them with contempt and acting disrespectfully towards them.

Why is this a prerequisite to living in God’s house?
Because we are all His creations, made in His image, after (express) His likeness and humans deserve respect and honor because we were created to represent the One True God. Whether or not we live up to this honor is another issue for God’s purview alone.

“He despises a reprobate,
but honors the LORDʼs loyal followers.”
Reprobate here refers to one who lives a consistently unrighteousness life. You might ask how depressing this person relates to honoring people from the last few verses. The idea is to despise the lifestyle, the sin, the lack of honor and integrity, yet to live the person enough to care about their eternal future.

“Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'” Matthew 5:14
“To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” Acts 26:18

2 Timothy 2:26 tells us to pray for those who have been duped by Satan, “that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”

“He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.”
Jesus, during the sermon on the mount, said, “Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” Matthew 5:34-37

Both, the verse and the passage from Matthew, are difficult to discern by some. The verse is not simply referring to telling someone you can’t come to dinner after you said you would, or that you have chosen to break off an engagement after finding your fiance is having an affair. It focuses on the integrity of the heart. Are we sincere and trustworthy? Can others depend on us when we give our word? Is our word worth giving?

In the passage from Matthew, Jesus is taking about the fact that when a person makes a vow they are ultimately answerable to God for the fulfillment of the vow, and and to the other party.

When asked to commit to something important, before answering, we must ask ourselves the all-important question: Will we follow through? To make a vow and then renege is to bring our relationship with God into question in the other person’s eyes.

“He does not charge interest when he lends his money.”
In this day and age, this is a tough one. But, in the mind of the ancient Israelite, to charge interest of another Israelite, was tantamount to being pagan.

It is God who provides. Whatever we “own”, including money, is God’s. To charge interest is to take advantage of another person in need. This doesn’t mean we are expected to lend money to “just anybody”, but refers to those who God’s people.

History has always recorded the imposition of interest on others. Most of the time, as now, interest is a matter of choice. If you want the car, or the house, or money for a new roof, you freely agree to paying interest.

God’s economic plan for His people had always been about the human relationships first and personal gain a distant 2nd.

“He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent.”
Again, this is about our relationship with others and not personal gain. There’s a reason that one of the “10 Commandments” says to not bear false witness. Taking a bribe and bearing false witness have all the earmarks of a servant of Satan. To ride another’s good name for the sake of personal gain is an atrocity.

“The one who lives like this will never be upended.”
So, the bottom line for the psalmist is that anyone who lives righteously and with integrity, who thinks of others before themselves, and seeks to honor God in all of their day to day dealings – that person will not be upended, they will not be defeated spiritually and they will live in God’s house for eternity.

Don’t get no better’n that!