Not shaken

DEVOTION

PSALMS

NOT SHAKEN

Ps 15

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, 4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, 5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

NIV

Why would anyone not want to dwell in the Lord’s sanctuary? Why would anyone not want to live on the Lord’s holy hill? Wait, there is another description as a hill for the new city of God, New Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven. But the point of this psalm is whose is qualified to live there. Who is qualified to dwell in his sanctuary? That word also implies New Jerusalem as the Hebrew word translated sanctuary means tent, or home. It also could be seen as rest. But if we just take tent or home, that implies the place God dwells. In the Old Testament time of the tabernacle only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year on the Day of Atonement.  Then he had to go through extensive preparations before entering, for if he did not and was not worthy to enter, he would be struck dead. Here we see for us to dwell in his home, to live on his holy hill, we need to walk blamelessly and do want is righteous. There is a list of attitudes and behaviors as well. But let us take this blameless and doing what is right first. What does that mean? How can we really have a blameless walk in this life? Certainly we have some blame and we have done that which is not right from time to time. However God has declared those who are in Christ as holy and blameless in his sight.

Col 1:21-23

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight , without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

NIV

If we continue in the faith, believing Jesus is our righteousness, our salvation then we are in fact holy, without blemish and blameless, free from accusation. This alone should qualify us to dwell in his city, to live on his holy hill. However, because we have committed our life to Christ, there are results which should follow. Thinking about committing our life to Christ make us consider the difference between accepting what Jesus did on the cross for us, asking Jesus into our heart and committing ourselves to him as Paul puts it in Roman 12:1-2.

Rom 12:1-2

12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

NIV

This is where doing what is right is applied. This is where speaking the truth matters. This is where doing no harm to others counts as well as where Paul defines love to the Corinthians. We also have the two greatest commands spoken by Jesus.

Matt 22:37-40

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'   38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'   40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." 

NIV

Because we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves we would not do them any harm nor cast any slur, which means gossip about them. Even though we are supposed to love them, we also should despise the vile man, which is despise his acts for God loves us yet while we were still sinners. So even though we despise what he does we should still exhibit love toward him. There is also the point about keeping our oath, but God says not to make an oath.

Matt 5:33-37

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

NIV

Then there is the whole money thing, lending without expecting payment with interest. Our whole society works on the principle of interest, but we are not to, as well as take a bride, which implies we cannot be bought at any price, we will not compromise our principles or faith for anything. Because we live by faith in Jesus Christ, we will never be shaken. We will stand fast, hold our ground, not given to retreat, not sacred of anything, because we are clothed in God’s armor. We will not be shaken.