Psalm 15: Dwelling with The Lord

O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? 
Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 
2    He who walks blamelessly and does what is right 
and speaks truth in his heart; 
3    who does not slander with his tongue 
and does no evil to his neighbor, 
nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 
4    in whose eyes a vile person is despised, 
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
       who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 
5    who does not put out his money at interest 
and does not take a bribe against the innocent. 
       He who does these things shall never be moved. 
 
 
Meditation
The fundamental focus of redemptive History is God’s relentless desire to dwell with His people. Since the garden, God has sought to restore His dwelling with His beloved: Through the tabernacle in the wilderness, the temple in Jerusalem, and ultimately through the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Christ, redemptive history culminates into a day where “the dwelling of God is His people!” (Revelation 21:3) Until the consummation of Christ’s kingdom, Christians celebrate dwelling with God through union with Christ by faith, securely sealed by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us.
 
This total inability for humanity to seek God (Psalm 14) is rightfully followed by David’s question of, "who can dwell with God?" (1) The Psalm gives ten conditions (2-5), alternating between vices and virtues. Those who dwell with God walk blamelessly, do what is right, speak truth and do not slander, do evil, or take reproach. They honor and fear the Lord, keep oaths, charge no interest on loans, and take no bribes. The summary conclusion is clear: Whomever does these things shall never be moved from dwelling with God (2-5).
 
God’s design to dwell with Him demands an unholy people follow His direction, both an indictment that leads us to repent and an invitation to more deeply dwell with Him through the finished work of Jesus. Independently, we are disqualified from dwelling with God- none of us 10 for 10. Through the finished work of Jesus, faith fuels celebration of dwelling with God and cultivates desire to follow God’s divine design to reflect His character.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially from David’s question, response, and the promise of God to not be moved from dwelling with Him?
 
-Where are you off, missing the mark from the 10 descriptors of those who dwell with God?
 
-How does the gospel, the finished work of God in Jesus, both indict you and lead you to repent and invite you to more deeply dwell with Him?
 
Key verse 
1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?