A Blameless Walk (Psalm15)

¹ Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?

² The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
³ whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
⁴ who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
⁵ who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.

 _______

What is striking in this passage is the high standard to which we are called.  This psalm calls us to sincerity as well as righteous treatment of the people around us.  We are called to turn away from what is vile and slanderous, but instead honor the Lord, and treat those around us with charity and respect.

But what is even more striking is the basic premise behind the question.  God wants us to dwell in His sacred tent.  He wants us to live on His holy mountain.  God is not a God far off.  He invites us into His tent.  He calls us to live with Him.

So then, how do I measure up?  May I dwell in the sacred tent, live on the mountain?  And here’s the problem:  My walk is not blameless.  I do not always do what is righteous.  And so on.

So this Psalm speaks to me on two levels:  One the one hand I am reminded of the wonderful gift of grace.  I can only enter the tent and climb the mountain because of the grace of God in Christ.  He has forgiven me, and now lives in me, and anything blameless or righteous in me is His doing.  Thanks be to God!

But the Psalm also puts before me the vision of the shape of the life to which I am called, which Christ in me desires to do through me.  So, my prayer today is thankfulness for grace, but also for the life of Christ in me to lead me to live as this Psalm describes.

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