Monday, July 04, 2011

Psalm 15

1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Key Verse:
1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

Key Outline:
1. v. 1 Question
2. v. 2-5 Answer

Key Observation:
Righteous behavior is a sign of those made righteous. The last psalm spoke of no one who is able to do good. The key to understanding this psalm is in v. 4: “but HE honoureth them that fear the LORD.

Memory Verse:
1Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?


Devotion:
Chafer writes: “Grace ceases to by grace if God is compelled to withdraw it in the presence of human failure and sin. In fact, grace cannot be exercised where there is the slightest degree of human merit to be recognized.” Luther says: “If you want to live unto God, bury the Law, and find life through faith in Christ Jesus.” I recognize that for David the Christ had not yet come, but Hebrews eleven teaches us that faith is the constant key which unlocks the grace of God. I know that David knew this for I read his confessions in Psalm 51, and know his humility, and his awareness of his sin.

The idea of “fearing the Lord” filled David’s life. What David called fearing the Lord we would call faith. David here is extolling the wonderful things that should mark a person of faith; such a person strives hard to be a person of integrity. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” George Bush sought integrity during his time in office and had this to say about his pursuit: “George Washington once wrote that leading by conviction gave him ‘a consolation within that no earthly efforts can deprive me of.’” He felt called to pursue integrity, and recognized that Presidents often felt that call. In a more spiritual sense, God has called me to walk with Him carefully and striving to accomplish the things that He has set before me. But because of His Grace, not to obtain any grace in the least fashion. He did it all!
All to Him I owe
Sin has left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.

No comments: