Lord, Who Shall Abide in Your Presence? - Psalm 15

 

The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord

A Psalm of David. Comments by Dennis Edwards

15 Lord, who may abide (or sojourn) in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” but as we read yesterday in Psalm 14, “There is none that does good, no not one,” Psalm 14:3b. Thus, we find ourselves in the human predicament. Like Isaiah wrote, “But we are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags,” Isaiah 64:6a. The High Priest in the Old Testament, first had to offer a sacrifice for his own sins, before he was able to offer the sacrifices for the people. We in our unrighteousness cannot approach unto God. We are unworthy. “There is none that does good, no not one.”

Again, God has made a way of escape. He Himself has entered into the world as the Only Begotten Son, God in human flesh. For to Abraham was given the promise that he would be father of all those who believed not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. We receive the righteousness which is by faith through our faith and belief in Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:16.

Apostle Paul goes on to explain, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so, death passed upon all men, for all have sinned,” Romans 5:12. We have inherited a tendency to rebel against God from Adam. But God Himself has become the solution. “For as by one man’s obedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous,” Romans 5:19. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord (and Saviour) Jesus Christ,” Romans 5:1. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes,” Romans 10:4.

In the book of Revelation God says He is preparing His bride for the day when, “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away,” Revelation 21:3-4.

We will be able to approach unto God, not through our own righteousness which is filthy rags, but through the righteousness that has been imputed unto us through our faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, the first begotten or preeminent of all things, the heir of all creation. “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself,…and you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,” Colossians 1:21-23.

² He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;

Jesus was the only one who walked uprightly, worked righteousness, and spoke the truth. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me,” John 14:6. Only through His righteousness can we approach unto God.

³ He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbour,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

Another reminder of the importance of our words. Jesus said we would give account for every idle word in the day of judgment. We should “speak the truth in love that we might grow up into Jesus in all things,” Ephesians 4:14. Apostle Paul admonishes, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may administer grace unto the hearers,” Ephesians 4:29.

⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honours those who fear the Lord;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

God is angry with the wicked every day. Though His mercy endures forever to them that seek Him, judgment will come upon the wicked. Blessings will come upon those who have feared and obeyed God, if not in this life, then in the world to come. God also admonishes us not to break our promises even if we suffer for it.

⁵ He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

Lastly, we are warned not to demand usury from those to whom we lend money. Nevertheless, the rich oppress the poor and through usury keep them in bondage. The modern-day capitalistic banking system, formed mostly from wealthy Jewish families, use usury to enslave the nations.

“And you shall take no gift: for the gift blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous,” Exodus 23:8. God is warning those who are in positions of authority not to take bribes or accept a gift from a lobbying body. “You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift does blind the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous,” Deuteronomy 16:19. Again, our government officials accept gifts from the rich and powerful to the detriment of the poor and needy.

For that reason, the present-day Babylonian Capitalistic system which oppresses the poor and helps increase the wealth and power of the rich shall be judged by God in the last days. “Therefore, shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned by fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her,” Revelation 18:8.

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are His judgments: for He has judged the great whore (the capitalistic city system of today) which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of His servants at her hand,” Revelation 19:1-2.

Like Daniel Webster, the Secretary of State for three of the first Presidents of the USA warned, “If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we or our posterity neglect its instruction and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity.”

The time has come. We have turned our back on God and therefore “if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries,” Hebrews 10:26-27. God will tribulate His people to bring them to repentance, but send His wrath on those hate Him and deny His existence.

“And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men (as a result of a nuclear blast?), because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither shall their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land,” Zephaniah 1:17-18.

Let’s nor be counted with them that are worthy of His wrath. Let us rather fear God while it is called today and draw nigh to Him with a full heart, for forgiveness is found in Jesus. “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we are alive or dead, we should live together with Him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together, and edify one another,” 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11. “Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it,” 1 Thessalonians 5:24.