Getting In The Big House

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

1Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?

Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

2Those who lead blameless lives

and do what is right,

speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

3Those who refuse to slander others

or harm their neighbors

or speak evil of their friends.

4Those who despise persistent sinners,

and honor the faithful followers of the LORD

and keep their promises even when it hurts.

5Those who do not charge interest on the money they lend,

and who refuse to accept bribes to testify against the innocent.

Such people will stand firm forever.

To gain entrance to the White House or the palace of a foreign ruler, you must get past the guards. It’s their job to screen all visitors. Their mere presence asks: What right do you have to enter this special place?

In the ancient world priests stood outside their sanctuaries to make sure that only those who were qualified might enter. So Psalm 15 begins with that question: Who may enter? The customary answer would be, “Anyone who has a sacrifice to offer,” or “People who have fulfilled the ritual requirements.” But the psalmist’s answer is not about ritual correctness, it’s about lifestyle. It’s not about what you have brought with you, but how you have lived.

Are you a person of integrity? What you say must match who you are.

Is your speech restrained? Do you refuse to get involved with gossip?

Do you honor your friendships and keep your promises?

Are you honorable in your business dealings?

Interesting, isn’t it, that this psalm appears directly after the one with the verse, “No one does good, not even one.”

Who then can enter God’s presence?

We enter, not because of our righteousness, but because we know the King’s Son, and he has replaced our filthy garments of sin with his clean garments.

For nothing good have I whereby thy grace to claim—

I’ll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary’s Lamb.

And when before the throne, I stand in him complete,

“Jesus died my soul to save,” my lips shall still repeat.

ELVINA M. HALL

Bible Networking

Compare Psalm 15 with these other question-and-answer sessions: Psalm 24:3-6 and Isaiah 33:14-17.

Notable Quotable

Regarding Psalm 15:3, St. Augustine had this quote over his table, “If you love to gnaw on men in their absence, this table does not like your presence.”