Consider the instruction of Psalm 15. “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 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.” Let us break this passage down and apply it to ourselves today.
“LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” These questions can perhaps be summarized as to “Who may dwell with God?” As Christians, our salvation is not based upon following a list such as the one given here. However, this list should help us to understand what is pleasing to God.
“He who walks uprightly.” To walk uprightly is to live right in the sight of God and seek to please Him in all things. It is to live a life of integrity. Proverbs 11:3 “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.”
“And works righteousness.” Not only should we walk uprightly, but the grace of God teaches us to be zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
“And speaks the truth in his heart.” God want us to be genuine individuals with no false ways or hypocrisy. Speaking about Jesus in 1 Peter 2:22 “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.” We follow the example of Jesus and are not deceitful in actions or in words.
“He who does not backbite with his tongue.” We treat our neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ with respect. We do not slandering one another, but are “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
“Nor does evil to his neighbor.” We treat our neighbor with love. Romans 13:9b-10 “And if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
“Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend.” Gossip typically is giving a bad report about another person. The reports may be true or false. If we know or hear something bad about another, we keep it to ourselves and do not spread gossip.
“In whose eyes a vile person is despised.” If someone is corrupt, we do not desire to be their friend or partake in their actions. Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” We separate ourselves from a vile person.
“But he honors those who fear the LORD.” In contrast to despising a vile person, we give honor and respect to those who demonstrate in their lives that they fear the Lord and seek to do His will.
“He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” James taught us in James 5:12 “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.” It is easy to make a promise, but sometimes problems come up and we find it difficult to keep the promise. Here we are taught to keep our promises even if it hurts.
“He who does not put out his money at usury.” The Israelites were not to charge interest to their brother. Deuteronomy 23:19 “You shall not charge interest to your brother — interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.” If our brother has a need and we are able to give a loan to him, we should not charge him interest.
“Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.” We should neither give nor receive a bribe in order to pervert justice or injure an innocent man. The ninth commandment is stated in Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Any witness we give must only be the truth.
“He who does these things shall never be moved.” In summary of the things listed, the psalmist concludes that the person who is faithful in all these areas will stand and not be moved. This is similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”
As Christians, our salvation is not based upon following a list of items such as the list above. However, I wish to encourage you to follow these things listed in Psalms 15 as things that please God.