Living with Yahweh
Notes
Transcript
In any relationship, there are adjustments that are made.
new school year and teachers - learning new expectations and how they work
New friends - adapting to their idiosyncrasies and means of humor
Visiting dignitaries or executives
Marriage - learning to live with someone else, creating new patterns.
In so many areas of life, we adjust our behavior to match stated and learned expectations.
When we get called into a relationship with God, there are similar expectations. Last week, we considered the folly of practical atheism - that is, living life as if God doesn’t exist. This week, as we turn to Psalm 15, we gain some helpful wisdom from David on how we should seek to live the life that God desires for us to live. In other words, we are learning to live with Yahweh.
Before we dive into this psalm, I want to remind us of a prominent feature of Hebrew poetry - that is couplets or parallel lines. Where our western or American poetry often rhymes or has a consistent meter, Hebrew poetry frequently features pairs of lines, or couplets, that complement, contrast, or extend/explain one another. This psalm is full of those. In fact, there are 8 couplets in these 5 verses.
So as we look at Psalm 15, there is a sense in which this psalm also acts like a catechism question and answer. In case you’re unfamiliar with a catechism format, many of these were developed during the time of the reformation as a means of helping people in the church to learn and remember doctrine. There are several excellent catechisms and are still in use today. Here are a few if you’d like to look them up and for use at home or in your personal devotions.
The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) - is rooted in the Reformed tradition is organized according to “Lord’s Days,” 52 questions and answers, one for each week of the year in order “to provide a doctrinal outline for a full year of preaching or teaching.” (Brennan) In fact, our closing song today is based on the opening question from this catechism - “What is our only comfort (or hope) in life and in death?”
The Westminister Catechism (1647) - has both a shorter and longer form to accompany the Westminister confession of faith. This was used as an instrument to reform the Church of England and has been foundational for Presbyterian churches for years.
While there are many other good catechisms, in recent years, a group of reformed pastors and theologians sought to introduce a newer catechism that is equally as rich, but written in modern English.
The New City Catechism - utilizes 52 questions and answers that are designed to establish learners (young and old) in the doctrines of our faith. There are free apps and devotional that accompany this catechism.
Like many of the questions that you’d find in these catechisms, this psalm begins with a question, written as a couplet. The middle section of the Psalm is the answer in the form of some things to do and not to do. The psalm then concludes with a promise or a result of living a life in light of the Q&A.
A few moments ago, we read Psalm 15 in the NLT - which in some ways is easier to hear. As we dive more deeply into it, I’ll use the ESV for the next parts of our discussion. You can follow along in the pew Bibles on p. 425.
So David here begins by essentially asking the question…
Question: Who can dwell with God? (1)
Question: Who can dwell with God? (1)
Let’s look at verse 1 again.
O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
The primary question that David is getting at is who can dwell or live with God in God’s spaces?
In this couplet, David seems to move from a temporary visitor to a regular resident. In Hebrew - the word translated “sojourn” here has that connotation of a temporary visitor. There is a welcome acceptance into this tent or tabernacle, but not an expectation of residence. We might relate to this as someone who is just visiting a church.
The word dwell in the second part of the couplet has a more permanent meaning. It’s as though this person is either granted unfettered access to God’s holy hill or has taken up residence here. Wiersbe notes…
Be Worshipful Seeking God’s Presence (v. 1)
The word “dwell” in the Hebrew is shakan and gives us the word shekineh, referring to the presence (dwelling) of God’s glory in the sanctuary. David’s great desire was to be with God in heaven and dwell in His house forever (23:6; 61:4), for God is our eternal home (90:1).
Think back to the Garden of Eden. When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden, they initially had an open, unhindered communion with God. Genesis notes that God would walk with them in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8). There was no shame, no remorse, a perfect relationship - that is, until sin entered into the equation and our delight in ourselves and what pleases us created a barrier between us and God.
During the Exodus, God gave Moses plans for a tabernacle, a temporary, moveable temple, as a means of representing His presence with His people. Where Adam and Eve initially had unfettered access, the tabernacle was regulated and mediated. A priest and sacrifices mediated between the people and God. Our sin still prevented us from gaining full access to God.
For David, if he wrote this during the reign of King Saul, then this tabernacle would have been either in Shiloh or in Nob. If he wrote this during his own reign, this tabernacle might have been in Jerusalem.
But, I don’t think David is reflecting on this question because he wants to gain access to a certain place. He asks this because he wants to be with God. He wants to enjoy that eden-like communion.
So often in our day, we like to imagine or even fashion God into our image. We may be tempted to project our expectations or our hopes on God. But David provides a helpful model for us as he seeks to come to God on God’s terms, by God’s standards, according to God’s holiness.
It’s funny, we do that in other areas of life and culture. When going to visit the King of England, there are certain dos and don’ts. We would visit in accordance with the ethics and expectations of the monarchy. If we’re invited to a wedding or a gala, we would not attend on our terms, we would attend on theirs. It would be inappropriate for me to officiate a wedding in pickleball gear or attend a gala in the clothes I wear to work in the yard.
In a similar way, David asks about what it takes to be in God’s presence. God himself is David’s delight. Is He our delight, our desire?
So as David meditates on what it takes to be with God, the Spirit of God seems to direct him to an answer. That answer does not involve certain clothes or religious practices. We could summarize that answer as…
Answer: Those who live righteously. (2-5a)
Answer: Those who live righteously. (2-5a)
This is where the couplets or the parallelism of this psalm reveal something beautiful. James Montgomery Boice notes that the next part of this psalm note six areas that mark the righteous life or “the person God approves.” These areas are not everything that we should do, but rather “representative” qualities.
Now, it is important to note that this approval or this righteousness is different from justification. Boice helpfully reminds us that “this is a question about godly living and not a question about justification.” Justification refers to a right standing before God. Godly living is more about how we live, how we act.
As we walk through these, we will really only scratch the surface of what these points are talking about. Let me encourage you to take time later to read back through this psalm and take a slow walk or meditation through each of these points. Kids, it may be helpful share with your parents what living out some of these characteristics might look like in your life!
First of all, we see that righteousness exhibited in our…
Character (2a)
Character (2a)
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
On one hand, these parallel lines suggest a negative and a positive - not doing wrong and doing right.
On the other hand, the word translated blamelessly means something that is “whole” or “sound.” There is a consistency of character in this person. The person acts with the same integrity every day of the week. There is nothing in which to find blame because there is nothing to hide.
Are we living blameless lives? Are there secret sins that we are hiding?
David next reflects on…
Speech (2b-3a)
Speech (2b-3a)
… and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue…
Again, we have a contrast between what he does and does not do - or in this case - say.
He speaks truth. His communication is truthful - but not just in the words that are used, but in the heart from which they are spoken. This person is not speaking flattery or with ulterior motives - this person speaks with authenticity.
One thing that is also evident in this person’s speech is the absence of gossip or slander.
May we bite our tongues if anything but truth is tempted to cross our lips. We can cause so much harm when we speak inauthentically and gossip about others.
The person God accepts in His presence exhibits righteousness in his or her…
Conduct (3b)
Conduct (3b)
…and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
Where the previous couplet addressed our speech, this couplet addresses our actions - how we treat other people.
When we think about doing no evil to other people - there may be a variety of things that come to our minds - stealing, hurting, destroying their property. I think we would avoid doing these things.
But what about doing evil by not doing good? Are we harming others when we refuse to help?
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
One of the underlying principles of this couplet touches on something we addressed last week - how we view other people. Do we treat others with the dignity and respect that they deserve as humans made in God’s image? Or are we treating others as if we are the most important?
Next, David touches on what Boice summarizes as…
Values (4a)
Values (4a)
in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord;
In other words, the person who is fit to dwell with God values the things that God values.
Do we admire those who seem to be able to do anything they want? Or do we respect those who live by godly standards?
Next, David seems to address a person’s
Integrity (4b)
Integrity (4b)
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
In other words, this person keeps his or her promises, even when it will hurt them.
Boice said in his commentary that
Psalms, Volume 1: (Psalms 1–41): An Expositional Commentary His Integrity
No one has much trouble keeping his or her word when to do so is to the person’s own advantage. You would have to be unbalanced not to. But how about when the conditions have changed and the promise, agreement, or contract is no longer to your advantage? Do you honor your promise then? Do you fulfill the contract? Or do you try to find some way to get out of what you had committed yourself to? The psalmist says that God approves people who keep their oaths even when it hurts them to do so.
Will I fulfill my promise to help, even though I’m exhausted?
Will I fulfill my promise to visit, even if it’s inconvenient?
Will I do whatever is necessary to repay that debt even if money gets tight?
Will I fulfill my promise to do chores or care for the pets or clean my room, even if my video game or riding my bike is more fun?
Because all of these attributes and qualities get back to the character of God, we get to follow his example. He is faithful to keep his promises. When he promised the people of Israel that He would write a new law on their hearts, He provided His Holy Spirit to help us walk in His ways. When God told Moses that He was “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” yet not clearing the guilty (Ex. 34:6-7), God did show his steadfast love by sending his own son to offer that forgiveness and justice (2 Cor. 5:21).
If we are to dwell with God, we will do so with integrity, even when it hurts.
One of the places where walking with God can get sticky is in the area of…
Money (5a)
Money (5a)
David concludes this list of meditations by reflecting on how we use money.
who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
Does this mean that we shouldn’t borrow money? No, I don’t think that’s what David is getting at. He’s looking at the people of God who are trying to gain wealth by hurting others. Moses provided one of these principles in Exodus 22:25-27
“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
I think the point he’s getting at is that if someone comes to us in need and we have the means of helping, we should help, even if it means we won’t get paid back.
It breaks my heart to see the way that our society feeds off of the downtrodden and impoverished. Pay day lenders take advantage of people in need and make matters worse by burying them in an even deeper hole of debt than the one they were already in.
God’s people are intended to lend a hand to help, not hurt.
On the side of receiving money - especially in the form of a bribe, David may again be going back to the Torah, the Law as he reflects on dwelling with God.
And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
Unfortunately we see this in our politics. May we have the discernment to be able to elect people who are truly honest in their dealings and untainted by the stain of bribery.
So as David reflects on this desire to be with God, he meditates on the attributes that represent the person who can live with Yahweh.
Before we conclude with the result that David comes to, let me encourage you to go back at sometime today or in your quiet time this week, and ask…
What do I need to do to honor God in my…character, speech, conduct, values, integrity, money?
As I said earlier, these qualities are not all encompassing and they don’t provide justification before God, but they do bring glory to God.
But David concludes that living life this way will result in…
Result: A stable life. (5b)
Result: A stable life. (5b)
He who does these things shall never be moved.
As we look at this from our vantage point, it seems like there are two areas of stability…practical and eternal.
Practical Stability
Practical Stability
In the sense that the person who lives by these values will not be shaken when the storms of life arise. There is no fuel for accusation. People around them will know that he or she can be trusted.
Oh what practical peace accompanies the person who lives this way.
But there is also another stability that we experience…
Eternal Stability
Eternal Stability
While we are to strive for holiness and perfection, we will consistently fall short.
Because of the fact that Jesus did this perfectly, when we put our faith and trust in Him, He justifies us before God. All of our mistakes and failures are justified or made right in Him.
We could also say that those who can live with Yahweh are the “righteous.” And yet as we saw last week in Psalm 14 and as the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 3 - no one is righteous.
In Jesus Christ, here is hope, there is eternal stability.
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
Friend, if you cannot say that you are in Christ, will you come to Him? Let His righteousness cover you.
Beloved, brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus has given us access to God. His Spirit dwells within us. May our lives - all of our lives - our character, speech, conduct, values, integrity, how we use our money, and so much more resemble the life that God desires for us to live.
Let’s pray.
Benediction
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Questions for reflection and discussion
Read Psalm 15
1. What question opens this poem? (15:1)
2. Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness as David does in Psalm 15:1? Do you remember specific times when you have felt an overwhelming sense of longing for God? If so, how did you respond to that? How should you respond to that?
3. What characteristics did David ascribe to the person who has access to God? (15:2–5)
4. What does it mean to be blameless?
5. What actions and attitudes did David recommend? (15:2–5)
6. What promise is given to the person who fits the description in this psalm? (15:5)
7. (Possibly a personal question for reflection): Although verses 2–5 are not given for us to try to meet the requirements, they still point us to the Christlike character we have been called to imitate. Look through verses 2–5 carefully and ask the Lord to reveal any areas of your life in which you might be walking in sin.
8. Did the truths from Psalm 15 help you understand more of the gospel? If so, take the time to share the gospel with another believer. Then challenge one another to share the gospel with an unbeliever.
Sources:
Sources:
Boice, James Montgomery. Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005.
Brannan, Rick. Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Guide. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2021.
Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.
M’Clintock, John, and James Strong. “Tabernacle.” In Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, X:127–44. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1881.
Ross, Allen P. “Psalms.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Smith, J. Josh, and Daniel L. Akin. Exalting Jesus in Psalms 1–50. Edited by David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2022.
Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Worshipful. 1st ed. “Be” Commentary Series. Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004.
Wilcock, Michael. The Message of Psalms 1-72. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001.
https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/the-heidelberg-catechism
https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/westminster-larger-catechism
https://newcitycatechism.com/
