Sermon Tone Analysis
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Psalm 15
Introduction
- Queen Elizabeth visit to US. Woman in impoverished LA neighborhood answered door and hugged her.
Scandalous.
Not know protocols for approaching a royal.
- Psalm 15 is a festal psalm, one that would have been recited by worshipers as they traveled to Jerusalem for four annual festivals.
Possibly even recited when entering the gate of the tabernacle court.
- Simple outline with questions, requirements, and conclusion.
1.
The Searching Questions (v. 1)
- Hebrew parallelism all throughout Psalm 15
o Sojourn and dwell – not saying same thing
§ Sojourn is verb for temporary stay, as an outsider
§ Dwell is verb for permanent residence
o Tent and hill – clear reference to the Tabernacle, housed in Jerusalem (later event in David’s life after he moved Ark to Jerusalem).
§ Tabernacle – housed God’s presence in Ark of Covenant before Temple was built by Solomon.
The place to worship and sacrifice.
Ark/mercy seat between cherubim/glory.
§ Holy hill – Jerusalem built on high hill (Mt.
Zion).
Holy hill…not because anything special about the city, but because God dwelt there.
o Who gets to come into God’s presence and stay?
Who does God welcome?
What is the kind of person that God approves?
- Critical question to ask.
Based on God’s characteristics, we must ask this question.
o God is holy…chief characteristic…holy, holy, holy (absolute holiness)
§ Isaiah 6 – woe is me; I am undone.
§ Revelation 1:17 – John falls at Jesus’ feet as though dead
o What business do we sinners have in the presence of a holy God? None.
The only conclusion we could possibly draw is that no one is worthy.
We are only with God by his mercy.
§ Worship is a summons from God to examine your soul.
2. The Spiritual Requirements (v.
2-5a)
- These verses lay out a series of characteristics of those that God welcomes to Himself.
This is not an exhaustive list.
They are representative of broad categories.
o Psalm 24:3-6
o Isaiah 33:13-16
- Some debate how many requirements are listed here.
A few scholars get all excited thinking there are 10 of them so they can try to link them to the 10 Commandments.
This is where we really see the Hebrew parallelism at play.
There are 12 total requirements that are presented in parallel pairs, creating 6 categories.
(1) Holy Conduct (v.
2a)
- Walks – daily lifestyle/pattern
o Blamelessly – without blame…negative way to state it.
Word means sound or wholehearted
o Related to NT word for Elders of above reproach.
Literally translates as without handles.
Nothing to grab onto.
- Does right – as the first one is the negative side, this is the positive.
This is not just about avoidance of sin.
This is an actively living out right things.
§ Matthew 25:34-39
§ James 2:14-17
o Right – speaks to conformity to some standard…set by God (each setting their own would be anarchy)
o Very high standard
§ Matthew 5:48 – be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect
§ Hebrews 12:14 – pursue holiness, without which you will not see God
- Walks/does (and speaks) are all substantival participles, meaning these things form the substance of the person.
These are not one-time actions, but ongoing characteristics.
- These two statements are not set in contrast, but show both sides of what holy lifestyle actually looks like.
It is defined by what you don’t do and by what you do.
§ James 1:22-25
(2) Holy Conversation (v.
2b-3a)
- Speaks truth – speak is also a substantival participle…ongoing characteristic.
o Truth has the connotation of trustworthy.
What they speak can be trusted because it is true.
§ John 17:3 – true God
§ John 14:6 – Jesus is way, truth, life
§ John 14:17 – Spirit of truth
§ John 17:17 – your word is truth
o Not people who flatter or manipulate/persuade.
- From heart – not just an outward show of saying right things so you’ll like them or respect them.
It is genuine.
o Matthew 12:34-35- out of overflow of the heart the mouth speaks
o Lips and heart match
§ Isaiah 29:13/Matthew 15:8 – draw near to me with mouth but heart is far from me
- Does not slander with tongue – slandermeans to go around to spy out or spread around
o Along with gossip, these are chief sins among God’s people.
§ True v. gossip/slander
§ Slander is spreading gossip to detriment of another
o ‘characteristic’ perfect tense…ongoing nature of the person
§ Devil is a slanderer.
§ James 3:1-12
(3) Holy Contacts (v.
3b)
- Does no evil to his neighbor – refers to anything that may cause harm or pain
- Nor take up reproach against his friend – a reproachis a taunt, a disgrace, a shaming
o God’s people don’t do this against their friends.
They support, defend, encourage, confront lovingly.
o Secondary interpretation…does not agree with slander about his friend.
Does not take up the reproach, as in, believe it.
§ This would mean that God’s people believe the best and assume the best about motives and action.
They don’t live in the realm of doubt and suspicion.
They trust, even though it could hurt them.
o Either way…the point remains that God’s people treat others in a distinctly Christian manner.
§ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
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