Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 15:1-5

In Psa 14, we learned how foolish and senseless it is to deny that God exists and that he reigns with all authority over our lives.

Along the way, we learned that the way we treat other people reveals the depth of our relationship with God – that if we believe that God exists and has all authority over our lives, then we will treat other people well, but if we don’t believe these things about God, then we’ll treat people badly.

This was not the main focus or message of that Psa 14, but it is very much the focus of the next psalm, Psa 15.

A Psalm of David

From this brief opening line, we see this is a psalm – a poetic song.

As such, it was written for people to remember, repeat, and reflect upon frequently so that it’s truth would encourage greater devotion to God in the thoughts, feelings, and actions of his people.

Since this is shorter psalm, I would encourage you to memorize it and think about it often.

We also see that this psalm was written by David.

From this we can learn the value of anyone meditating upon God’s truth.

No person, not even a powerful political leader, is above or beyond following God.

Here we see a king who is pursuing favor with God more than his own personal pleasures or the favor of his peers and followers.

Does your life reveal the same priority – pleasing God more than anyone else?

In this short Psalm, David asks a question in Psa 15:1, which he then answers in Psa 15:2-7a, and then follows up with a conclusion in Psa 15:7b.

From these thoughts, we’ll learn that people who can approach God with confidence are those who live with integrity towards God and people.

By integrity I mean someone who lives according to good principles – the kind of behavior, choices, and ethics which reflect the good character of God.

Such a person treats both God and other people properly, even if doing so is inconvenient or hurtful to himself.

Since the Word of God is like a mirror that shows us what we’re like, let’s take a close look at the mirror to see whether we need to change and how we need to change.

Since the Word of God is like a sword that helps us better understand our thoughts and behavior, let’s let this psalm penetrate our hearts to reveal the change we need.

Only certain people may approach God’s presence with confidence.

Yahweh, who may sojourn in your tabernacle –

who may dwell on your holy hill?

David does not use any general names or titles for God here but refers to him twice only by his personal name.

This indicates a personal familiarity with and close relationship with God – so the question being asked is not necessarily of all people but of all who profess to be followers of Yahweh.

The question here is not “who is a believer” but rather which or how believers may enjoy a close, confident relationship with God rather than a distant, doubtful, or hesitant one.

James Montgomery Boice makes this clear when he says:

“This is a question about godly living and not a question about justification.

The two are related, of course, but they are not the same.

If we ask, “How can a man or woman become right with God?” there is only one answer: It is by faith in Jesus Christ as one’s own personal Lord and Savior.

The Old Testament saints looked forward to his coming; we look back.

But if we ask, “What is the character of the woman or man God approves?” the answer clearly involves the moral law.

The justified person is not made right with God by keeping the moral law.

Justification is by the work of Christ.

But if a person has really been justified, he or she will necessarily begin to keep it, moving increasingly in this direction.”[1]

If you could choose to go anywhere in the world today, where would you like to go, be, or live?

What is a building, structure, site, or geographic location you’d like to visit sometime, and what would it take for you to get there?

Would you need an airline ticket, admission ticket, passport, or special endorsement?

Could you afford to purchase the things you need?

Once you get there, how long could you stay or how frequently could you return?

Wealthy, powerful people, like King David, can go many places that many other people are unable to go, such as exotic resort destinations, exclusive clubs, VIP access sites, and more.

Such people can build their own destinations, too – constructing large, opulent mansions, yachts, and properties to live in just for themselves.

Yet where did King David want to go?

Where did he want to be?

David wanted to be where God was.

Do you?

“Your tabernacle” refers to the temporary, moveable structure (lit.

“tent”) in which the Israelites worshiped God both in the wilderness and during their early years in Canaan up through the reign of King David.

Sojourn also conveys the temporary, transitory actions of a person who visits somewhere as a tourist or guest, with the focus being that person’s ability or right to access or be welcomed into that place, which in this case was the tabernacle.

This resembles how the tabernacle was moved throughout the wilderness and even during David’s reign.

We could frame the question as, “Who is allowed to come into your tabernacle or enter your tent?”

This is a question of having access rights.

Who can do this?

“Your holy hill” refers to the permanent, stationary structure (the Temple) which David’s son, Solomon, would erect after his father died.

He would build this temple on an elevated place within the elevated city of Jerusalem – the site we call the “temple mount” today.

Dwell also conveys the more permanent, long-term actions of a person who not only enters someplace a guest but who stays there as a resident.

If sojourn describes spending the weekend in a hotel, then dwell describes being a homeowner.

This word focuses on a person’s ability or right to remain within God’s temple, living in God’s home forever.

Since we can safely assume that David was not wondering who could physically “move in” to God’s temple, then what else could he have been inquiring about?

This question does not focus on buildings and real estate sites.

It uses them as an illustration, a concrete structure that represents a spiritual reality of truth.

It focuses on the presence of God – the place where God’s presence (who is present everywhere) is most concentrated and “up close.”

This is a question of closeness or distance from God.

Furthermore, it is a question of not only who can enter a close relationship with God but who can enjoy the security of a close relationship with God that stands the test of time.

This is a question of who can enjoy the reality of having a close relationship with God not just on occasion but on a regular, daily basis – unafraid to go to him, speak to him, and depend on him in every circumstance of life.

Closeness with God requires the proper treatment of other people.

Someone who walks blamelessly,

and who does what is right,

and who speaks truth in his heart.

So, if not everyone – not even every person who is a follower of Christ – may enjoy a close and confident relationship with Christ, then who can?

David goes on to list eleven qualities (or behaviors) of a person who may enter and live in God’s presence.

Similar lists from other religious systems would emphasize various specific ceremonial behaviors and rituals.

They would recommend or require people to recite certain prayers, go through a set of procedural motions, or perform certain ceremonial tasks, but here David reveals a very different approach.

Here David emphasizes a person’s behavior, character, and integrity in everyday life.

In other words, God is less concerned about your ceremonial conduct during formal times of worship and far more concerned about your treatment of other people in everyday life.

Let’s take a close look at these qualities, beginning with the first three.

This first set of three emphasize a believer’s individual character and reputation.

The rest of these personal qualities and behaviors emphasize a person’s treatment of other people.

As we learned from Psa 14, the way we behave towards other people reveals our beliefs about God.

These are inseparable realities.

The more we accept God’s real presence and authority in our lives, the better we will treat other people.

Walking Blamelessly

Here David uses the same language that Moses used to describe Abraham (Gen 17:1).

This doesn’t mean that the person behaves perfectly, but rather that he or she exhibits a mature, well-rounded character without known and obvious character deficiencies.

Doing What is Right

This description portrays a person who’s committed to doing whatever is honest and ethically right.

He knows what Scripture teaches and commits himself to doing that.

He doesn’t do right only when it’s easy, convenient, or personally beneficial.

He does right no matter what the personal implications may be.

He does right regardless of whether it’s appreciated, popular, or understood.

Speaking the Truth in His Heart

This means that the motives and thoughts of this believer are marked by accuracy, reality, and God’s truth.

He views circumstances, people, and even his own heart through the lens of what is real and what is true.

He does not tolerate deception or lies, even the ones he is tempted to tell himself.

This person allows the Word of God to shape his or her thinking, mindset, and worldview.

He does not allow false and inaccurate ideas, worldly values, or a secular worldview to shape his thinking.

This is someone who reads, studies, and meditates upon Scripture.

This quality reminds me of what Moses told Joshua:

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Have I not commanded you?