Psalm 15 ~ does what is right

Psalm 15

1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

How difficult it would be to follow Psalm 15, written by David, perfectly. These are the godly attributes of living in community: Not being selfish. Not exaggerating or changing a few words to make the situation "more understandable". Not putting our own feelings as "leader of the universe". Not deciding the wicked, cruel, sharp tongued are more interesting or lead to being safer, more highly placed, in the community. Honoring the good at heart. Not being double standard or two-faced in the midst of working through a situation. Not putting effort into helping someone for the reward. Not joining the crowd to hurt the innocent.

If we ask ourselves how did David do with all of these things, we would have to say he was pressed and pressured in life to sometimes give into selfishness or sin. So what made the Lord so pleased with David? Enough to give David the promise that his descendant would always sit on the throne, given to him by God?

When David was confronted with his own wrong, he confessed it was wrong. He didn't shrug his shoulders and say it fits in with the day or the gray. David told the Lord he was sorry and he meant it. The Lord must have decided David did truly repent.

What does the Lord say about taking the High Road:

Isaiah 49:10-12
10 They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.

11 I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be raised up.

12 See, they will come from afar—
some from the north, some from the west,
some from the region of Sinim. "


Jeremiah 31:20-22
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion for him,"
declares the LORD.

21 "Set up road signs;
put up guideposts.
Take note of the highway,
the road that you take.
Return, O Virgin Israel,
return to your towns."

These shall dwell with the Lord.

(Archaeologists discovered, in 2005, St. Paul was buried in his Basilica in Rome, you can read about He who does these things shall never be moved in Scripture-for-today.blogspot.com)

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