Psalm 15
Looking In and Looking Out
As we have journeyed through the Psalms, week by week we have seen how the Psalter gives us language to engage and voice the deepest joys and anxieties of our hearts.
Today’s Psalm though calls us to examine the deepest desires and motives of our hearts. It summons us to look inward, taking an unvarnished investigation of ourselves. But it invites also us to look beyond ourselves to the spotless one.
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose way of life is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbour,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honours those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.
In the heart of the temple Solomon constructed for God stood two giant cherubim (1 Kings 6.23-28). Carved from olive wood, they were clad with pure gold. They guarded the inner sanctuary. The cherubim were reminders to all those who entered, that they drew near the dwelling place of Yahweh, the Creator and Sustainer of the cosmos. For the true cherubim, the heavenly creatures (see Ezekiel 1 for their description), were the guardians of the garden (Genesis 3.24). They wielded fiery swords, keeping those stained with sin from feeding on the tree of life.
And this is the curse for all humanity. We now live east of Eden, outside of paradise and away from the presence of God.
The tabernacle and temple were tasters of the Garden. In those small spaces was a microcosm of what humanity had lost and what God would restore for his people in the new creation. It is where God promised to dwell with his people.
And this is the question that David poses at the opening of this Psalm, who is worthy to enter into God’s presence? Who can enter into the tent where God promised to dwell? Who can ascend the mountain of God, live in Zion?
This might be the most important question any of us can ask.
David describes the person who might enter in to dwell with God. And notice it is primarily around their character, not their achievements or ambitions or connections or background.
The one who is worthy is the one who is blameless in all their ways. Their tongue is not used as a weapon to harm others or to manipulate and curse. Truth dwells in their heart and is given voice by their lips. They despise evil and corruption. But love what is true and beautiful and good. They serve the poor and helpless, never taking advantage or using others for their own benefit. They are faithful even when it costs much to them. They are marked by purity and compassion.
When we consider this worthy one, we know ourselves to fall far short. Very far short. Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who could live up to this?
None of us can.
Except by one man.
The sole mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2.5-6).
This Psalm reminds us of how fair we fall short of the glory of God. But it’s when we realise that, we can look to God’s remedy, the one he sent to make a way for us.
In v2, the one who can enter in is the “blameless” one. That word is used in numerous places throughout of the Old Testament Scriptures. It variously translates as spotless or clean or unblemished. Primarily it describes those animals which are sacrificed to Yahweh. The lamb whose blood was to adorn the doors of Israel to protect their firstborn sons from death in Egypt was to be spotless. All throughout Leviticus, all sacrificial offerings were to be unblemished.
But also interestingly, God the Rock of his people is described as perfect, pure and clean in all his ways (Deut 32).
And so Jesus is the unblemished, spotless, blameless, pure and perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 9.14). Where we fell short, he stood firm, unshaken by temptation, standing strong on the promises of God, blameless in his heart and character.
Therefore, when we ask the question who can live on God’s holy mountain, we can answer all those who are with and in Christ by faith. By his death on the cross, he has made a way for us to approach the heavenly throne with confidence.
Glory be to the Father, the holy one who made the way for us to draw near again.
Glory be to the Son, the spotless mediator who leads us to the throne of grace.
Glory be to the Spirit, who forms us into the image of Jesus.