WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:19.199 Heavenly Father, we have gathered as your children, and because you are a loving Father who watches over us, who hears us, who's attentive toward us, we know that when we are gathered, you are in our midst. 00:00:21.900 --> 00:00:28.980 And that alone is what makes it worthwhile for us to be here. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.000 Amen. 00:00:36.420 --> 00:00:48.400 To express our love for you, to experience your love for us, to hear from your word, hear you speak to us, and to speak back to you in prayer. 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:56.039 So would you please lead us from the beginning to the end, and meet with us in a powerful way this evening. 00:00:57.159 --> 00:00:59.019 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:05.000 So we're in Psalm 15. It's a relatively short psalm. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:17.980 It's one that is quoted a lot. 00:01:19.460 --> 00:01:23.780 And at least a couple songs written based on this psalm. 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:29.920 It's entitled, Psalm of David, Psalm 15. I will read it out loud for us. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:35.840 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:38.900 Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 00:01:39.740 --> 00:01:45.280 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart. 00:01:45.859 --> 00:01:52.980 Who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up reproach against his friend. 00:01:52.980 --> 00:01:55.980 In whose eyes a vile person is despised. 00:01:55.980 --> 00:01:59.060 But who honors those who fear the Lord. 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.340 Who swears to his own hurt and does not change. 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:07.359 Who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:13.639 He who does these things shall never be moved. 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:24.159 A lot of interpreters of the psalm think that this psalm was part of the entrance liturgy. 00:02:24.279 --> 00:02:31.000 So when the Jews entered the temple for worship, they would ask the question in verse 1. 00:02:31.079 --> 00:02:32.879 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:34.479 Who shall dwell in your holy hill? 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:41.060 And then the priest would answer with the following verses that specify what the requirements are in verses 2 to 5. 00:02:41.060 --> 00:02:46.020 And then they would conclude with the blessing at the end, verse 5. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.920 And he who does these things shall never be removed. 00:02:49.259 --> 00:02:52.539 So this is a hypothetical reconstruction. 00:02:52.939 --> 00:03:00.819 So we can't ever be sure of this situational representation. 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:07.360 But we do know that the psalm, that kind of entrance liturgy faithfully represents the concern of the psalm. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:13.900 Which is, if you want to enter a king's court, you need to meet certain criteria and to fulfill certain protocol. 00:03:14.540 --> 00:03:16.040 What does the king require? 00:03:16.340 --> 00:03:19.020 And so here, the question is, what does God require of us? 00:03:19.060 --> 00:03:19.840 What does it take? 00:03:19.940 --> 00:03:23.200 What's the characteristic of a worshiper as you approach God's presence? 00:03:24.260 --> 00:03:25.680 And so let's look at the answer. 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:27.300 So that's the question in verse 1. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:30.040 And the answer is given, verses 2 to 5. 00:03:30.100 --> 00:03:31.060 So we'll start with verse 2. 00:03:31.060 --> 00:03:36.580 It says, he who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart. 00:03:37.420 --> 00:03:39.680 So the bar is set really high from the get-go. 00:03:40.259 --> 00:03:42.039 The person must be blameless. 00:03:42.740 --> 00:03:47.659 So nothing about his life must be susceptible to blame or fault. 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:52.219 And the word blameless comes from a root word that means complete. 00:03:52.219 --> 00:03:55.859 So it really refers to the way of life that is whole. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:04:01.500 So maybe an English word that captures it best is integrity, a wholeness. 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:05.219 The person who would enter the presence of God must be a person of integrity. 00:04:06.180 --> 00:04:10.699 And then the rest of the verses 2 to 5 explain what that blameless life looks like. 00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:16.100 It says, he does what is right and speaks truth in his heart. 00:04:16.100 --> 00:04:23.780 So the fact that he does what is right, of course, presupposes that there's something that is right and wrong. 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:29.200 It's not up to the determination of whoever is in power or has influence. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:34.020 But rather, there's something far more fundamental than that that goes beyond our conscience, 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:36.060 which itself is susceptible to corrosion. 00:04:37.020 --> 00:04:39.439 And as Psalm 145, 17 says, 00:04:39.520 --> 00:04:43.260 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:48.500 And because the Lord is righteous, to do what is right is to obey the God who alone is righteous. 00:04:48.659 --> 00:04:49.539 That's what it refers to. 00:04:50.579 --> 00:04:54.259 And then, not only does being, walking blamelessly involve right action, 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:57.539 but also it involves truthful speech. 00:04:58.039 --> 00:05:01.199 So he says, and the phrase, in his heart, he speaks the truth in his heart, 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:04.719 makes a direct connection between what's in our heart and what we speak, what we say. 00:05:05.599 --> 00:05:11.500 And as Luke 6.45 confirms, it's out of the abundance of the heart, one's mouth speaks. 00:05:11.500 --> 00:05:17.500 And so sometimes, I don't know if you guys have seen that commercial. 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:20.160 I don't even remember what the commercial was about anymore. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:29.420 But a guy hits send in an email, and he just freaks out because he's supposed to send it to one person, 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:31.160 and he sends reply all to everyone. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:34.160 And it was probably something inappropriate. 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:36.279 And so he's freaking out. 00:05:36.459 --> 00:05:38.720 And so that's kind of, sometimes we think about it that way, right? 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:43.620 We blurt out things, we say things, and then we try to backtrack and say, oh, I didn't really mean that. 00:05:44.220 --> 00:05:49.080 But the truth is, what we say always means more than what we are willing to admit, 00:05:49.180 --> 00:05:50.600 because it comes from what's in the heart. 00:05:51.200 --> 00:05:52.660 And that's what the Bible teaches. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:59.180 And so he who walks blamelessly not only does what is right, but always speaks truth in his heart. 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:04.480 And so that's the positive description of the blameless. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.439 And then it's followed by a negative description, what the blameless is not. 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:11.259 So verse 3, it says, 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:15.060 He does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:18.899 nor takes up a reproach against his friend. 00:06:18.899 --> 00:06:27.479 And this is important because both doing what is right and abstaining from evil are important. 00:06:27.699 --> 00:06:32.419 And that's why we as Christians talk often of sins of commission, 00:06:32.899 --> 00:06:37.239 sins that we commit, as well as sins of mission, sins of omitting, not doing something. 00:06:37.620 --> 00:06:39.060 As James 4, 17 says, 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:42.620 Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. 00:06:43.239 --> 00:06:46.199 So the blameless person not only must always do what is right, 00:06:46.259 --> 00:06:47.839 he must also never do evil. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:51.000 There are two sides of the same coin that can't be separated. 00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:54.839 And that's why it follows the positive description with the negative description, 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:56.219 verses 2 and 3. 00:06:56.979 --> 00:06:59.119 And they're kind of mirror images of each other. 00:06:59.579 --> 00:07:05.099 So he speaks truth in his heart, which corresponds to he does not slander with his tongue. 00:07:05.159 --> 00:07:08.179 He never says anything malicious or false about someone else. 00:07:08.859 --> 00:07:11.919 So not only does he do what is right, but also the negative counterpart, 00:07:12.039 --> 00:07:13.739 he does no evil to his neighbor. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:16.599 And not only does he walk blamelessly, 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:20.180 and he also does not take up a reproach against his friend, 00:07:20.260 --> 00:07:25.460 meaning that he won't even entertain efforts by others to besmirch his friend. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.060 He won't even take up a reproach. 00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:30.379 He won't give any currency to that kind of slander. 00:07:30.379 --> 00:07:36.639 And then verse 4 again goes to describe the positive description of this blameless person 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:38.360 that God invites into his presence. 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:39.240 It says, 00:07:39.779 --> 00:07:42.659 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:45.519 but who honors those who fear the Lord. 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:48.079 And once again, the positive and the negative description. 00:07:48.420 --> 00:07:51.219 So he honors those who fear the Lord, 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:53.379 but he despises those who are vile. 00:07:53.379 --> 00:08:02.339 And sometimes I think people parade cowardice behind the banner of tolerance. 00:08:02.659 --> 00:08:03.240 So they're saying, 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.159 No, we're going to tolerate. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:05.579 We're tolerant people, 00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:07.060 so you can think what you want. 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:08.000 You can believe what you want. 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:10.620 But that's not true righteousness. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:12.159 That's not true blamelessness. 00:08:12.259 --> 00:08:14.980 The truly blameless despise what is evil. 00:08:15.159 --> 00:08:17.120 They despise what is vile. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:20.399 And so the righteous person hates the wicked, 00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:22.000 but honors the righteous. 00:08:22.220 --> 00:08:24.060 And the righteous are those who fear the Lord, 00:08:24.180 --> 00:08:24.740 it says. 00:08:25.699 --> 00:08:28.819 And so that's something that's applicable to us, 00:08:29.100 --> 00:08:31.120 and partly applicable to us. 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:34.639 Because we are not to honor simply those who have power, 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:36.399 or simply those who have money, 00:08:36.539 --> 00:08:38.720 or simply those who are handsome or beautiful. 00:08:39.100 --> 00:08:40.840 But we are to, as Christians, 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:43.560 primarily honor those who fear the Lord. 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:49.959 That's our primary criteria for the characteristics that we cherish in people, 00:08:50.099 --> 00:08:50.679 the godliness. 00:08:52.859 --> 00:08:58.899 And the rest of verse 4 further describes this walk of a blameless person. 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:03.599 It says he swears to his own hurt and does not change. 00:09:04.239 --> 00:09:09.059 Meaning that this person would rather suffer loss for himself 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:10.299 than break his word. 00:09:10.299 --> 00:09:17.419 And this description was probably the most surprising one for me 00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:19.459 as I was studying this passage, 00:09:19.459 --> 00:09:22.339 because we live in a society where words are cheap, right? 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:25.620 I mean, politicians take their oath of office, 00:09:26.259 --> 00:09:28.539 and people in court take their oath. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:34.299 People who may be married take their oath of marital vows. 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:37.120 Yet all of those are so frequently broken, right? 00:09:37.219 --> 00:09:42.359 Perjury, divorce, and demagoguery among the politicians. 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:45.519 And so, and we say that it's kind of like a, 00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:48.679 the fact that, you know, swearing or taking oath 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:53.019 seems like more like a formality than something that we take seriously. 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:54.299 And so we say things like, 00:09:54.379 --> 00:09:55.759 oh, well, circumstances have changed, 00:09:56.099 --> 00:09:57.479 so I can't keep that word anymore. 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:00.080 So, which shows that we, you know, 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:02.920 really only keep our word when it's to our advantage. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:07.340 And so, but not so the person who walks blamelessly. 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:09.879 He swears to his own hurt and does not change. 00:10:10.460 --> 00:10:13.500 And I think there's a reason why the Bible takes swearing so seriously. 00:10:13.820 --> 00:10:17.060 It's because as Isaiah 65, 16 says, 00:10:17.059 --> 00:10:20.539 it says, teaches us to swear only by God, 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.699 only by the God of truth, Isaiah 65, 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:25.719 because he's really the only one worthy of taking an oath by, 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.899 because he's unchanging and he's infinite, 00:10:28.539 --> 00:10:31.339 unlike any other basis which is changing and mercurial. 00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:36.139 And so, that's kind of really the fundamental thrust 00:10:36.139 --> 00:10:38.879 of the third of the Ten Commandments. 00:10:39.339 --> 00:10:40.459 In Exodus 27, it says, 00:10:40.539 --> 00:10:43.239 you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 00:10:43.739 --> 00:10:45.919 A lot of times that's kind of interpreted to think 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:48.000 that maybe it just means kind of, you know, 00:10:48.099 --> 00:10:51.019 using Jesus' name as a swear word or something like that. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:54.559 It feels, it means something far deeper than that. 00:10:54.579 --> 00:10:57.039 It means you should never take up God's name in vain, 00:10:57.439 --> 00:10:59.719 meaning you can't use his name alongside 00:10:59.719 --> 00:11:01.959 saying something that's false or not true, 00:11:02.059 --> 00:11:03.059 that won't be fulfilled. 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:04.759 Because that's not only, 00:11:04.959 --> 00:11:07.719 not only does that besmirch your own character, 00:11:08.099 --> 00:11:10.980 but that profanes God and imputes his character. 00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:14.639 Because you have taken an oath or have sworn by God 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:17.279 who is unchanging and who is truth, 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:18.500 and yet you have lied, 00:11:18.980 --> 00:11:20.799 and you've taken his name up in vain. 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.080 And so, keeping one's oath was for biblical writers, 00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:25.879 not just a matter of expedience, 00:11:26.139 --> 00:11:28.039 it was a matter of allegiance to God himself. 00:11:29.080 --> 00:11:31.600 And, of course, Jesus later in Matthew 5, 00:11:32.860 --> 00:11:34.980 it kind of expands this commandment 00:11:34.980 --> 00:11:39.220 and brings its true ideal out 00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:40.060 when he says, 00:11:40.539 --> 00:11:42.019 do not take an oath at all. 00:11:42.340 --> 00:11:44.460 Let what you say be simply yes or no. 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:46.580 Anything more than this comes from evil. 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:47.879 In other words, 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:49.580 everything we say at all times 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:51.360 should be so completely true 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:53.740 that simply yes or no should suffice. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:54.820 So that's what he's saying. 00:11:54.820 --> 00:11:57.720 But it doesn't seem to be 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:01.720 kind of a literal sweeping legal prohibition 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:04.620 because Jesus himself swears 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:06.660 when a high priest forces him to it later 00:12:06.660 --> 00:12:08.420 when he's on trial by Caiaphas, 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:09.200 the high priest. 00:12:09.800 --> 00:12:13.500 But it seems to be rather an ideal teaching 00:12:13.500 --> 00:12:14.879 that we should strive for as believers. 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:16.580 But because we live in a world 00:12:16.580 --> 00:12:19.040 where people's words are cheap, 00:12:19.140 --> 00:12:20.480 sometimes oaths are necessary. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:25.440 But, I mean, isn't this such an ideal 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:27.320 where you never have to distrust anyone 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:30.120 because truthfulness is so widespread 00:12:30.120 --> 00:12:31.120 and everybody's honest. 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:35.159 And then lastly, verse 5 says, 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:36.980 that he whose walk is blameless 00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:39.240 does not put out his money and interest 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:41.600 and does not take a bribe against the innocent. 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:46.220 And this is referring back to God's commandment 00:12:46.220 --> 00:12:48.399 in Exodus 22, 25, where he says, 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.379 if you lend money to any of my people with you 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:52.139 who is poor, 00:12:52.419 --> 00:12:54.659 you shall not be like a money lender to him 00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:57.079 and you shall not exact interest from him. 00:12:57.720 --> 00:12:59.279 And so the goal of the command 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.299 was to prohibit exploitation, right? 00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:03.519 Because if you're having to borrow money, 00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:05.000 then you're poor, right? 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:05.799 You need money. 00:13:06.459 --> 00:13:09.120 And by taking, by practicing usury 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:12.559 and adding interest to what you lend to the poor, 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:15.139 you're not helping them, 00:13:15.199 --> 00:13:17.659 but you're actually making their condition worse. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.980 And because of that, 00:13:21.179 --> 00:13:25.199 it usually was prohibited against the poor in the Bible. 00:13:26.379 --> 00:13:29.159 And according to one modern psychologist's estimate, 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:32.299 they say up to about 16 million Americans 00:13:32.299 --> 00:13:35.639 suffer from some kind of physical or emotional stress 00:13:35.639 --> 00:13:36.819 from consumer debt. 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:39.939 And that's, I mean, the debt, 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:42.539 people's debt frequently leads to anxiety, 00:13:42.740 --> 00:13:44.720 even divorces and suicides. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:48.320 And, but the one whose walk is blameless 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:51.700 is not calculating to press one's own advantage 00:13:51.700 --> 00:13:53.800 when someone is vulnerable, 00:13:54.160 --> 00:13:56.040 but rather he's compassionate toward the poor, 00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:59.620 gives without thinking about his own interest. 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.899 And so as we kind of look at all of these different descriptions 00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:04.759 of the one whose walk is blameless, 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:05.799 verses two to five, 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:06.440 there's, 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:12.519 it's striking that all of it deals with 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.299 how to treat other people, right? 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:15.620 It doesn't say, for example, 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:18.259 who will sojourn in God's tent, 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:19.759 who will dwell on your holy hill? 00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:21.279 And then it doesn't answer, 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:23.620 well, he who diligently searches God's word 00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:25.799 and then communes with him in the heartfelt prayer, right? 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:26.479 It doesn't say that, 00:14:26.979 --> 00:14:29.679 even though that's surely true, right? 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.079 To seek God's word and to pray. 00:14:31.479 --> 00:14:34.579 And I think this omission doesn't suggest 00:14:34.579 --> 00:14:35.679 that worshiping God 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:37.979 and cultivating our personal relationship with God 00:14:37.979 --> 00:14:38.539 are unimportant. 00:14:38.719 --> 00:14:41.919 Rather, I think it's focusing on our duty on others 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:43.699 because it would remind us 00:14:43.699 --> 00:14:45.000 that our devotion to God, 00:14:45.139 --> 00:14:46.679 coming to God in worship, 00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:48.019 doesn't just encompass 00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:50.299 our private personal relationship with him, 00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:52.240 but encompasses our entire life 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.139 and how we deal with everything, 00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:55.539 everyone in our lives 00:14:55.539 --> 00:14:57.559 and everything that we do. 00:14:58.100 --> 00:15:00.240 And that entirety of it must be worship. 00:15:00.500 --> 00:15:03.299 And he who is worthy of approaching God in worship 00:15:03.299 --> 00:15:05.179 is he who is always worshiping 00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:06.019 in all that he does. 00:15:07.580 --> 00:15:11.860 And Christians used to describe this kind of life 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:13.240 with the Latin phrase, 00:15:13.439 --> 00:15:14.179 quorum deo, 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:17.199 which means before God, 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.200 the presence of God. 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:22.960 And that summarized the idea 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:24.340 that Christians ought to always live 00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:25.940 in the presence of God, 00:15:26.040 --> 00:15:27.440 under the authority of God, 00:15:27.520 --> 00:15:29.100 and for the glory of God. 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:32.520 And the main point of this psalm, then, 00:15:32.560 --> 00:15:34.240 is that it's only those who live 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:35.500 in the presence of God, 00:15:36.020 --> 00:15:37.540 who live with the fear of God, 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:40.640 that are worthy to be in the presence of God. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:43.539 So in every moment of our lives, 00:15:43.699 --> 00:15:45.279 we have to live as if we're 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.980 in the very presence of God. 00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:48.480 That's what this is calling us to. 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:51.340 And I think when some people think about that, 00:15:51.399 --> 00:15:51.879 you know, they go, 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:55.139 oh man, that's kind of a scary thought, right? 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:57.980 Like that seems kind of stifling 00:15:57.980 --> 00:15:59.100 or maybe even restrictive 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.100 to think that, oh man, 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:02.220 I'm living every moment of my life 00:16:02.220 --> 00:16:03.480 under the watchful eyes of God. 00:16:03.939 --> 00:16:06.319 But I think actually quite the opposite is true 00:16:06.319 --> 00:16:07.879 because if you think about it, 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:08.919 driving on the road, 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:10.799 and I think this is, 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.979 you know, when you're driving on the highway 00:16:12.979 --> 00:16:14.599 and all of a sudden there you see a police car 00:16:14.599 --> 00:16:15.500 with the radar gun, 00:16:16.659 --> 00:16:19.099 you know, everybody kind of slows to a crawl, right? 00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:23.120 And that's because they weren't breaking the law, right? 00:16:23.459 --> 00:16:27.279 For someone who's always driving at the speed limit, 00:16:27.819 --> 00:16:30.539 they wouldn't flinch when they see a police officer 00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:32.360 because they don't have anything to worry about, right? 00:16:32.599 --> 00:16:34.039 But it's the people who are always 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:36.360 breaking the speed limit that flinch 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:38.339 and slow down even more 00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:39.100 than they're supposed to 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:40.300 when they see a police officer. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.639 So it's the people who are breaking the law 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.820 and doing whatever they want 00:16:43.820 --> 00:16:47.100 that are really living in constant fear, right? 00:16:47.180 --> 00:16:49.820 And to kind of expand that, 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:52.519 to extrapolate from that example, 00:16:52.680 --> 00:16:56.280 it's always those who gossip and slander others 00:16:56.280 --> 00:16:59.080 who are constantly afraid of being backstabbed by others 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:00.620 or always are worrying that other people 00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:02.379 are talking behind their back, right? 00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:04.019 It's always those people 00:17:04.019 --> 00:17:05.799 who are constantly taking advantage of others 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.680 for their own gain. 00:17:06.919 --> 00:17:09.879 They're always afraid that someone's cheating them 00:17:09.879 --> 00:17:10.799 or they're being defrauded, 00:17:10.879 --> 00:17:12.480 so they're suspicious of people, right? 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.240 It's always people who are double-minded 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:17.000 at duplicitous in their motives 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:19.220 that are living in fear of being exposed 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.240 for being a fraud. 00:17:20.899 --> 00:17:23.559 So it's only the blameless, really, 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:24.700 that can live fearlessly. 00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:27.220 And that's what this passage talks about. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.859 It's only the blameless that can live fearlessly. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:32.359 Only those who live in the presence of God 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:34.419 can truly dwell in the presence of God. 00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:36.879 And those who do that, 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:38.039 the final promise, 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:39.699 so the question, the answer, 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:41.679 and the promise at the end in verse 5 00:17:41.679 --> 00:17:43.219 is he who does these things 00:17:43.219 --> 00:17:44.979 shall never be moved. 00:17:45.500 --> 00:17:46.659 He who's walked is blameless, 00:17:46.879 --> 00:17:47.579 is immovable. 00:17:47.879 --> 00:17:49.500 They're unshakable. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.659 And of course, 00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.919 it doesn't mean that that person 00:17:51.919 --> 00:17:52.759 will never suffer 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:54.659 or experience setbacks in their lives, 00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:56.339 but that person is immovable 00:17:56.339 --> 00:17:58.719 in the context of this passage, 00:17:58.819 --> 00:17:59.240 which was, 00:17:59.659 --> 00:18:01.240 who will dwell in God's holy hill? 00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:03.519 That person whose walk is blameless 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:06.019 will always dwell in God's holy hill. 00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:08.079 He is always going to have God's presence 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.099 with that person. 00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:10.519 That's the promise. 00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:14.559 And I think it's not a coincidence 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:16.460 that the editor of the Psalter 00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:18.220 put Psalm 15, 00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:19.299 like by Psalm 14, 00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:21.240 because Psalm 14 just told us 00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:22.660 that no one's blameless, right? 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:23.460 Verse 3 says, 00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:24.940 they have all turned aside together, 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:26.039 they have become corrupt. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.799 There's none who does good, 00:18:27.900 --> 00:18:28.640 not even one. 00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:30.660 And then it tells us in verse 15, 00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:31.500 the person who's going to be 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:32.420 in the presence of God 00:18:32.420 --> 00:18:33.420 must be blameless. 00:18:34.220 --> 00:18:35.759 And I think that points 00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:38.880 to its ultimate fulfillment 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.019 of the entire Psalter, 00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:40.960 of the entire Old Testament 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:42.080 in Jesus, right? 00:18:42.420 --> 00:18:44.140 No one is truly blameless. 00:18:44.320 --> 00:18:46.440 No one can claim this promise 00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:46.980 for themselves 00:18:46.980 --> 00:18:48.019 to never be moved, 00:18:48.080 --> 00:18:48.779 but to always dwell 00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:49.519 in the presence of God, 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:51.320 because no one has successfully 00:18:51.320 --> 00:18:52.800 lived every moment of their lives 00:18:52.800 --> 00:18:53.440 as if they lived 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:54.960 before the very presence of God. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.200 But Jesus did, 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.799 and he fulfilled 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:00.319 these commands for us. 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:01.759 And because he, 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:02.620 the perfect one, 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.700 died for us 00:19:03.700 --> 00:19:04.640 and his righteousness 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:05.860 is given to us 00:19:05.860 --> 00:19:07.080 through the cross 00:19:07.080 --> 00:19:07.980 and through his resurrection, 00:19:08.840 --> 00:19:11.100 that's why we can be assured 00:19:11.100 --> 00:19:11.880 now as believers, 00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:13.240 as we have put our trust 00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:13.660 in Jesus, 00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.680 that we can dwell 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:16.960 in God's holy hill, 00:19:17.059 --> 00:19:18.380 that we can sojourn 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:20.019 in his very tent. 00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:21.059 It's such an intimate 00:19:21.059 --> 00:19:23.559 description with God. 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.940 And that promise 00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:28.039 is really why we're here. 00:19:28.619 --> 00:19:29.639 That's why we can gather 00:19:29.639 --> 00:19:30.599 with the assurance 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:31.319 that God is going 00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:32.019 to be with us. 00:19:33.379 --> 00:19:34.899 And since God is with us, 00:19:35.059 --> 00:19:36.200 let's pray to him.