Never Shaken

A Study in the Psalms

Hopefully I don't bore you with this bit of introduction, but I found it interesting.

Over the next several days, I'm going to be focusing on the a section of psalms in Psalm 15-24. I found it interesting to understand how the book of Psalms is organized. The notes in my Bible (Zondervan NIV Study Bible) provide a great chart showing the how these ten psalms are organized.

15  Who has access to the temple?                              24  Who may ascend the holy hill?
     16  Confession of trust in Yahweh                        23  Confession of trust in Yahweh
         17  Plea for deliverance from foes                22  Plea for deliverance from foes
             18 Royal praise for deliverance         20-21 Prayer for king's victory; praise for victory
                                   19 Yahweh's glory in Creation and Torah

I love how this chart shows the pattern among these psalms.  The first and last chapter of this section both talk about who has access to God. Then Psalm 16 and 23 express trust in the Lord. Psalm 17 and 22 show David's plea for deliverance followed by praise for deliverance in Psalm 18 and 20-21.  The middle psalm, Psalm 19 spends time expressing God's majesty and His law. As I go through these psalms, I'm going to study them in the grouping as listed above.  I will be stopping for some time on Psalm 23, though, because I'll be incorporating the use of the book titled, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, by Phillip Keller

Psalm 15, Psalm 24

In both these psalms, David asks, "Who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill?" In the times when David wrote these psalms, he had to go through a priest to speak with God. He didn't have direct access. So when he is writing, he's referring to those who wished to have access to God at the temple. Praise be to God, though, I no longer have to go through a priest.  Because of Christ's shed blood covering my sin, I now have direct access to God.  I can take what David has penned in these psalms, though, and apply it to my life. The one who may come before God exhibits the following characteristics:

• has a blameless walk (Ps 15:2, Ps 24:4) - meaning without defect, unblemished 
• The only way I can be unblemished is to be covered in Christ's righteousness.  I am not, nor will I ever be unblemished and perfect in my own self.  
• does what is righteous (Ps 15:2)- what is fair, right, just
• speaks truth from the heart (Ps 15:2) - Ephesians 4:25 commands us to put off falsehood and speak truthfully with one another. God detest lying lips. (Proverbs 12:22)
• has no slander on the tongue (Ps 15:3) - the KJV calls slander "backbiting," spreading falsehood about someone; Psalm 101:5, God says that He will put to silence those who slander their neighbor.
• doesn't do evil to a neighbor (Ps 15:3) - doesn't wrong a brother/sister in Christ, a friend
• despises a vile man (Ps 15:4) - turns away from someone who is unrepentant and living in sin
• honors those who trust in the Lord (Ps 15:4)
• keeps an oath even when it hurts (Ps 15:4, Ps 24:4)- keeping a promise can be hard,  that's why Jesus, in Matthew 5:33-37 encourages us to not even take an oath, but instead just speak truth and don't attach it to any oath.
• lends money without usury and doesn't accept a bribe against the innocent (Ps 15:5) - one who doesn't make money off someone else's loss or try to make money in a corrupt manner

Does all that mean I must be perfect to come into God's presence? No, I will never be perfect, and I will sin because the old nature is still inside of me.  However, I should not give in to the desire to sin, and when I do, I need to take it to God immediately and ask forgiveness of that sin. He is faithful to forgive that sin and cleanse from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

David ends Psalm 15 by saying,"He who does these things will never be shaken." He will never fall. He will be immovable, like that strong tree rooted in the ground that the psalmist refers to in Psalm 1.   I see this theme several times throughout the psalms. David understood what it meant to rest securely in God.

This "list" seems like a lot of do's and don'ts; each item could be broken down further into more lists. When I look at it, though, it all falls under the two greatest commandments, Love the Lord your God with your whole being and Love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:28-31)  If I follow those two commands, all those characteristics listed above will fall into place.  All of those are the result of loving God with my whole being and loving others as myself.  If I do that, my relationship with God will be strengthened, and I won't be shaken when bad things happen (and they will because I live in a sinful world).

Psalm 37:24

                           If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he 
                           stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 112:1, 5-6

                            Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His 

                            commands...Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, 

                            who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; 

                            a righteous man will be remembered forever.

When I seek God first and love Him with my whole being and love others the way God intends for me to love them,  I can rest securely in Him, knowing nothing can shake me. I may stumble, but I won't fall down.