Cover to Cover
Reading: Psalms 9-17
Focus: Psalm 15
The beauty of the psalms is the reflection of the psalmist’s heart. There are times when there is a deep sense of praise and worship, then there are times of great sadness and remorse. Here, in this psalm, we find a psalm of hope and exhortation. It is a psalm which reflects upon the desire to live in the presence of God. It is also a exhortatory psalm, encouraging and challenging those who hear it to pursue the life of righteousness.
The psalm opens with the question directed to the LORD, “Who may dwell in your presence? Who may live on your holy hill?” The psalmist echoes the desire of his heart to pursue God and to live in His presence. The psalmist responds to the question himself, listing a string of qualities and characteristics of the person who dwells in God’s presence. By no means does it suggest that the psalmist has achieved these things, but it is definitely his aim and pursuit. His last line reverberates a great truth which echos even today: “He who does these things will never be shaken.”
There is one theme that echoes through the words of the psalmist—integrity. It is the person of integrity that will never be shaken. One who is without blame, one who speaks truth and lives by that same truth, one who keeps his promise regardless of the cost…these are just a few things which reflect a character of integrity. The one who lives by integrity will not be shaken. He will not doubt, he will not stumble, he will not fall—but will stand tall and never be shaken.
Next Reading: Psalms 18-21
