Psalm 15:2

The following is a Bible study posted on our Bible Study Group.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

I've been thinking about Psalm 15:2 all morning, and I've been really looking forward to studying it!  Not only am I going to type up my thoughts on this verse, but I'm also going to include how I came to those thoughts, for those of you who are interested in learning how to do this for yourselves.  It's not hard at all!  Hey, if this shrinking pregnant brain can do it.... Lol!!

First, I went to http://bible.gospelcom.net and copied the verses below.  I could have used my online Bible, downloaded for free from http://www.onlinebible.com/html/eng/starterspack.htm, but I only have it in KJV, and I wanted to continue to use NKJV for our study here.

1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
        Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

        2He who walks uprightly,
           And works righteousness,
           And speaks the truth in his heart;

Now, the first thought that crossed my mind was, "Oh dear, I better make it perfectly clear that I don't believe these verses are teaching that we must "walk uprightly" or do works of righteousness or always speak the truth in order to some day dwell with God in heaven!"

Then I thought, "Okay, my brain is warning me about a possible inconsistency in Scripture here."  For instance, I knew I had memorized a verse that says something along the lines of, "Not by works of righteousness that we have done..."  So I went back to http://bible.gospelcom.net and did a keyword search for "works of righteousness."  Looking down through the list of search results, I saw it!  Titus 3:5 says, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us..."  So obviously these verses in Psalms are NOT saying that we must work righteousness in order to enter God's presence in heaven.

I have also memorized Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."  But a quick check of my Bible also shows me that the next verse says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

So obviously, God will not accept any of our own "good" works as payment for our sins (we discussed this more last week), but He did create us to do good works for Him.  Which is what got me looking at Psalm 15 in the first place. I had asked myself the question, "What does a Christian look like and act like?"

Well, verse 2 seems to hold the first 3 characteristics that God wants to create in my life.  In fact, these are some of the characteristics that God prepared beforehand for me to walk in.  I also notice that, compared to verses 3-5 (okay, I peeked ahead), these first three characteristics are more "inner" qualities, things that might not be very measurable or observable to others.  However, it makes sense to me that as I develop these qualities, the ones listed in the following verses will develop rather naturally.

Okay, I see some verbs in this verse:  walks, works, speaks.  Aren't you glad I have kids so I have to stay up-to-date on  grammar?  It's very helpful when studying the Bible!

This man (or woman) walks uprightly.  I don't need to grab a Bible dictionary to define this word.  I can just think of some things that "uprightly" would NOT mean.  For instance, if I'm always slumped over in depression or fear or anxiety, I wouldn't be walking uprightly.  Now my mind is thinking of another verse I've memorized... and after I look it up online... I read:

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:6-8).

Uprightly is also the opposite of walking with eyes glancing all around me, searching for the opinion of every one I know, except God, of course.  Now I'm leaning toward this philosophy, then I'm leaning the other way.  First one expert, then another.  First one psychologist, then this author, then that TV personality.

And now my brain is kicking into gear.  "Anne, isn't there a verse in James that says something like that?"  So back online I go... to James 1:8 (KJV): "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

Walking uprightly also brings to mind someone who is walking without a burden of guilt, someone who walks in integrity and thus has a clear conscience between him and his God or him and his fellow man.  I also picture someone who keeps his eyes continuously focused on God, like Peter, who was able to walk on water when his eyes were fixed on Jesus.

In contrast, I remember being in high school and entering a video rental store with a teacher friend of mine.  She was a Godly woman, and we had gone there to rent the movie "My Fair Lady."  As we entered the store, she quoted a verse from Psalms or Proverbs... back to the online Bible I go...  (I used the advanced search form this time, since the word "eyes" was all I had to go on.  I knew it was in Psalms or Proverbs, so I figured it would narrow my search some.  Good thing!  There were still 73 verses that came up!) 

Wow!  Someday I need to go back and do a study on the eyes.  I could easily get sidetracked with just the 73 verses I just peeked at, but the verse my teacher friend quoted to me was, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you." (Proverbs 4:25)  Such great advice for walking uprightly, especially in video rental stores!

The second characteristic is someone who works righteousness.  The first thing I noticed, and this isn't too profound, was that this person WORKED! How many times are we content to just sit by and let someone else do God's work for us?  They need to minister to US, we reason.  I'm TIRED....  Or, we might say, surely I have no talents that God could use for His kingdom. 

Not so!  Remember Ephesians 2:10?  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  First of all, we have been created in Christ Jesus, and even my little children can tell you that Jesus is very powerful and that there is NOTHING He can't do in us and through us!  Secondly, God has been preparing since time began for the work that we should do.  So we have no right to sit back and claim that we're going to wait or take a few years off the job.

What kind of work is He expecting from us?  Nothing fancy, but nothing easy either.  He expects works of righteousness.  You know, I've been reading a biography of Hudson Taylor, entitled Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret.  (It must be an old book because I couldn't find it online.)  He accomplished outstanding works for God and was the founder of the China Inland Mission. What was his spiritual secret?  Simply that he sought God daily, consistently, in His Word and in prayer.  Nothing more!  He really wasn't a specially-talented guy.  However, when we renew our minds with God's Word, often and hungrily, God turns our works into works of righteousness. Another verse has just popped into my mind, and I happen to know the reference for this one:  Romans 12:1-2 (I'll use the KJV since that's how I learned it, once upon a  time)...

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

The last characteristic of this person is that he speaks the truth in his heart.  God doesn't ask for truth just in our words as we talk to our spouse or our neighbor or a co-worker.  He asks us to be completely truthful even in our hearts, as we talk to ourselves and to Him.  Do you know what Romans 12:3 says, the verse right after the ones I just quoted?  "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."

It is so easy to think highly of ourselves.  Even with the huge movement in public schools to teach self-esteem to our children, I personally do not believe that low self-esteem has ever been a problem.  A quick keyword search of God's Word shows me that "No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it..." (Ephesians 5:29).  We readily look out for "number one."  (And I digress, but I believe we should be teaching children that God loves them and that they are to esteem others better than themselves....)

But God's Word teaches me, as we learned last week, that I am a sinner, deserving only of God's wrath.  I have done nothing good, nothing deserving of God's mercy.  And do you know what?  Just because I'm a Christian now doesn't mean that I'm any more capable of good works, not in my own strength at least.  God continues to get all the glory for all the good that He accomplishes in my life.

And whether I'm rich, those riches came from God.  If I'm smart, it is because of His mercy.  If I'm an eloquent speaker, it is because God put the words on my tongue (remember Moses?).  If I'm breathing air today, it is only because He has numbered my days and has determined that I should be alive -- to serve Him, of course.

So I must tell myself the truth in my heart.

There is so much more I could say, I'm sure.  These verses are just packed! Why don't we all meditate on these verses some more this week?  If you see something here that you'd like to share with the group, please feel free!


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