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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HOLINESS? (Psalm 15)

There was a day when God’s people actually believed that they were to be a holy people. It was the Lord who said in Leviticus 19:2, “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.”

Do you believe that our God is holy? Anyone who believes the Bible would answer yes without hesitation.

Here is a follow-up question. Are you seeking today to live in the presence of that holy God?

A holy people do not get that way because they mustered up some holiness of their own. According to Hebrews 12:10, it is because we are “partakers of his holiness.” As you live in the presence of a holy God, it changes you. It separates you from unholy things and crowds them out of your life.

We have come to a psalm that deals with holiness. It begins with a question as David cries out to God in verse 1, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?" The context here is in reference to the Temple and the privilege of entering into the holy place. There is no geographic location that brings one closer to God, but we all ask ourselves from time to time how to better draw near to Him spiritually.

My mind immediately goes to the first verse of Psalm 91: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Should it not be the desire of any child of God to live in His presence?

Notice in Psalm 15:1 the place to which the writer refers. It is the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place. As for the reference to “thy holy hill,” we find frequent references in scripture to people ascending to a high place to meet with the Lord, beginning with Moses. The idea is a place separate from the fray of everyday life, from the pull of the world around you. That is the place where God wants you to live.

Next, we see the position that is suggested by such words as “abide” and “dwell.” There is an intimacy here; you do not live with someone you do not love or feel close to. But it is not just intimacy -- there is consistency. It is more than just an occasional visit. God does not want you to spend ten minutes in His presence today. He wants you to spend the entire day there.

There is also a permanence here, as pointed out in verse 5: “He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” When you are rooted in God’s presence, it keeps you from being moved by everything that comes down the pike. Many things will come at you in life, from bad news and difficult circumstances to the harsh words of critics and other things out of your control. None of those things will shake you loose when you are anchored in God; you have moored yourself in the One who never changes.

The heart of the psalm reveals to us the person. Who is it? That question is asked in the first verse, and in verses 2-5 there is a description which provides the answer. Test yourself as you read these verses, and ask, “Is this me?”

These verses are filled with action verbs, things that we are responsible for. Some are positive and some are negative, but all are necessary.

Verse 2: “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

The walk suggests integrity, without any blemishes on the inside or outside. It doesn’t mean you are without sin, but that sin is confessed and forsaken because of a desire to walk uprightly.

The work suggests honesty, being ethically right. God sees you walk; everyone else sees your work. Are your business dealings upright?

The speech proves the heart and the mouth are one. This person does not think one thing and say another. There is a sameness in what he says, believes, and does. Unlike the person in Psalm 14 who says in his heart that there is no God, this person does not want to live with a lie. He speaks the truth.

Verse 3: “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.”

There is no slander here, no tearing down of others. The idea here is to help, not hurt. Gossip is not in play here, either speaking or listening. Not only is there a desire to know only good things about another, but there is no urge to avenge oneself after being wronged.

Verse 4: “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.”

The first part of this verse reflects someone who chooses friends carefully and with discernment. He honors the right people and the right things. If you want God’s honor, you need to honor the Lord and those who fear Him. You either are now or will soon be exactly who your friends are. As Proverbs 13:20 says, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”

The last phrase describes someone whose word is his bond. When he speaks, you can trust what he says. Who else do we know of in Scripture who is described as unchanging? Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” Of course, only God is perfect, but those who live in His presence are not changeable because they are rooted in an unchanging God. They are not fickle and do not ride an emotional roller coaster, but are based in the One who is true and eternal.

Verse 5: “He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.”

This is someone who gives without expectation of getting something back, and who certainly does not cheat to get something for himself. He cannot be bought and is not controlled by money or material things. He is controlled by the presence of God.

Our society has it all backward. If you take this list and flip it on its head, you have the world in which we live today. Our society honors the vile and condemns those who fear the Lord.

So we ask again, whatever happened to holiness? Not just in the world, but in our own lives. Stop right now and pray that you will partake of God’s holiness. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal in you everything that does not honor the Lord.

If there is anything that needs to be removed from your life or anything not there that needs to be added, ask the Lord to reveal that today. May He help every one of us to abide in His tabernacle, dwell in His holy hill, and live in His holy presence today!