Psalm 15
V. 1. Lord, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy mountain?
What kind of person will the Lord allow to live with Him in His holy dwelling?
V. 2. The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the Truth from their heart;
The one whose character is beyond reproach, who can be counted on to hold to their integrity regardless of the situation. Whose heart is filled with Truth that overflows out their mouth.
V. 3. Whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to his neighbor, and casts no slur on others;
One who never speaks negatively of another, who treats their neighbor with kindness and never mentions what they don't approve of.
V. 4. Who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord;
Who may be disgusted with an evil lifestyle, but looks for the good in each person, and encourages those who have respect for God.
Who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;
Who always does what they say they will do, and never goes back on their word no matter what it costs to keep it.
V. 5. Who lends money to the poor without interest;
To lend to one who cannot repay, and even forgive the loan.
Who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Who won't let something slide if it will benefit them but not consider the other person.
Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
Whoever has this high quality of character will have victory over all kinds of adverse circumstances, allowing them to bounce back even higher.
O my father, thank You for Your faithfulness to Your Word, and Your great mercies to relent from giving us our fair punishment, laying it on Your Son instead; and Your boundless grace to gift us with every good thing we could never earn or deserve.
Father, Your character is what we saw in Jesus, always doing good and encouraging the poor and infirm and disabled. Each person is precious to You, my Lord; every human being You made in Your own image and likeness. No matter how we degrade and denounce ourselves as a race of man, we cannot erradicate or obliterate Your image in us. Even the worst of us still retains Your likeness, even as we twist and uglify the beauty You placed in each of us.
Help us, Father. Teach us Your ways. Show us our great worth to You, as well as our unworthiness of Your attention. Keep us humble before You, as we realize how much You value each of us.
Help me, Father, to have the sterling character of the one in this psalm: to think before I speak, and refrain from saying anything I may not be able to fulfill. And when I do say I'll do something, help me to be faithful to my word, as You are to Yours. Teach me how to transform my mind, to have the mind of Christ, to think His thoughts, and fill my heart with His good Truth and compassion and tenderness and gentleness.
Continue to work on me and in me, Father, conforming me into the image of Your dear Son, His unassailable character; that those seeing me would not see me, but Christ in me.
Because for me to live is Christ, for without Christ I am dead. And Christ lives in me in His Holy Spirit, giving me the life I now live. Your breath is in my lungs, as You breathed into Adam's nostrils to give him the breath of life; so I will use the breath of my lungs to give You praise.
And to see You in every other person, and love them with the Love wherewith You have loved me, in the strength and power of Your Spirit in me.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
