Knowing Right from Wrong – Psalm 15

A text – Psalm 15  A Psalm of David

¹ O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
    Who may dwell on your holy hill?

² Those who walk blamelessly and do what is right
    and speak the truth from their heart;
³ who do not slander with their tongue
    and do no evil to their friends
    nor heap shame upon their neighbors;
⁴ in whose eyes the wicked are despised
    but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
⁵ who do not lend money at interest
    and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.

A reflection:

So this week’s texts are about people who follow God’s ordinances, and about people who don’t observe them to the letter but who give their lives to follow Jesus. In this psalm we hear from King David trying to capture what makes a person good and faithful. Are their laws and ordinances in his description? Yes. But are there what we might call marks of character and attitude as well? Yes. Read the psalm and then see where you agree or disagree with David.

I am struck today by verse 4 especially: this person despises wicked behavior and honors those who fear the Lord, and when they make a vow, they stand by it even if it hurts them. They know right from wrong, and they are faithful. Isn’t this what we expect from heroes? And in literature and art, when a flawed person is at a pivotal moment in life, when s/he rises to that occasion, tells good from evil, and then chooses the good, even if it hurts, this is the moment of triumph.

David himself was exactly such a flawed person. I am and you are. But even though we are flawed, God loves us beyond measure and allows us to come to God’s tent on God’s holy hill. God continues to bless us each day. Let’s live out of gratitude that, even though we mess up, God never leaves us and God blesses us yet again.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for blessing us even though we break the rules and even though we fail to appreciate you and our neighbor. Help us to take the time to be grateful for all the gifts we have that we don’t really deserve, and help us to share them with our neighbors.  Amen.