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February 1, 2025 – Psalm 15 – Living God’s Way

Psalm 15 – Living God’s Way:
What It Means to Be Righteous

Psalm 15 – A psalm of David.

“1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?

2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;

3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others, 4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; 5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”

Introduction

Have you ever had a friend or a relative ask to live with you for a period of time?  What immediately went through your mind?  How did you respond?  What types of people are you ok living with you?  What types of people are you not excited about living with you?

Imagine yourself asking God the question Psalm 15 asks: “Lord, who can stay in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain?”  What might God say to you?  Would your name come up?  Why?  

Psalm 15, God shows us the kind of person He invites to live close to Him—a man whose life reflects His goodness.

Point 1: The Character of a Godly Person (v. 2)

“The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness, and speaks truth from the heart.”

Example: Imagine someone who’s the same person whether people are watching or not—someone honest, kind, and genuine. That’s what it means to have godly character.

Explanation:

  • Lives blamelessly: This doesn’t mean perfect, but someone who lives a life of integrity, avoiding hypocrisy.
  • Practices righteousness: It’s not just about avoiding bad things; it’s about actively doing what’s right.
  • Speaks truth from the heart: They’re honest not only with others but also with themselves.

Application: Ask, “Do you live with integrity? Do your private life and public life match up? Are you honest in your heart?”

Point 2: The Actions of a Godly Person (vv. 3-5a)

“The one who does not slander with his tongue, does not harm his friend, or discredit his neighbor who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.”

Example: Think about how powerful words are—they can either build someone up or tear them down. A godly person chooses to speak life, not harm.

Explanation:

  • Doesn’t slander: They avoid gossip, rumors, and speaking badly about others.
  • Does no harm to friends: They treat others with kindness and fairness.
  • Doesn’t discredit neighbors: They don’t judge or criticize unfairly but instead support and encourage.
  • Despises a vile person: They move away from people that are running from God.
  • Honors a righteous person:  They use their words to encourage those in pursuit of God. 
  • Keeps his promises: In good or bad times, he keeps his word. He accepts the risk.  
  • Who helps those in need:  He does not profit on someone else’s bad misfortune. 
  • Who never takes a bribe:  He protects his neighbor from those who seek to harm him. 

Application: Ask, “How do you treat people in your life? Are your words encouraging, or do they cause harm? Do you stand up for others or tear them down? Do you keep your word? Do you help those in need? Do you protect those who are vulnerable to attack?”

Point 3: The Security of a Godly Person (v. 5b)

“Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”

Example: Imagine a house built on solid rock—it won’t fall no matter how strong the storm. That’s the life of someone who lives God’s way.

Explanation:

  • Never be shaken: God promises stability and security to those who trust Him and live by His Word.

This doesn’t mean life will be free of problems, but it means you’ll have an unshakable foundation because of your relationship with God.

Application: Ask, “What’s your foundation? When life gets tough, do you stand firm because you trust in God, or do you feel like you’re falling apart?”

Conclusion

Reflection: Read Psalm 15 again slowly, and think about your own life and relationship with God. In what ways might you need to ask God’s help in this season of life?

Encouragement: Jesus is the ultimate example of Psalm 15. His life was not one of perfect circumstances lived out free of all struggles and all hardships.  Instead, He lived perfectly through all the various seasons of life and invites us to follow Him and do likewise. 

Challenge: “Will you choose to live God’s way, reflecting His love and truth in everything you do? Will you commit yourself to keep your promise to live for him regardless of how life turns out? Will you help your brother next to you that might be having a rough go of it and needs your help in not being shaken, regardless of how long it takes?”  

This lesson was produced using much of it’s material from Charles H Spurgeon’s commentary on Psalm 15 from, “The Treasury of David, an Expository and Devotional Commentary on the Psalms, Volume I, Psalms 1-26.”

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