Psalm 15(NASB)

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
² He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
³ He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
⁴ In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
⁵ He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.

David wrote the Psalms while living under the Old Covenant. Jesus had not yet come and paid the price to reconcile man to God. He looks here in this Psalm at the character and integrity of a man as what qualifies him to enter into God’s presence, to abide and dwell with Him. Fortunately for us, our entry into the presence of God is through the blood of Jesus and the finished work of the cross. We are told to:    draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.(Hebrews 4:16)  Our access to the presence of God is not dependant on or a result of our own goodness or works.

In Psalm 91 David lists benefits of dwelling and abiding in God.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
³ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

⁵ You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day….

We need to learn to dwell and abide in the Lord’s presence, to walk in this world while keeping ourselves firmly established in the presence of God. Only then do we see things as God sees them. Only then can we have the confidence to walk through the difficulties and trials we face without fear. Jesus made the way. He gives us the access to the heavenly realm, yet our entry, our abiding and dwelling is a spiritual thing. We dwell and abide in the presence of God through our yielding and submission to the Holy Spirit. We need to become accustomed to operating in body and spirit simultaneously.

In Galatians 5:16-24  , Paul says:

 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  

Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. This brings us full circle to the Psalmist declaration of who can abide and dwell with God. It is only as we walk by the Spirit that we overcome our natural weaknesses. Jesus paid the price and  He gave us the Spirit to be the power.

He who does these things will never be shaken.

Thank You.  Amen.