Psalm 15; Access to God

PastorRodney’s Weblog

2025 07/13 Psalm 15; Access to God; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20250713_psalm-15.mp3

Psalm 14 is a wisdom Psalm. Where Psalm 14 defines wisdom by its opposite, the fool who is morally corrupt, does what is offensive to God, and fails to do the good he ought to do, Psalm 15 describes the characteristics of the one who fears the LORD, who is welcome in his presence.

God’s Presence Our Greatest Good

Psalm 15 asks a question of YHWH God. “O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” Who is granted access? Who is fit to be a guest in the dwelling place of God? Who can reside in his holy presence?

This is the most important of all questions. This is David’s ‘one thing’ in Psalm 27

Psalm 27:4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

This is the one thing that satisfies our deepest longings, that realizes what we were made to enjoy. We don’t understand Middle-Eastern hospitality. When Abraham offers passing strangers a little water and a morsel of bread in Genesis 18,

Genesis 18:6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs [that’s about 50lbs] of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

To offer hospitality and invite one in is also to offer shelter and protection from any threats (Gen.19; Judg.19). The presence of God, to be invited in, is our greatest good.

The Danger of God’s Holy Presence

The Lord is a gracious host, extending hospitality to strangers, to those who don’t belong. But he is also holy holy holy; he is completely unique, distinct, other; in a class by himself, and he demands holiness in those who approach his high and holy hill.

This is what he said in the Exodus, when he set his people free:

Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.

Exodus 29:44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

God’s purpose, God’s desire is to dwell among his people. He is pursuing us in relationship. But as Aaron’s two sons Nadab and Abihu (Lev.10:1-3) discovered, the Lord’s holy presence is lethal to sinners who approach him without taking proper precautions. God’s Torah, God’s instructions contained explicit detail on the required purification for objects and for people, required sacrifices to cover different kinds of sins, and specified the right way to approach him.

The Heart of Access

The law’s focus was primarily on the outward physical preparations for entering the holy presence of YHWH, but this Psalm’s focus turns more toward heart and motives.

Psalm 15

A Psalm of David

1 O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?

Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right

and speaks truth in his heart;

3 who does not slander with his tongue

and does no evil to his neighbor,

nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,

but who honors those who fear the LORD;

who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 who does not put out his money at interest

and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

There are character traits essential to the guest of God: Walking blamelessly; or positively, walking in a way that is whole, complete, full, sound. Who does what is right or is righteous. Who speaks truth in his heart; what comes out of your mouth and what is in your heart are perfectly aligned, and are true and trustworthy.

There are social evils inappropriate to the one invited in: two are verbal, one is action. The tongue is not meant for slander but for praise, not to tear down but to build up. We are to do no evil to to neighbor, but rather love neighbor as self. We are not to take up a reproach against one near to us, whether God or man.

Our hearts are to be aligned with the heart of God in how we view other people. The heart of God both loves and hates. We are to despise that which is vile, worthy of being despised, and those who fear the LORD we are to esteem and honor, treat with the dignity and respect they are due.

We are to have integrity in our word, in our finances, in our judgments. If we make a promise, we keep the promise, even if it costs us dearly. We don’t take advantage of those in difficult circumstances in order to make a profit off them. We don’t let money sway our convictions about justice and truth; we can’t be bought.

This is the kind of person that is constant, reliable, trustworthy, solid. They won’t be moved or shaken, because their foundation is strong. This is the kind of person who is welcomed in to God’s presence.

But None Does Good (Ps.14)

But remember, Psalm 15 comes right after Psalm 14, and Psalm 14 tells us

1… there is none who does good.

2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man,

to see if there are any who understand,

who seek after God.

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;

there is none who does good,

not even one.

“O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” The answer from Psalm 14 is none, no one, not even one.

There is no one who walks blamelessly, righteously, with full integrity. There is no one who does not slander, who does no evil, who never takes up a reproach against another. There is no one whose heart is fully aligned with the Lord, who consistently honors what is honorable and despises what is despicable. There is no one who never breaks a promise, who never takes advantage of others, who is uninfluenced by the pressures others put on us.

Jesus The Only One

No one does good. No one seeks after God. None but Jesus that is. Jesus walked in a whole, a complete, a blameless way. Jesus was perfectly righteous, always doing what is right. Jesus is the Truth. He never slandered, never did evil to others, never reproached. He never celebrated what is vile but put the fear of his Father above all. He keeps his promises to us, even when it costs him everything. He invites us poor, needy, broken to come,

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Matthew 11:28 ​Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus will not be manipulated by others. Jesus is the rock, solid, immovable. Jesus will never be shaken.

Jesus Brings us Near

Jesus is the one who makes a way for those who do no good, who fail to seek after God, who fail to meet the criteria of Psalm 15 to enter God’s presence. In Jesus, by the Holy Spirit we are transformed. Transformed from Psalm 14 to Psalm 15. Our corruption, our abominable deeds, our failure to do the good we ought to do is all taken away, nailed to his cross.

Ephesians 2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Strangers, aliens, those far off invited in, brought near, granted access in Christ to the Father through the Spirit.

Transformed By the Spirit

Born again by the Spirit, we are a new creation in Christ. God’s Holy Spirit begins to shape that Christlike character in us, developing in us a heart that is aligned with God’s heart, that loves God above all and loves neighbor selflessly. Walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit;

Galatians 5:22 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 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Psalm 15 is a description of the Spirit transformed, gospel transformed life.

With Me

“O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”

John 14:1 ​“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

“Who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” Believers in Jesus.

John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

This is our hope. This is what we were made for.

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org