Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. I’m so glad you’re here. Some of us arrived with sunshine in our step, others with a storm in our chest. Some of us feel strong; others feel threadbare. All of us are seen, known, and welcomed by the God who meets us right where we are and loves us too much to leave us there. Take a deep breath. Let your shoulders drop. You’re among family, and the Father is glad you came.

Have you ever walked up to a front door and paused at the welcome mat, wondering if the home inside had room for you? Psalm 15 reads like the front-door words of God’s house. David holds up a warm, wise invitation: Who gets to come in? Who gets to stay close? What kind of heart feels at home with the Holy One? If you’ve wondered how to live a steady, sturdy, everyday faith that sings on Mondays and whispers hope on weary Thursdays, Psalm 15 is a gift.

Many of us feel the tug-of-war of the week—headlines and heartaches, deadlines and doubts. We long for a faith that isn’t fragile. We long for integrity that holds when the pressure mounts, speech that heals when tempers flare, and habits that honor God in kitchens, cubicles, classrooms, and checkout lines. In a world of shortcuts and spin, Psalm 15 calls us to a life that is simple, sincere, and strong.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” That line fits Psalm 15 like a hand in a glove. God isn’t playing hide-and-seek with His will. He tells us what is right. He shows us what is good. He invites us into a life that walks uprightly, speaks truthfully, loves faithfully, and stands firmly.

Today we’ll let David shepherd our hearts with three simple movements: the question of who may abide in God’s presence, the character God welcomes, and the security of a life that will not be moved. These are not hoops to jump through; they are the beautiful marks of a heart made new by grace and shaped by the nearness of God. Picture a life where your words are clean, your dealings are clear, your promises are kept, and your feet are planted. That life shines in the dark and points people to a good God.

Before we read, hear this encouragement: God gives what He commands. When He calls us to walk uprightly, He supplies strength. When He calls for truth in the inner parts, He offers cleansing and courage. When He calls us to keep our word, He provides the help to hold steady. He is not far-off. He is close, kind, and ready to work within us.

Let’s read the Scripture together.

Psalm 15 (KJV) 1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Opening Prayer Father, thank You for Your nearness and Your welcome. We come as we are—tired, thirsty, and teachable. Shape our hearts as we hear Your Word. Give us clean hands and truthful tongues. Make our steps steady and our promises faithful. Teach us to love our neighbors well, to honor those who fear You, and to refuse whatever harms the innocent. Plant our feet so firmly in Your presence that our lives become a quiet, clear witness of Your grace. By Your Spirit, form in us the character that You cherish and the stability You promise. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.

Who May Abide in God's Presence

To live near God is not a quick visit. It is a way of life. It is learning how to be at ease with Him. It is letting His ways shape our ways until His presence feels like the air we breathe.

This nearness is not foggy or vague. Scripture names what it looks like. It shows us the kind of person who feels at home with God. Not a checklist to impress Him. A picture of a heart He welcomes.

The psalm opens with a person who walks straight. The path is clear. This is about steady choices, day after day. Doing what is right when no one is clapping. Doing what is right when no one is watching.

It also speaks of truth deep inside. Words begin in the heart long before they reach the lips. When truth lives within, it cleans the inner talk. It clears out spin and self-justifying stories. It makes room for a clean yes and a clear no.

This inner truth shows up in daily work. In the way we fill out forms. In the way we send emails. In the way we handle the small tasks that no one else notices. The person who stays near to God wants the inside and the outside to match, and does simple, honest good.

The psalm also points to the tongue. The mouth can cut or it can heal. Nearness to God trains our speech. It slows the quick remark. It keeps us from biting words that draw blood.

This means we stop carrying rumors. We do not pass along half-truths that stain a name. We do not pick up the old grudge a friend hands us at lunch and hold it like it is ours. We set it down. We refuse the easy laugh that lands hard on a neighbor. Peace grows when the tongue is careful.

Harm can be quiet. It can be a cold shoulder, a rolled eye, a nudge that keeps someone out. Near to God, we seek our neighbor’s good in simple ways. We go first in apology. We make room in the circle. We look for ways to help dignity stand tall again.

This kind of life is not loud. It is steady. It builds trust over time. People breathe easier around a person whose words are safe.

The psalm then turns to what we honor. Every heart carries a hall of fame. Who we admire shapes who we become. When our loves are healthy, we learn to prize people who revere God, even if they are quiet and unknown.

We also learn to pull back the glow from those who celebrate harm. It is wise to be careful with influence. We can care for every person and still refuse applause for ways that wound. This protects the heart. It sets a clean pattern for what we call good.

Then there is the hard line about keeping our word when it costs. This is where nearness gets tested. We sign our name, and then the bill comes due. We keep the promise. We show up even when it rains. We return the call even when it is late. We honor the agreement even when a better offer lands in our inbox.

That kind of faithfulness is rare. It shines without noise. It says, You can count on me. And in that steady follow-through, we learn something about God’s own faithfulness toward us.

Money and power enter the psalm as well. Nearness to God touches our accounts. We do not look for gain that grows from another person’s pain. We choose terms that are fair. We refuse schemes that lean on the weak.

This reaches past lending. It speaks to invoices, rent, wages, interest, and fees. It checks the way we pitch a deal, the way we write a contract, the way we collect what we are owed. Fairness is not a brand. It is a habit that guards the vulnerable.

The psalm also warns us off bribes and gifts that twist judgment. We do not take the envelope. We do not color the report. We do not let the innocent carry the weight so that we can move ahead. Truth is worth more than a payout.

A life shaped like this has weight. It does not slide when pressure comes. It stands in storms that would tilt a house built on show. There is a settled strength in clean hands and clear accounts, in kept promises and guarded words.

This is the kind of person who finds that God’s nearness is not thin or far away. It becomes a steady friendliness. A quiet shelter. A daily rest.

The Character God Welcomes

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