Psalm 15:1-2 "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."
Word meanings are very important to the study of God's Word. Many times, we
think we know what a particular word means only to find out it carries a very
different meaning in the original language of the Bible (Hebrew in this case).
The first word in today's verses that I want to look at is the word,
"abide". "Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?"
Who shall abide in the covering of the Lord? David is asking,
"Who shall turn aside from the things of this world and enter into the
covering of the Lord?" We are bombarded everyday with ideas, words,
actions, and attitudes of worldly minded people. Because we still have to deal
with the carnal mind, we are prone to take on the shape of that which we are
surrounded by. In other words, if we aren't careful, we will soon begin to
think, talk, act, and approach life in the same manner as the world. Be
certain it happens, if we are not attentive to ourselves.
The next word that I look at is the word, "dwell". "Who
shall dwell in thy holy hill?" This word carries the idea of
abiding, or turning aside, to the next level. David is asking, "Who
will stay or reside in the holy hill of the Lord?" The holy hill of
the Lord is often referred to as Mt. Zion. The Old Testament Mt. Zion refers to
the Gospel Kingdom of God (Heaven) that is mentioned in the New Testament. That
kingdom wherein we can abide and dwell today through our Lord Jesus Christ. In
my understanding, this refers to the child of God who has been drawn aside into
the tabernacle, or covering, of the Lord and seeking to remain in the
protective care of the Holy Spirit. It seems that many times, we are
willing to turn aside and enter the covering of the Lord but then when things
seem to return to "normal" for us, we are prone to turn back to the elements
of the world. It is very important that we realize though the things of the
world may seem appealing for the moment, they bring about a certain entrapment
for us. The writer of Hebrews wrote that Moses chose "... rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin
for a season." (Hebrews 11:25) Yes there is an alluring pleasure of sin, but it is only for a season. Then reality sets in.
So what is David asking in this Psalm? Who will turn away from sin and
stay on the higher ground of life by walking with the Lord? We know the
Word of God is written for the child of God, so this is not an open invitation
to every individual. This is speaking to the heart that has been made alive by
the Holy Spirit of God and seeking relief from the tendencies of the carnal
mind. It is written to you and to me. So now the question is,
"HOW can we abide and dwell in the leadership of the Lord?" If
you read the remainder of this Psalm, there seems to be a checklist given
whereby we can abide and dwell with the Lord. It is my experience that I
can only do this by, with, and through the help of my Lord Jesus Christ.
I am not wise enough nor strong enough to turn from the pretty things of the
world. But I have found the absolute truth of Philippians 4:13, "I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I can turn and I
can dwell in the presence of the Lord by holding to the great truth of His
unconditional love given to me through the death of my Lord on that rugged cross.
If Jesus died for me, I can live for Him.