Skip to main content
Sunday Psalms

Who may worship 
in your sanctuary, 
Lord? 
Who may enter 
your presence 
on your holy hill? 

Those who 
lead blameless lives 
and do what is right, speaking the truth 
from sincere hearts. Those who 
refuse to gossip 
or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. 
Those who 
despise flagrant sinners, 
and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who 
lend money without charging interest, 
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. 
Such people 
will stand firm 
forever.
Psalms 15:1-5 NLT
This song of David's starts with the big question of who is good enough for God. All the rules about the priests and ritual cleansing.
And he comes up with quite a list:
Starts with our hearts.
And he's interested in how our values are lived out, how we treat those closest to us, those who stand against God, and finally how we treat those we transact with and how we treat the innocent. 
As you read this song, what stands out for you?
What resonates?
What is sharp? (Ouch)
What do you disagree with?
David answers or responds to his own question with 4 "those who". His answer reflects the complexity of what it is to be human and to have big questions.
And that it's OK to have questions for God and to wrestle with the answers.
#sunday
#psalms
#psalm15

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Genesis 15.8-18.ESV But he said O Lord God , how am I to know that I shall possess it? ...When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram... March 15 was the last day we looked at Abram's story...he was questioning God and this is God's response...sacrifices and smoke and fire and a covenant...a promise... Isn't that what we crave for sometimes? God, if only you'd just show me smoke & fire, a burning bush a sign, miracle, healing...then all my questions would disappear...all my doubts would be gone... 2moro we'll see Abram's response but I think God values our faith in spite of our questions and doubts. That we choose Him anyway #faith
Post a Comment
Read more
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,  for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15-16 NLT OK so this is an English translation of a letter Paul wrote to a church 2,000 years ago, but does it feel like Paul is wrestling with words and ideas to try and capture all of who Jesus is, of who God is, of how does it work that the walking around Jesus was also there before the beginning of the beginning of everything we can see and touch and know. Not only that but Jesus was somehow the agent of everything that has been made in the physical, social, and spiritual.  Jesus is at the centre of it all.  Walking around Jesus. Cooking fish for breakfast Jesus. Heart aching as he ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Friday! Proverbs! The Lord hates six things;  in fact, seven are detestable to him:  (1) arrogant eyes,  (2) a lying tongue,  (3) hands that shed innocent blood, ... Proverbs 6:16-17 CSB This list of things that Proverbs describes that our God stands against, are anti-God, must be things that God isn't.  It's easy to use Proverbs as a weapon, to accuse or label others, but Proverbs is about finding the way of wisdom, of life, it's about the heart, mine, yours, ours.  And it's full of metaphor. Arrogant eyes. Eyes aren't arrogant, they're just that part of my body that receives visual information aren't they? Arrogant eyes. My tongue doesn't tell lies by itself, I do that. Hands that shed innocent blood - I haven't taken anyone's life... The word here for "hands" is "yad" and it is used literally and figuratively- it means an open hand (not closed) and is about direction and use of power. Proverbs invites us to sit with these p...
Post a Comment
Read more