Psalm 15 is the Old Testament roadmap to an unshaken soul. David was no stranger to personal failure. But at a time when life was supposed to get easier, David found himself navigating painful rejection and isolation. His son Absalom had thrown integrity to the wind and forced his royal father into the wilderness, and he was once again running for his life. After David had been betrayed and banished by his son Absalom, David under divine inspiration sang Psalm 15! The song is a promise of a never shaken life. The Psalm is guide for us in our unsettling times.
The Question: Intimacy (v. 1).
“O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” What questions do you ask when you are devastated by unpredictable and incredibly difficult setbacks? David directed his question directly to Yahweh – the eternal, self-existent covenant-keeping God. David knew he must get his answers directly from above. The questions you ask in the hardest of times determine the focus of your mind, the health of your emotions, and the eventual outcome of the journey.
Loss and suffering show the world who are the real worshipers of the true God and who are just pretending. Only when worship comes at a cost may we tell if it is true. Suffering is the fire that refines and reveals the heart of worship.
The Answer: Integrity (vv. 2-5a)
1. Personal Integrity (v.2). “He who walks blamelessly (with integrity), works righteousness (does what is right), and speaks truth in his heart.” To walk in integrity is to have a consistent pattern of living. Righteousness is choosing to do the right thing even when it's difficult. When David was confronted about his adultery and murder, he was able to speak the truth in his heart—and experience restoration (Psalm 51).
2. Relational Integrity (vv.3-4). What I SAY about others: “He does not slander with his tongue.” How I ACT toward others: “nor does evil to his neighbor.” What I RECEIVE about others: “nor takes up a reproach against his friend.” Don’t accept without questioning stories or slurs you hear.
How I ASSOCIATE with others: “in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD.” Our value of a person must agree with God’s. Our esteem must be based on the degree to which they are God followers. The heroes we pick reveal our ideals, our highest values.
What I COMMIT to others: “who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” Commit with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Your commitment should be firm, unbreakable, and sincere.
3. Financial Integrity (v.5). “…who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent.” Money exerts tremendous influence on our lives and our relationships. Conflicts over money are the second leading cause of divorce, behind infidelity. Both high levels of debt and a lack of communication are significant causes for the stress and anxiety surrounding household finances.
“Money and things are a big part of life, and therefore God intends them to be a big part of worship—since all of life is to be worship. So the way you worship with your money and your possessions is to get them and use them and lose them in a way that shows how much you treasure God—not money.” -- John Piper
The Promise: Immovability (v. 5b). “He who DOES these things shall never be moved.”
He will be steadfast and unwavering, not disturbed from a firm position or state. Never shaken.