Let's look at Psalm 15. I have always thought this portion of Scripture preaches beautifully. In reality it tells us what things a believer must do to remain stable. (To never be moved!) For that reason alone it is well worth studying!

I have printed the whole Psalm here for your study.  Read it a time or two before plunging into the material!

Psalm 15

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.

To "abide" is to inhabit continually!

To "dwell" is to remain constantly!

Both verbs have the idea of faithfulness!

Then comes the list of 11 things one must do in order to "never be moved!" Let's see if we can list them here:

1. He that walks uprightly!   (Uprightly is translated "without blemish" 44 times in the King James Bible!)

2. He that works righteousness!  (Worketh = to make, do or commit! It is a participle meaning the action is ongoing, continual! It is not occasional!)

3. Speaks the truth!   (Even in his own heart!)

4. He backbites not with his tongue!   (Backbiteth is translated "slander" in the King James Version!)

5. He does no evil to his neighbor!   (Neighbor = friend or companion)

6. He takes no reproach against his neighbor either! (He never harms his neighbor. He casts no slur upon his neighbor! To reproach = to strip, to pull off! ... as regarding a neighbor's good name or reputation!)

7. He condemns a vile person!   (Condemned = despised! Vile = reprobate!) That takes care of a lot of today's so-called popular "heroes," doesn't it?

8. He honors those who fear the Lord!   (Honor = to give weight to! To respect heavily!  To let them "carry a lot of weight" with you!)

9. He will not change after he has sworn (given his word) on something! (This simply means that he (whatever the cost) will do what he has said!  He keeps his promises!)

10. He loans not his money to usury! (That means he does not loan money at high and hurtful interest rates! He helps others financially rather than hurts them!)

11. He does not take reward against the innocent! (That means that he will not untruthfully testify against an innocent person ... even if he is offered a lot of money to do so! He can't be bought!)

He that does these 11 things ... WILL NEVER BE MOVED! The verb "moved" means to waver! to slip! to shake! or to fall! The verb has a sense of ongoing action!  He will not fall today or tomorrow or ever!

I would say these 11 things are well worth preaching ... and living!  What do you think?

I pray you can find a nugget (or a sermon) in there somewhere!

See to Whom the question of this Psalm is addressed? To God Himself! He ALONE knows who shall abide in His Presence! David surely asked the right Person this question!

We should "frown" upon a backbiting tongue! Read Proverbs 25:23 --- "The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue."

These are not the "10 Commandments" ... but they are the "11 behaviors" that God will bless!

The "tabernacle" was like a tent and was portable! The Temple (located on the Holy Hill of Zion) was a permanent building. The godly man of Psalm 15 can inhabit either! In a sense the verbs used in verse one reflect the temporary nature of the tabernacle and the permanent nature of the temple!

Speaking the truth in one's heart certainly removes all hypocrisy!

The word for "usury" means literally to bite with a sting (as a serpent does)! Hurting a poor man financially is wrong!

Happy studying!

                                                                                    --- Dr. Mike Bagwell