"Lord, who shall abide in your tabernacle? Who shall dwell in your holy hill?" (Psalm 15:1)
This is certainly a most pertinent question. If a person desires to go to a certain place, his first inquiry will be as to how he is to get there.
Now there are few persons who do not have a desire for eternal life; few do not entertain a faint hope, though often without reason, that they will at last by some means have an entrance into the holy city. Then the question of the psalmist should be constantly on their minds; that is, they should constantly be searching for an answer to it.
No one will enter Heaven by accident; no one will dwell in the "holy hill" without knowing positively by what means he got there. As surely as the joys in the presence of the Lord are real, so surely are the steps to them real. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
Fortunately, we are not left to grope in darkness for the way to Zion, nor need we be at a loss to know when we have found it. The inspired psalmist has answered his own question. Let us then examine it together. Here is the first part of the answer:
vs. 2: He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.
vs. 3: He that backbites not with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.
The first clause seems to cover it all: "He that walks uprightly." (Psalm 15:2)
We hear a great deal nowadays about "crooked" dealings. The way that leads to life is too narrow to allow any "crooked" person to walk in it. Every one in it must be upright. Reader, do you realize what that means? Do any of us fully appreciate what it is to do right? It is simply to "keep straight" all the time; to be upright; to not deviate at all from a perfect standard. It is to "Make straight paths for your feet," (Hebrews 12:13) and to walk in them continually, and not simply occasionally. The great reason why many professed Christians make so little progress in the Christian life, is that they have so low a standard of Christianity. What is the proper standard? John says: "He that says he abides in Him, ought himself also so to walk even as He walked." (1 John 2:6)
Christ is the perfect pattern. He is the way and the truth. "[He] did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. This was because the law of God was in His heart." (1 Peter 2:22) "I delight to do your will, O my God: yea, your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:8) Then if we would walk "uprightly," as Christ walked, we must also have the law of God in our hearts; for David says of the one who has the law of God in his heart: "The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." (Psalm 37:31)
So if one wishes to know how much the law of God requires of him, let him examine carefully the life of Christ. In his life we see a living exemplification of the law.
But if the law requires a walk like that of Christ, if perfect obedience to the law's requirements makes a man like Christ, then certainly the law will condemn the one whose life is not like Christ's. If we deviate from the pattern which Christ has set, then we are condemned. Surely it is no small thing to be a Christian. But the psalmist has specified some things:
vs. 2: He that ... speaks the truth in his heart.
Outwardly a man's deportment may be correct; his morals may be fully up to the standard of the very best society, and yet he may be a gross violator of the law, and may be more guilty before God than one who sins openly and recklessly. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
But no one must fall into the error that he can keep the law in his heart, and break it openly. Many have fallen into this error; for this is just what they mean when they talk about keeping the law in spirit and not in letter. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks;" (Matthew 12:34) and "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)
A man may keep the law outwardly, and violate it really, in his heart; but it is an utter impossibility for anyone to keep the law in his heart, and violate the letter of it. So if a man keeps the fourth commandment "in his heart," if he keeps the spirit of that commandment, he will keep holy the seventh day of the week, and no other.
vs. 3: He that backbites not with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.
Webster gives the following definition of the word "backbite": "To censure, slander, reproach, or speak evil of, in the absence of the person traduced."
Notice that according to this definition, backbiting is not necessarily speaking falsely against an absent one; the things said may be true, and yet it may be backbiting. It is speaking evil of a neighbor that is condemned. This is still farther shown by the expression.
vs. 3: nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.
If a man commits a sin, that is a reproach to him; for Solomon says that: "Sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)
Now if one neighbor has actually done wrong, and we take up his case and make it a subject of conversation, criticizing it of course, we are backbiting. This of course does not include those instances in which a man's case is considered by those in positions of authority, with a view to reclaiming him, or of preventing him from leading others astray.
If it is a sin to speak evil of one when the things uttered are true how much worse must it be when the reports are false? The ninth commandment says: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
This does not mean simply that we must not swear falsely against him in court, or that we must not at any time tell what we know is not true; but it means that we must not tell what we do not know to be true.
The man who hears something to the detriment of his neighbor, and repeats it to others, not knowing that it is true, is guilty of bearing false witness, as well as of taking up a reproach against his neighbor. The ninth commandment means a great deal more than we are apt to think it does. And so it is with all the commandments. They are, indeed "exceeding broad." (Psalm 119:96)
Here is a safe and simple rule to follow with our fellowmen: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:18)
He who does this fulfills the whole law, so far as it relates to man. That means that we must be as careful of our brother's reputation as we would be of our own. When we are about to repeat something to the detriment of anyone, stop and consider whether we would like to have him repeat such a thing about us. If this rule were followed, it would shut out a great amount of gossip and slander.
For there is such a thing as going to extremes. There are proper times to speak about another, even to tell things that are to his detriment. In a court of law, a man must witness to the truth, that justice may be done. So, also, the proper authorities in the church are to be notified when a brother persists in wrong-doing. This is in the interest of good order and discipline. The Bible says: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall in any wise rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him." (Leviticus 19:17)
He who covers up wrong in another, neither trying to restore him, nor informing those who could restore him, becomes a "partaker of other men's sins." (1 Timothy 5:22)
Here is another specification:
vs. 4: In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honors them that fear the Lord.
This does not mean that we are to despise and shun sinners, nor that we are to be uncivil to anybody. We are to show "all meekness unto all men." (Titus 3:2)
And we are to be like Christ, who came to save that which was lost. While He hated sin, He was the sinner's friend, and He sought their society, not for the sake of their society, but that He might do them good.
But a "vile person," a reprobate, is not to be esteemed. Remember that the text does not discriminate. It does not say that you must despise a vile person if he is poor, but that you may honor a reprobate who is wealthy. That is the way of the world, but it is not the Lord's way. If society would adopt as a rule the fourth verse of this psalm, it would very soon be purged of a terrible load of corruption.
vs. 4: but he honors them that fear the Lord.
One of the special requirements of an elder is that he be "a lover of good men." (Titus 1:8)
And one of the sins charged against the people of the last days is that they are "despisers of those that are good." (2 Timothy 3:3)
There is to be no discrimination; the poorest and most ignorant man, if he is a God-fearing man, is worthy of more honor that the profligate prince or millionaire. There is no honor that a man can receive that will outrank the honor which God gives, in imparting His grace to the humble. "Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
vs. 5: He that puts not out his money to usury, nor takes reward against the innocent.
By comparing this text with Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35-37; Deuteronomy 23:19-20, we see that the entire prohibition of taking usury was only from brethren; from strangers it was allowable to receive usury. This was no injustice; for extortion or unjust gain is expressly condemned everywhere. We are commanded to "Do good to all men as we have opportunity, but especially unto them who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)
It is just for a man to receive reasonable compensation for means which represents his own labor; still the Bible clearly teaches that a man must not be a taker of usury, that is, that must not be his business.
It is almost impossible for a man to engage in the business of money lending without taking advantage of the necessities of others, and thus violating the command to love his neighbor as himself. This is why we are positively forbidden to exact usury from the poor. "And if your brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with you; then you shall relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with you. Take no usury of him, or increase: but fear your God; that yourbrother may live with you. You shall not give him your money upon usury, nor lend him your victuals for increase." (Leviticus 25:35-37) "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." (1 Timothy 6:9)
vs. 5: He that does these things shall never be moved.
Let a person live fully up to the 15th Psalm, and he will surely have eternal life. He who does so, will be a perfect man; he will fulfill all the law. "Why," says the objector, "you don't take Christ into the account of all."
Not so fast. We said that the one who should carry out the regulations laid down in Psalm 15 would have eternal life, and in so saying we only echoed the words of the inspired writer. But who can fulfill them? Says Christ, "Without me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
The unrenewed man would find it an utter impossibility to do what is required. Even his best endeavors would come so far short of the standard as to sink him into perdition.
More than this, supposing that it were possible for a man to do in his own strength what is required; where could the person be found who has ever come anywhere near the standard? With the exception of Christ, no such person ever lived on earth. Then how much profit could one derive from his future good deeds, even if he could perform them? Not a particle.
The blood of Jesus Christ, and that alone, can cleanse from sin. He whose sins are forgiven is a new creature in Christ, and it is not till then that he can perform works that are acceptable to God. "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto goodworks, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10)--Signs of the Times, December 3, 1885--Original title: Comments on Psalm 15--Psalm 15:1-5.