Psalm 15 O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart. Verses 1-2
The person described in Psalm 15 is a person of integrity. This is in contrast to the person in Psalm 14, who foolishly insists that their is no God.
Here are the characteristics that mark the Psalm 15 person:
1. Integrity (v. 2)
2. Truth (v. 3)
3. Allegiance (v. 4)
4. Honor (vv. 4-5)
5. Stability (v. 5)
These are all very good qualities to have in a life. I pray that God will produce them in mine, in abundance.
"Joyful Worship"
Psalm 96:9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
"By holy joy we do really serve God; it is an honor to him to rejoice in him; and we ought to serve him with holy joy. Gospel-worshippers should be joyful worshippers; if we serve God in uprightness, let us serve him with gladness."
"Tragedy in Bethlehem"
Matthew 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children, she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."
The Jewish scribes and Pharisees had no interest in finding or worshiping Jesus when he was born. Herod's interest was only self-serving and hypocritical (he flat-out lied about why he wanted to know where the child was born). "In reality, Herod's sadistic brutality against the male infants around Jerusalem reflected his own and the Jewish leaders' unrelenting rejection of Jesus. Those little ones were the first casualties in the reintensified spiritual warfare between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven."
Ask Yourself
We never wish for days of sorrow, but they come nonetheless - grievous realities of our fallen world. What have you learned from times of anguish and despair? How has God met you in the midst of them and pulled you through? Who could use your comfort, even today?
What I have learned is that no matter how bad things seem to get, God is always there, even if I let myself think he has turned his back on us or abandoned us. Most of the time, God meets me through fellow believers. Friends who rally around with support that you just can't find anywhere else. Brothers who refuse to let you remain in the state you are in and just gather around and pray over you. God also meets me in the words of Scripture. Constantly, he is speaking to me through them, even in passages that I have read hundreds of times. He always finds a way to break through my despair and show me that he is still there and cares for me.
There are friends who need comforting all the time. Christi has a good friend who's mother just passed away. Even though it is a relief because she was very ill, and is now with Jesus, it is still a time of sadness and grief. Another friend is facing continued unemployment along with health issues that don't seem to be getting better. Other friends are facing health issues that are very difficult. All need the comfort from God that can be provided by brothers and sisters standing with them in support.
I thank you that you have placed within me the desire to worship you and to lead others to do the same. May my worship (both daily and on Sunday morning) be truly joyful as Matthew Henry described. And let that joy overflow into others as I serve you.
I thank you that you are always there. I am grateful that, during times of anxiety and despair, that you send comfort, not only through your words written in the Bible, but also through other believers. And I pray that I will also be available to give that same comfort to others, as well, when they are in need.
I pray for comfort for Josh and his family in the loss of his mother. I pray for Gayla and Roger as he goes through yet another surgery and continues to try to find work. I pray for Gina and Diane and their families as Gina continues to suffer from the many surgeries that she has had to have. Give comfort on those situations. I pray for Rebecca as she deals with the circumstances around her son. I pray for Bobby's brother Chris, that you might bring him back to you. There is so much need. So much despair. Yet there is hope, so perhaps it is not right to call it despair. We ought never to worry, because you, the God of the universe, are our strong tower!
Hallelujah!
Grace and peace, friends.