1. 1. Psalm 15:2-5 A psalm of David. I LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain? Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing. Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
2. 2. 2 Whoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart; 3 Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend; 4 Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost, 5 lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent. Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.
3. 3. About the time of this writing David was returning the Ark to Jerusalem that the Philistines had captured. This psalm tells about a ceremony in which an Israelite was admitted to the temple court. The temple was not like a church that one could enter at any time. It was Gods house and it could be entered only at certain times and under certain conditions.
4. 4. A person had to be admitted by a priest. The visitor had to answer the questions of the priest at the gate: Who may sojourn in your tent? Tent was a traditional reference to the temple in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem temple had replaced the Tent of Meeting in the desert. Without commitment to the covenant, without conversion, one cannot enter the presence of the Lord. The psalm shows that nearness to the Lord is not a matter of external ritual alone; it demands heartfelt commitment as well.