Read
(A psalm by David.)
Who May Worship the Lord?
1Who may stay in God's temple
or live on the holy mountain
of the Lord?
2Only those who obey God
and do as they should.
They speak the truth
3and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
and don't say cruel things.
4They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
who worship the Lord.
And they keep their promises,
no matter what the cost.
5They lend their money
without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
to hurt the innocent.
Those who do these things
will always stand firm.
Reflect
Where are you living? Please note, I did not ask, “What is your address?”
For the Old Testament believer, God had an address. He lived in the Tent of Meeting on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Later this was the location of the great temple built by Solomon.
This entire psalm is based on the premise that we can live in the presence of God. Why else would the psalmist ask, “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?”
It would appear that wherever we are, it is possible to live our lives in the conscious presence of the Lord. What an awesome privilege!
But how is that possible? On an intellectual level, this is a no brainer. God is present everywhere. We are continually living our lives in full view of an omnipresent God.
Am I always aware of His presence? No, not always.
What can I do to change that? The psalmist lists some requirements for living in the Lord’s presence. Apparently, God is vitally concerned with the way we walk out our life of faith—the words we speak, and our interactions with neighbours and friends. The list of requirements is all about practical day to day living, being true to our word, loving our neighbour, being generous to those in need.
The day is coming when I will meet the Lord face to face. Do I see Him in the face of my neighbour?
Respond
Heavenly Father, I don’t want to come for an occasional visit. I want to live in your presence now and in eternity. Today help me interact with others with the knowledge that you are watching every thought, word and action. I’m living Lord with you. Amen.
David Kitz
David Kitz is an actor, an award-winning author, and teacher. For more than thirty years, he has served as an ordained pastor. His love for drama is evident to all who have seen his Bible-based performances. He has toured across Canada and United States with a variety of one man plays for children and adults. Raised in Saskatchewan, David now lives in Ottawa with his wife Karen. Books in print: The Soldier Who Killed a King, Little Froggy Explores the BIG World, Psalms Alive!, Tunks on Tongues