“He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart.”
Psalms 15:2 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? Last week we pondered King David’s questions in Psalms 15:1 (KJV) which are, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” If you haven’t read the post yet, you can read it here. Think about those questions for a moment. What would your answer be to his questions? This week, we ponder the words in Psalms 15.2, where King David starts to answer his own questions. So, the first part of King David’s answer to his questions in verse 1 says, “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart.” (Psalms 15:2 KJV) Let’s think about these words and let them really sink into our soul. There are three parts or phrases in Psalms 15:2. I think the last one is easiest to address, so I will address it first. If we look at it, it says, “…and speaketh the truth in his heart.” One might think that means that King David is talking about someone who never lies to anyone and always speaks the truth. I think that is only partially correct. I think the words “in his heart”, makes the meaning a bit deeper. Sometimes, we think we are telling others the truth, only to find out that we have been lying to ourselves. I think sometimes we bury the truth. Therefor, when we tell others something, we really feel that we are telling them the truth. Yet, it isn’t the case. It is just what we have been telling ourselves for so long that we know think it is the truth. Or, maybe we only tell a half-truth. We only tell have of the story. We don’t lie about what we say, but we might withhold a small piece of information. We tell ourselves that it won’t matter. However, even if the other person never knows and it doesn’t make a difference to the other person at all, it still matters, because it matters to God. It also matters to us, as Christians, because we are always seeking and finding God. That also means that we are constantly seeking and finding truth, because God is truth. Sometimes “speaking truth in our heart” might mean to really reflect upon our beliefs, our words, and our actions and honestly telling ourselves and God how we are doing as well as assessing our strengths and weaknesses honestly. This can be difficult. Like I mentioned before, this difficulty could be from burying part of the truth for some reason. It could be from memory lapse, especially if we don’t reflect upon our actions regularly. It could also be from lack of understanding or discernment, which is another good reason constantly pray and read God’s Word, so God will give us the understanding and discernment we need. I also believe that we can look at “speaketh the truth in his heart” a different way. So many times, we get in a rut or speak lies to ourselves, which sabotages our lives. We may go with the crowd or listen to common sentiment about what can and can’t be done. However, if we encourage ourselves with God’s Word, I believe that is also a way of “speaking the truth in his heart”. Yet, Psalms 15:2 isn’t just speaking the truth. It isn’t just talking the talk, so to speak. It is about walking the walk as well. We see that we are called to live in truth as well as speak it in reading Psalms 15:2. Now, let’s look at the other parts of Psalms 15:2. I have tried to research it, but I am uncertain of the distinction between “walketh uprightly” and “worketh righteousness”. King David may have had two different meanings in mind as he wrote this verse or maybe he just wrote two phrases with similar meanings to emphasize the importance of living a righteous life. I don’t know. (If you have comments, I would enjoy reading them.) Maybe one phrase might have to do with being truthful, being honest, and having integrity in public life and one phrase might have to do with being truthful, being honest, and having integrity in personal life. To me, it seems that this verse is reminding us that it isn’t just what we do in public that matters, but what we do behind closed doors matter as well. We are ALWAYS called to be righteous and do the will of God, doing right according to His will for us. We are called to not only speak the truth to ourselves and to others, but to live in truth with honesty and integrity as well. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. Thank you for giving us people through whom we can learn your Word and your will for us. Thank you for showing us the way to you, through Jesus and through your Word. Help us to walk in integrity, speak truth to ourselves and to others, and to do everything according to your will for us. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Psalms 15:2 (KJV): *What does Psalms 15:2 mean to me? *Is there a difference in “speaking in truth” and “speaking in truth in your heart”? *Is there a difference between “walking uprightly” and “working righteousness”? *What message is God giving me through Psalms 15:2? *Of what verse does Psalms 15:2 remind me? *What are my answers to King David’s questions in Psalms 15:1? Are the words in Psalms15:2 part of my answer? Why or why not? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I appreciate your kindness and support. I encourage you to read God's Word, pray, and discern these answers for yourself. If you feel led, please feel free to write a comment so others can learn and ponder your ideas. Also, if you feel others would benefit from the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and feel called to do so, please share it. 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“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8 (KJV) Hi Friends, How are you today? I hope you are doing well. It seems like we are getting information and messages from all over that contradict each other and it is easy to feel confused, discouraged, and overwhelmed. However, God warns us about believing false information. I wrestle with that a bit myself, knowing who or what to believe. And, as you read this, you might be questioning as to whether you should believe my words. I am not asking you to believe my words, just to consider them. They are food for thought. Pray about them. Ask God what is right and what is wrong. I think about culture, tradition, religion, and how much we do without even questioning. We are molded by beliefs, tradition, and culture. Some things in our culture, tradition, and religions may be good. Yet, not everything we have been taught or molded to be by the world is good. Now is a good time to look at what we are taught and what we teach others to see if it aligns with God’s will for us. Sometimes it feels like we just go through our day like a zombie, without looking at whether what we are doing is right or wrong. Or, we may accept what we are told or do as tradition without wondering whether that tradition is right or wrong? We might think, “Oh, it has always been that way” and just do it. Often, our society doesn’t encourage us or teach us to question what we are taught, our cultural ways, or our religious beliefs. As children, we are sometimes punished if we question our parents, teachers, or ministers. We are taught to not “rock the boat” and to not go against the norm. So, we get relaxed in what we think or do. It is almost like we do things with numbness and not realize the full effects of our actions. I think when we are not taught to question things correctly; we are apt to do it in a way that is argumentative, demeaning, or violent. We have rebellions and uprising, violence, and crime. That is not the purpose of questioning things and shouldn’t be the result. We see violence more and more, it seems. Could it be that it is because we are not encouraged to weigh things we are taught with what the Word of God says? It isn’t just violence that we want to avoid by weighing what we learn and knowing the correct way to question. It is also that if we don’t question a source or a message, that we can easily be deceived. Through ignorance, anxiety, charm, or manipulation, it is quite easy to get caught up in a moment and believe something that is not true or only half true. The problem is that it isn’t always the “evil criminal” that deceives us. It may also be our neighbors, coworkers, our loved ones, our teachers, and our churches. We may accept information as true from sources, because we may think they are good sources and wouldn’t try to hurt us in anyway. And, while their motives may not be evil, it doesn’t always mean that the information is true or complete. We all tend to put our own spin on things, even if we don’t really know we are doing it. And, it is so easy to get taken in and get caught up in things that we are told. Words can be powerful things. That is why it is so important that we are aware and seek truth, God’s truth, and not worldly messages. The message that I am pointing out is that God calls us to be aware, to question, and not to fall for deceit. We are called to seek God and ask Him directly whether something is right or wrong. We are called to read the Bible and to follow the example given by Jesus. God is truth. God is the answer. He will show us the truth, if we seek Him. Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Heavenly Father. Thank you for being our Compass and always telling us and showing us truth. You are truth and the only true guide. Please, put a hedge of protection around us from the deceit of the world. Help us to seek you always, to follow the example of Jesus, and to listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Give us the courage to stand up for truth and the clarity to know when to question, when to pray, when to speak out, and when to keep quiet. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Colossians 2:8 (KJV): *What does Colossians 2:8 mean to me? *Do I easily believe what I want to hear? *Am I easily charmed? *Do I do things that are tradition, culturally acceptable, and within the church without questioning whether or not it is God’s will? *Do I seek the truth through reading the Bible, fasting, and praying to God? *What could I do to further God’s truth instead of getting caught up in the deceit of the world? Now, your thoughts: I am interested in your thoughts and comments. What message of the world confuses you? What answers do you seek? Let me know in the comments or contact me. Would you like to have questions to help you reflect on God's Word? I have a free download for you. |
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This is Jodi. I am so glad you are here! I am a Christian and life-long learner. I enjoy sharing and encouraging others. I pray you are blessed by this blog. Thank you for being here. Archives
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