Psalms 15 Series by DUO Inspirations - Post 1

“Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”
                                Psalms 15:1 (KJV)




 


Hi friends,

     How are you?  Today, we are going to start pondering the words in Psalms 15 written by King David.  When I ponder the words of the Holy Bible, I sometimes like to ponder what it was like for those in biblical times.  What were they going through?  What were they thinking?  What did these words mean to them?  Then, back to us today.  What do these words mean to us today?  What do they mean to me right now?  Do you ever ponder such things as you read the Holy Bible?

     In my research for today’s post, I found conflicting information as to the meaning of Psalms 15:1.  Some thought that King David’s questions were about who would be in God’s presence in heaven.  Others thought that King David were questioning who should be allowed in God’s tabernacle here on earth, maybe meaning God’s Holy tent.  Maybe, King David was wondering who belonged in the inner room of the temple.  What are your thoughts?

     Maybe King David was looking for God’s help in choosing temple guards or priests.  Maybe this was written during the time when King David wanted to build a temple; a house for God.  Maybe he was wondering whom he should choose for which jobs?  Maybe King David knew that not just anybody should be assigned to teach and pray within the tabernacle.

     The questions in Psalms 15:1 could be real logistical questions for his current situation.  However, they may have also been more theological in nature.  Instead, King David could have been pondering the meaning of life so to speak.  He could have been wondering what it takes to live in God’s presence eternally. 

     On the other hand, maybe it doesn’t need to be an either or answer.  God could use the questions in Psalms 15:1 to get us thinking about what is needed to be a minister, a pastor, a servant of God here on earth AND what is needed to have eternal life with God.  What are your thoughts?

     Think for a moment about what YOU believe it takes to be a minister, a pastor, or a servant of God here on earth.  Also, think about what it takes to go to heaven to be with God eternally.  What are your thoughts?

     Let’s look at what it takes to be a minister or pastor on earth.  We can look to many verses in God’s Word that speak to how ministers and such are chosen.  One such verse is Ephesians 4:11 (KJV), which says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.”  So, the simple answer about how ministers and such are chosen is that they are chosen by God. 

     Just as in Psalms 15:1, Ephesians 4:11 doesn’t give any specific traits or thoughts as to what it takes to be a pastor or minister of God.  However, Ephesians 4:1 does take that choice out of human hands and puts it in God’s hands.  I wonder if that is the answer that God gave King David as he prayed the words in Psalms 15:1.  What do you think?  I can imagine that as king, David felt a responsibility to choose “just the right person” to be in the tabernacle.  However, I can also imagine our loving God saying, “Don’t worry so much.  It isn’t your choice to make.  I will give you just the right person.”

     We as humans have a habit of taking on the world.  We often will cause our own stress and take on things that aren’t even our place to take on.  If we would only “give it to God”, our life would be much less stressful.  We would be more at peace.  Could that be the message that God is giving us through Psalms 15:1 and Ephesians 4:11? 

     I don’t know about you, but I can kind of relate to King David with this verse.  Like King David, I believe that we are called to have questions and seek answers.  I believe that we should bring those questions to God and rely on Him for our answers.  This too, could be the message that God is bringing us through Psalms 15:1. 

     In all actuality, I feel that God brings us all different messages at different times through His Word, through prayer, and through others.  I feel that we could read the same verse once one day and get one message from it and then read the same verse another day and get another message from it.  I believe that you and I could read the same verse at the same time and get two totally different messages based on our own needs and circumstances.  This just reaffirms that fact that we are called to have a personal relationship with God.  What is God telling you through Psalms 15:1?
 
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for being our Heavenly Father.  Thank you for calling us to read your Holy Word and for giving us a personal message each time we read the Holy Bible.  Help us to question the things of which we don’t understand and help us to rely on only you for our answers.  Help us to know that you have our best interest at heart.  Help us to realize that we should give things to you in prayer instead of trying to take on the world ourselves.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen. 
 
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Reflective questions for Psalms 15:1 (KJV):
*What does Psalms 15:1 mean to me?
*What message is God giving me through Psalms 15:1?
*About what other verse or verses does Psalms 15:1 remind me?
*What do I think King David was thinking when he wrote Psalms 15:1?
*What do I need to better heed God’s message to me in Psalms 15:1?

Now, it is your turn.
     I am so glad you are here.  I feel that at least one of the things I am called to do through the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations is to encourage people to read God's Word, pray, and rely on God for answers.  It is easy to get caught up in worldly things.  That is why I believe that we are called to stay close to God.

     What are your thoughts?  I believe that we can encourage each other and learn from one another.  When one is down or confused another can pray and encourage and vice versa.  I look forward to reading your comments. 

     If you find value in Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please feel free to share it with others.  I pray that it helps people to look into their own lives and find ways to get closer to God in their own faith journey.  Also, if you haven't already done so, please feel free to sign up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox.  Thank you.  God bless.
 

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