Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? … He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend. (Psalm 15:1, 3)
As discussed in the previous devotion, those who are permitted to abide in God’s House are those who possess Godly character. Thus David continues addressing just what it means to possess those attributes that allow one to come into God’s Presence. Having already established that they “speak truth from their heart,” it stands to reason that such a person would not harbor wicked schemes nor use their tongue to speak ill against others. Someone whose heart is filled with truth would exhibit great care in his speech and action meaning he would avoid talebearing and using his tongue to disseminate slander. To the contrary, the righteous man would use his tongue to speak truth and his lips would utter praise to God.
The person who desires to dwell in God’s Presence understands that it is only by God’s grace and mercy that we are allowed to do so. So then, one who desires to remain in His Presence must be attentive to, not only how we approach God, but also how we treat others. If our tongues are to be used to offer Him praise and adoration, we should go out of our way to avoid speaking deceitfully of our fellow man. In spite of the fact that many have accused him of being a supplanter, this standard is evident in Jacob. When his mother insisted that he pretend to be Esau, he objected: “Perhaps my father will feel me and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him.” In other words, as precious as his father’s blessing was to him, truth was even dearer.
According to David, those who are permitted to dwell in the LORD’s house will not speak falsely against others nor will they mistreat their acquaintances and closest friends. When friends and family lash out in anger, they will not “fight fire with fire” but will use their mouth to speak wisely, as it is written: “A soft answer turns away wrath …. and the tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly” (Proverbs 15:1-2). Admittedly, this is easier said than done, but nevertheless, this is the standard God presents to us if we are to be counted as His sons and daughters.
And so perhaps the best way to close these thoughts today is to remember how Messiah responded to those who were hostile toward Him: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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