PSALM 15
TEHILLIM 15
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1 (A Psalm of David.) Yahweh, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
The Truth
No kind of knowledge is calculated to work such a change in a man's character, or to give him so much power over himself as the Truth.
The Truth alone gives adequate scope to the highest faculties of our nature; as it also exercises the most potent of all restraints upon all other less spiritual tendencies.
In any case where the Truth fails in producing desirable results it is due either to poor soil, poor endeavour, or small and neglected opportunities.
The Truth in a man's hand is a staff to help him up the hill of life; a divine counsellor standing at his right hand; a weapon of offence and defence in every controversy; a galaxy of stars on a dark night; a mountain of might for the overcoming of every obstacle; and a hill of blessing whereon is spread a delightful banquet of fat things.
The Truth sufficiently applied makes a man free---free from petty ambitions; free from corroding care; free from the power of slavish habits; free from narrow-minded sympathies; free from sordid pursuits; free from overweening affections for perishable objects; free from mere selfish purposes; and indeed free as the air we breathe---which is "at your service" at all times and in all places.
The Truth kills pride, stamps out viperish animosities, breaks down unrelenting barriers, softens the natural hardness of the heart, moistens the asperities of life, lightens up the dark valley of the shadow of death, and at last introduces its ravished disciples to eternal day.
The Truth mentally creates a man over again: creates a new heart and a right spirit; creates new aspirations, new affections, new joys, new prospects, new obligations, new purposes, new friends, and a new life altogether, under new management.
Bro Shuttleworth
Reprinted in The Berean Christadelphian, July 2023
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
Backbiting
àIt was expressly declared in Psalm 15, that they who indulged in that almost universal practice would not be admitted to the Kingdom of God. This was a future penalty of unspeakable terror: but even now, there was a terrible plague following in the wake of back-biting. Back-biting was to bite a person when their back was turned: to speak against them when their back was turned.
The rule about the matter was simple. We were, of course, all of us more or less faulty and short-coming: but WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK ABOUT EACH OTHER'S FAULTS - still less to help in circulating reports that might be untrue.
We were allowed to confess our own faults, if our neighbour's faults were serious, we were allowed to speak of them to him "between thee and him alone." We were not allowed to -"go up and down among our people as talebearers" or to make ourselves - "busy bodies in other men's matters."
Our part was to be silent about our neighbours unless you have something good to say. I took them to witness how often for thirty years past I had to insist at management meetings on this rule, and to stop the mouth of the accuser in the absence of the accused, still more in the absence of that course of private interview for which the law of Christ called.
I implored them to stand as with a drawn sword over this principle. Their present well being as a community depended upon it, not to speak of their acceptability with Him who would judge us all presently by the standard of His revealed will.
Nothing would sooner chill and disaffect and finally disintegrate them, and scatter them one from another than the habit so common among men of repeating evil rumours or indulging in personal criticism, or making charges on hearsay.
Bro Roberts - Second Voyage to Australia
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear Yahweh. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
There are few tests of character more decisive, especially in little things. There are many things that seem too small to make it necessary to be careful to adhere to principles; little infractions that we can laugh off, or dismiss lightly.
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful in much: he that is unjust in the least is unjust in much."
If we are unfaithful in little things, then we can be sure that our faithfulness in big things has no sound basis, but is merely the result of fear, necessity, or pride.
In any accepted benefit, there is an implied covenant. The limitations of our circumstances may confine the return to simple thanksgiving, but usually there is much more to be done. The person who fails to realize this -- that whenever he accepts, he is obliged to give -- has not learned the first law of the spirit of life. The life of Christ was in its entirety a complete and continual giving, and it was the only perfect life. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister -- not to get, but to give -- not to accumulate, but to distribute. He fully realized the implications of the everlasting covenant.
Bro Growcott
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Money Lending
As to a brother's right to take "interest on money lent," it depends on circumstances. If the money be lent to aid in distress, he is equally forbidden to ask or accept interest.—(Lev. 25:35–37; Psalm 15:5.)
Interest in such a case is oppression of the poor, and offensive in the sight of God; but if a man, for his own advantage, ask the use of money at interest, a brother is no more precluded from accepting it than accepting rent for a house, or increase upon any other article of commerce.
It is better, however, to have nothing to do with borrowing or lending. They are both hindrances. If help is wanted, give, "hoping for nothing again." This keeps the ground clear of all roots of bitterness.
And as for borrowing, the borrower puts a chain round his neck which will hurt him for many days.
The Christadelphian, Jan 1875
Every true brother of Christ follows the example of Christ and the command of the apostles, in obeying the law of the realm, when that law is not opposed to what God requires.
Every brother, therefore, living in a country where the law prohibits interest above a certain rate for the use of money, will refrain from accepting anything above that rate. Such a law, so far from being against the divine law, is on its side; for a high rate of interest means profiting by the necessities of the needy, which is usuriousness, and usury is forbidden.
The Christadelphian, March 1875
What is it that moves us when others find fault?
It is the half-conscious fear that somewhere we have lost contact with the mind of the spirit and the fault-finder may have some ground of fact at the bottom of the grievance he has built up. And in God's wise provision for the mortification of the flesh, we usually find that to a larger or smaller degree this is true. Rarely, if ever, are we permitted to enjoy the sweet but dangerous gratification of having been entirely right.
Bro Growcott