Psalm 15

Wisdom

God Undergirds the One of Integrity

                1 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?

                Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

                2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,

                And speaks truth in his heart.

·         Religion without morality is monstrous.

·         Justification is by faith sole, but not solitary.

·         “I am resolved by the grace of God, to speak of other men’s sins only before their faces, and of their virtues only behind their backs.” (Beveridge)

·         “The citizen of Zion knows the worth of a good name, and therefore he backbites not, defames no man, speaks evil of no man, makes not others’ faults the subject of his common talk, much less of his sport and ridicule, nor speaks of them with pleasure, nor at all but for edification; he makes the best of everybody and the worst of nobody.” (Henry)

·         “The longer I live, the more I feel the importance of adhering to the following rules, which I have laid down for myself in relation to such matters:

o   To hear as little as possible what is to the prejudice of others.

§  To believe nothing of the kind until I am absolutely forced to it.

§  Never to drink into the spirit of one who circulates an ill report.

§  Always to moderate, as far as I can, the unkindness which is expressed toward others.

§  Always to believe that if the other side were heard, a very different account would be given of the matter.