Where has this psalm been all my life?

Where has this psalm been all my life? I feel like I have never read it or heard it before.

Psalm 15: The Way, The Truth, The Life
O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take a reproach again their neighbors;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

This is a beautiful, inspiring psalm. It is the way to live in the world--how to be deeply rooted in a foundation of truth. It reminds me of that sunday school song (excuse the sexist language): The wise man built in his house upon the rock, his house upon the rock, his house upon the rock...and when the floods came up and rains came down, the house on the rock stood FIRM.

How do we make our home with God and live in God's house?

• Do what is right
• Speak the truth from our hearts
• Do not stretch the truth to hurt someone
• Do not do evil to your friends and neighbors
• Honor those who live a life of God
• Stand by your promises even when it hurts
• Do not lend money in order to make money
• Do not take a bribe that hurts the innocent

If you do these things, you will never be moved.

I love that thought of never being moved. It makes me think of one of the tall trees here on the Oregon coast that when you look at the top you have to strain your neck. The whole tree gently sways in the wind, yet its root system is so deep and complex that it will never be moved. Even if someone were to come along and chop it down, to remove the stump and roots all the way is almost impossible. The root system is so huge and far-reaching that it require tons of earth to be bulldozed away. And the words of the psalm tell us that our lives can be even more secure and deep in God than a tree in the ground. The practices of a holy life make us into holy people. When we live in a way that is righteous and blameless, we become righteous and blameless. Our holy-lived lives make deeper and deeper root systems that plant us into the heart of God so that we will not be swayed. What a simple truth to teach and live into.