Psalm 15:5

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely

Psalm 15:5

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5 He that putteth not out [nathan] his money [keceph] to usury, [neshek] nor taketh [laqach] reward [shachad] against the innocent. [naqiy] He that doeth [`asah] these things shall never [`owlam] be moved. [mowt]KJV-Interlinear

5 He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken. NASB

To lend money at a reasonable rate, or at a legal rate that itself is reasonable, was and is an acceptable practice. 

To lend money at a such a high rate such that the percentage of interest itself becomes abusive and oppressive, is not acceptable.  This takes advantage of the poor or anyone who cannot bear the burden of the debt that they need in order to function in life.

Burdens on the poor just makes them even poorer, placing them at a disadvantage in society, and prevents them from contributing productively to society.  Burdens on the middle class just makes them less productive, which slows economies.  Burdens on the rich tend to burden the fundamental principles of economies and renders even more burdens on society overall.

The mature believer does not enter into business transactions that place others under a burden or at a disadvantage.  God gives and God takes away.  The individual believer likewise receives all that he has, from God and does not need to place burdens on people.

Reward, means bribe in a sense.  The mature believer does not take money or payments that may sway his decisions.  Whether a judge on the bench, a referee on a playing field, a contractor letting out contracts, or whatever.  The mature believer treats all fairly and equally and does not use bias or prejudice or money to determine his decisions.

Therefore, these answers are directed at the initial question in verse one, ‘Who may live and associate with God?’

This answer begins with salvation.  One must first be in Gods family. 

Next the individual must live their life in righteousness, verse two.

That means that the individual must abide by Gods rules, live their life with honesty, with dignity, with integrity, with compassion, with charity, with obedience, and must not mix the sin ruled world, in with the spiritual guidelines of faith.

Thus, the believer who lives their life from within the spiritual sphere of fellowship, which is obtained by means of confession, is in fact, living within the presence of God and actively associating with God by means of Gods will, through doctrine resident in their soul.

Doctrine does not take up residence within ones soul unless or until it is learned, and believed, and accepted, and used in ones life.  Apart from that process, you do not have a ‘functioning’ relationship with God, regardless of what you think or how sincere or well meaning you might be.

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Psalm 15:4

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely

Psalm 15:4

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4 In whose eyes [`ayin] a vile person [ma'ac] is contemned; [bazah] but he honoureth [kabad] them that fear [yare'] the LORD. [Yahovah] He that sweareth [shaba] to his own hurt, [ra`a`] and changeth [muwr] not. KJV-Interlinear

4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt, and does not change; NASB

Contemned, ‘bazah,’ means to despise, scorn, disdain. And this means to not pick and choose among people based on their status or wealth or position whether low or high, but to evaluate and make associations based on character.

Too often people are judged, socially, based on their outward appearance, on their possessions, on their popularity and so forth.  The rich man is adored, the poor man is scorned, and everyone in the middle is treated as ho-hum, or are scrambling for a better position to get ahead in the social hierarchy.

The spiritually positive believer neither takes sides nor treats people with external bias, does not pursue advancement in his life at the expense of others, nor pursues worldly connections due to status.

The positive believer, regardless of social rank, is honored.  The wicked apostate is rejected and not honored, regardless of social rank.  Exceptions are never made just to get ‘in’ with someone with status or rank or wealth, or anything that suggests ones own advancement.

Swearing to ones own heart, is a contract with self.  To abandon evil and to pursue righteousness.  To be true to doctrine and thus to God.  To maintain a relaxed mental attitude, to maintain poise, to avoid getting agitated over the simplest of things and even in the big things of life.

To change not, means just that.  You do not change your attitude with the weather or with the company you keep.  You remain consistent and true to truth.

You do not compromise Gods principles for the sake of convenience or advancement in this world.

You believe Gods word, because you have studied it and have learned it and therefore know it.  You cannot know what you have not learned.  You cannot learn what you have not studied or been taught.

And you subscribe to that which you believe.  That simply means that you apply to your daily life the principles learned in the scriptures.  You are not a hypocrite.  You do not speak one thing and think or pursue another.  You do not pick and choose between the principles presented and accept only those you agree with.

You learn, you believe, you apply, and you support and promote the views of God, without embarrassment or hesitation before people.

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Psalm 15:3

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely

Psalm 15:3

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3 He that backbiteth [ragal] not with his tongue, [lashown] nor doeth [`asah] evil [ra`] to his neighbour, [rea`] nor taketh up [nasa'] a reproach [cherpah] against his neighbour. [qarowb] KJV-Interlinear

3 He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;  NASB

Backbiteth, ‘ragal,’ means to go about, to foot it, to speak evil, to gossip, and then comes to mean one who goes around slandering or to circulate gossip and so forth.

The spiritually positive believer does not go around judging or maligning, or promoting themselves at the expense of someone else.  They do not pretend to have interesting information, nor promote bad talk against others.

Evil to a neighbor, means to cause harm in any way to folks that live close by, or to folks in general, regardless of where they live.  It typically is concerned with business dealings, but can apply to all dealings with other people, as the spiritually positive believer deals fairly with others, even if they deal abusively or belligerently with him.

Taking up a reproach, refers to the hearing of gossip or bad news about others.  The spiritually positive believer does not have knee jerk reactions, does not take all that is heard as truth, does not automatically believe and therefore judge others based on news about them.  He does not grasp bad news and use it for greed or happiness at the expense of others.  This referring to unsubstantiated news or gossip.  He does not seek to take advantage nor take advantage of others, due to the difficulties of others.

The spiritually positive believer is slow to react and patient to consider the source and then merely lets the facts sort themselves out if at all.

The spiritually positive believer, does not seek advancement at the expense of others, treats others with honesty and integrity, and in accordance with fair practices and morals.

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Psalm 15:2

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely

Psalm 15:2

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2 He that walketh [halak] uprightly, [tamiym] and worketh [pa`al] righteousness, [tsedeq] and speaketh [dabar] the truth ['emeth] in his heart. [lebab] KJV-Interlinear

2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. NASB

Walk, ‘halak,’ is a descriptive term that describes the manner of life, the pattern of life. Life is often portrayed in the Bible as a journey, a travel, a story, a song, that describes the makeup of ones existence in this world.

Uprightly, ‘tamiym,’ speaks of morality, integrity, without spot, without blemish, pure, complete, and this describes the persons attitude and outlook and function in their day to day living activities.

Work, ‘paal,’ refers to the production, the output, the commitment of your moment to moment activities, thoughts, actions, decisions, intents and so forth, in life.

Righteousness, ‘tsedeq,’ refers to the right things in life.  The activities, thoughts and so forth without sin or evil content.

Speak, ‘dabar,’ means to speak, but also means to arrange, to prepare, organize, assemble, state, express, present or presentation, and refers to the content of what you intend for others to see or glean from you.

Truth, ‘emeth,’ means factualness, reality, fact, actual, verity, assured, establishment, permanent, certain.

In truth there is no lie.  In truth there is no false.  In truth there is no deceit. In truth there is no misrepresentation or ambiguity.  In truth there is clarity and discernment.

And finally in the heart, ‘lebab,’ refers to the interior organ of the physical body, but it also refers to its function as a pump or cause of the circulation throughout the body, or ones essence.  In the soul then this is a reference to the activity of thoughts and intents and decisions or the thinking activity, made by the individual moment by moment.

So when you put all of this together it paints a picture of living ones life based on the principles of doctrine, which is truth.  Truth comes only from the content of the scriptures which is the origin and source of all truth.

There is no room for double standards, no room for living just a little on the dark or seedy side of life.  There is no room for sincerity based on ones feelings or personal or self-defined beliefs apart from doctrine.  There is no room for the nobility of human intent.  There is no room for concepts like rights or rights of passage, which are just little clichés for making excuses for doing wrong things or making wrong things as acceptable.

This then is the person who can live within their spiritual sphere, and thus associate with God. 

In all else, there is no ongoing association with God.

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