Thoughts for the Day

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 up a reproach against their neighbours;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honour 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.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

What a lovely, but somewhat strange little psalm. Why is the writer, King David, asking "Who may abide" in God's tent? We need to take our minds back to Israel in the desert after leaving Egypt and the customs of the time. The word 'abide' doesn't mean someone who is going to live somewhere permanently, but rather a visitor, and of course the hospitality of this world is sacrosanct. A guest would be fed and sheltered from all harm, and all their needs would be met. The same idea carries through to being welcomed in God's house, whether that was the 'tent of meeting' in the desert, or the Temple in Jerusalem in later times, it too was a place of sanctuary for those who walked with God. David continues to look at who may come to the Temple on a regular basis, using the word 'dwell', and he answers the question of what kind of person can come before God, listing the characteristics of such a good person.

For Christians there is a huge difference though. Because of the death of Jesus on the cross, who paid the punishment for our sin, it is our faith that makes the difference. We are still called to live a good life, to speak the truth, not to do evil, and to love our neighbour, but our failure does not stop us coming to worship God, especially when we come to acknowledge our failures. As we come before our Lord more and more we should find that we begin to change as we draw closer to Him and make changes to our life to reflect His wishes.

Lord God,
You do not shun us
when we come to You
to confess that we do not
love others as we love ourselves;
that we deliberately choose our way
and not Yours;
and try to go it alone.
Helps us to be totally honest
with You in admitting our sins,
and determined with Your help
to walk a new path in the future.
Amen.