Chapter 15

David.

Character traits of the righteous.  Here is one that seems to have been completely lost in the present time:

4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; [Psa 15:4 ESV]

We continue to honor some even after we know they are "vile".  George Floyd, for instance.  A terrible, violent man.  Honored all over the country.  And that last...we just don't seem willing to suffer for our commitments.  Choose, and then live with the consequences, is no longer anyone's motto.

2024 - How a righteous person lives, thinks, behaves. 

1 A Psalm of David. O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. [Psa 15:1-5 ESV]

Possible FB post.  Put in the line above, then put the whole of Psalm 15, maybe define a couple of terms.  A very short post.

Later, 11/9/24 - I have been focusing on one of these phrases a week, working my way through the Psalm one phrase at a time.  This week is "nor takes up a reproach against his friend.  The translations split about 50/50 on neighbor and friend, so I dug a little deeper.  Fact is, the text doesn't say either one.  The Hebrew word here, transliterated "qerobo", really just means "near".  It is an adjective the noun it modifies is implied.  As in "his friend close by", "his neighbor next door", and can also mean "his near relative".  Point is, the "near" part can be of either geography or relationship.  I think this word was chosen to convey both meanings.  And here's why.  The other key word in the phrase is "reproach".  Here's what Websters says "reproach" means:  "to express disappointment in or displeasure with (a person) for conduct that is blameworthy or in need of amendment".  It is surely far more painful when a close friend or a relative is disappointed in us.  It is even more painful when it is say a spouse, a parent, a sibling.  It hurts more when it is someone we know and who's opinion we respect who tells us we fell so short of the mark that we disappointed them.  That kind of reproach lingers, embitters, and leaves damage for a long time after it happens.  We know how it feels when we are the recipients of reproach.  We rarely consider that we can have the same effect on those "near" us.  This warns us never to be the givers of that pain.