Psalm 15
Psalm 14 informs us that there were two groups in Israel: the "workers of iniquity" and "the generation of the righteous" (vv. 4–5). The former group forsook the law, but the latter group was a believing remnant that kept faith alive in the nation of Israel (Mal. 3:16–18). Today, the church is that "righteous generation," citizens of that heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:19–25), that ought to make a difference in this world (Phil. 2:12–16). Psalms 10 and 12 focus on those who are not acceptable to the Lord, while Psalm 15 describes those who are acceptable and are invited to dwell in His tabernacle. David may have written this psalm after his second—and successful—attempt to bring the ark of the covenant to Mount Zion (2 Sam. 6), where it was housed in a tent.
The rabbis taught that there were 613 commandments for the Jewish people to obey if they wanted to be righteous, but this psalm brings that number down to eleven. Isaiah 33:15–16 gives six requirements, and Micah 6:8 lists three. Habakkuk 2:4 names but one— faith—for faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to have your sins forgiven and be welcomed into the Lord's presence (John 14:6; Rom. 1:7; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). The psalm says nothing about offering sacrifices, for spiritual Israelites knew that it was their personal faith that brought them salvation (Mark 12:28–34). It's important to note that Psalm 15 is not a prescription for being saved but a description of how saved people ought to live if they want to please God and fellowship with Him. The list contains both positive and negative qualities, and these qualities must be present in all of life at all times. Believers who would fellowship intimately with God must follow David's example and meet three personal requirements.
Joyless Future—They Have No God (v. 7) God has promised that the Redeemer will one day come to Zion and deliver His people in mighty power (Isa. 59:16–21; Jer. 31:33–34), and Paul affirmed this at the close of his great discussion of the future redemption of the Jewish nation (Rom. 11:25–32). The word captivity in verse 7 doesn't refer to the Babylonian captivity, for Jeremiah made it clear that it would end in seventy years (Jer. 25:8–14). The phrase "bring back the captivity" means "to restore the fortunes, to radically change circumstances from bad to very good." The day will come when Jesus Christ will
Seeking God's Presence (v. 1) After his men captured Mount Zion, David made it the site of his residence and of the sanctuary of God, and Jerusalem became "the city of David" (2 Sam. 5:1–16). The tabernacle, the throne, and the "holy hill" belonged together (see 24:3–6; 2:6; 3:4; 43:3). To the believer today, Mount Zion speaks of the heavenly city where God's people will dwell forever (Heb. 12:19–25). David asked this question because he loved