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Nation's Decline in Moral Conduct VIII
Nation’s Decline in Moral Conduct VIII
Our recent articles have been devoted to the fifteenth Psalm and the questions David asked of Jehovah, namely, “Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”
As David answered these questions, he dealt with two views: 1) Negatively, i.e., characteristics an individual should not have, and 2) Positively, i.e., characteristics an individual should have.
We have thus far dealt with five negatives and will now direct our attention to the “positive” nature of those who seek to “sojourn in the tabernacle,” or “dwell in the holy hill.”
The first of these: “He that walketh uprightly and works righteousness.” To “walk” denotes a manner of life, to do so “uprightly” is to do so perfectly, that which is complete in all its parts. That which we are to work is righteousness. Righteousness is God’s standard, God’s pattern.
When considering man’s condition before God, we are told “that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” It is the result of the “many inventions” that separates man from God. On the other hand, the Psalmist identifies that giving attention to, and following, God’s pattern of conduct will achieve a status of walking uprightly, saying, “Blessed are they that are perfect in the way, Who walk in the law of Jehovah. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart. Yea, they do no unrighteousness; they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us thy precepts, that we should observe them diligently. Oh that my ways were established to observe thy statutes! Then shall I not be put to shame, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will give thanks unto thee with uprightness of heart, when I learn thy righteous judgments. I will observe thy statutes: Oh forsake me not utterly” (Psalms 119:1-8).
This life is filled with trials and tribulations, but we need not lose hope, for the Apostle Peter “opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.”
Walking uprightly and working righteousness is a choice we can make. Do we seek to sojourn in Jehovah’s tabernacle, to dwell in His holy hill?
Each of us have choices to make, as Joshua said, “if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah” (Joshua 24:15). What choice will you make? ret
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