O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

— Psalm 15:1

In so many ways the entire Bible hinges on this verse and others like it. The question in its most basic form is, “who can get to heaven?” When Jesus dwelled among us, people would constantly come to him and ask about what they needed in order to earn eternal life. There’s a brilliant moment in Luke 10 in which Jesus turns the question back on the person asking. “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26)

Throughout Jesus’ life, the tension on earth begins to rise. It is as though the air itself grew heavy in anticipation of God’s kingdom, and as Jesus died, everything froze. I think often about those three long days, in which disciples scattered, a mother mourned, and countless people heard the news of the travelling preacher who died flanked by criminals on a cross. I am sure that in those days, eternal life couldn’t have felt more impossible.

This man who breathed life into the universe, had died.

Then.

Jesus appeared once, twice, to a few and to many, until the moment when he was to leave. The thin ice that stood as a barrier between heaven and earth smashed, and we were invited to cross over. Suddenly, we could sojourn in the tent of the Lord, we could dwell on his holy hill. Not by our own works, or our own righteous, but his.

“O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?”

Who has ascended to heaven and come down?Who has gathered the wind in his fists?Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?Who has established all the ends of the earth?What is his name, and what is his son’s name?

Surely you know!

Proverbs 30:4

Today, we’re gonna pray through Psalm 15 together. As we do, think on Jesus, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and his invitation to come into his kingdom.

Let’s pray.

Praying through the Bible

O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

He who walks blamelessly and does what is rightand speaks truth in his heart;who does not slander with his tongueand does no evil to his neighbor,nor takes up a reproach against his friend;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;who does not put out his money at interestand does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

Amen

Today’s Readings

John 3, Psalm 15, Psalm 16

The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara, five in all. The son of Carmi: Achan, the troubler of Israel, who broke faith in the matter of the devoted thing; and Ethan's son was Azariah. The sons of Hezron that were born to him: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. Ram fathered Amminadab, and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, prince of the sons of Judah.

1 Chronicles 2:6-10

Recommended Media to End the Day

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