Jesus opened their minds
to understand scripture.
(Luke 24:45)
Dear Priscilla,
Yes, I can understand why you find Psalm 15 disheartening: “…Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly…” That excludes you and me and the writer of the Psalm and the singers of the Psalm. In short, it excludes all mortals: “We have all gone astray” (Ps 14:3).
Jesus teaches us to read all scripture in and through him: “Scripture testifies of me” (Jn 5:39). Our resurrected Lord enables us to read scripture: “Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures…” (Lk 24:45). As Christians, we can never read scripture apart from Christ.
What if we were to read Psalm 15 in, through and with our Lord Jesus Christ? How would it read? Would it not speak of Him who knew no sin? The only innocent One?
At least that is the first thing to be said. When Jesus says to the Pharisees: “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (Jn 5:39-40); He claims all scripture for Himself.
In that way, we can read Psalm 15 as the answer to Psalm 14: “Our salvation comes from Zion” (Ps 14:7). Not from our own perfection—even from our knowledge of scripture. Scripture itself cannot save us. It points us to the One who Saves from the “Holy Hill” (Ps 15:1).
Love, Papa
