Who Can Dwell in the House of the Lord?

“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?” ~Psalm 15:1

Have you ever thought about this question? Imagine a co-worker or friend asking, “Who is worthy to live where God lives?” How would you answer? Where does your mind immediately go?

While you ponder that, let’s take a look at how David, the author of Psalm 15,  responds to the question.

Character of a Guest in God’s House

Character is Above Reproach

David doesn’t ease into his answer. He comes right out with it: “The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;” ~15:2

Basically, if you want to live in God’s house, all you need to do is be blameless, righteous, and always truthful. Simple, right?

Yeah right…

The bar is set incredibly high. As we keep reading, we realize it’s not just a call for general goodness—it’s about the specific qualities and behaviors that reflect a truly blameless and righteous life. And let’s be honest, it’s a demanding list.

Does not Harm Their Neighbor

“[One] whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others;” ~15:3

Slander–spreading unverified or untrue stories or statements about another–does great harm and can even destroy a person’s life.

“Does no wrong” refers to bringing pain to another. While there is a way to bring pain to someone that is beneficial (“faithful are the wounds of a friend” ~Proverbs 27:6), this is not what David is calling us to avoid. David appears to be calling out the kind of behavior that hurts deeply. Whether that is bringing them financial, emotional, or physical distress, it should be avoided. 

This verse tells us that a righteous person builds up others rather than tears them down.

Responds with Discernment

“who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord;” ~15:4a

When I first read this, I was caught off guard. Are we being commanded to hate other people? I thought. That can’t be right. It was only when I stopped to think about it that it became more clear. I think we’ve all heard stories that involve abuse and where someone has been hurt beyond our ability to comprehend. And in those moments we’re full of anger and grief. That response is not only natural, it’s godly. It shows a right divide of hating what is evil and yearning for something heavenly.

This passage is about rightly discerning right from wrong. It’s not meant to create a divide that sections us off from immoral people. Because if it was, we couldn’t live on this Earth at all, because no one is moral or righteous. Instead, we need to have a good moral compass shunning what is evil and praising what is good. We still live in a world full of sinners… sinners who desperately need Christian friends that can share the good news of Jesus with them.

Keeps their word

“who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;” ~15:4b

Think about this: when you give your word, do you stick to it, even if it costs you? For the believer, your word is your bond. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:37, let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no,” “no.” 

So what happens when you make a rash statement? Do you pull it back and say: “I was joking” or do you follow through despite the consequences for you? 

Of course, we’ve all made promises we later regret. The wise thing to do is to seek to be released from those commitments, if possible (Proverbs 6:1-5), but if we’re not released, keeping our commitments even when it hurts, is a mark of godly character.

They Not Controlled by Money

“who lends money to the poor without interest;” ~15:5a

There are two issues at play in verse five. First, any money lent out is not given at interest. This is not a concern of never making money, as Israelites were allowed to lend at interest in some cases (Deut 23:20), but instead, this is a command to not profit off your neighbor’s misery. When someone is so desperate that they come to you for help, they have more than likely already exhausted every other avenue they can think of before they would be willing to submit themselves to the humility of asking for help. 

The people I’ve known in this kind of desperation would take help with any and all strings attached. I could make a fortune off of their desperation, but God doesn’t delight to see us kicking people while they’re down. Instead, He delights to see us grabbing them by the hand and raising them up. He wants us helping one another out of the pits of life and easing each other’s burdens.

“who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.” ~15:5b

The second issue addressed in verse five is that we should not take bribes that would cause us to do further injury to the innocent. In both of these concerns we have the common theme: do not let financial profit be your motivation in life. Do not be controlled by the love of money and the promises of an easy life. Instead, love one another and work to make sure that the innocent and the hurting are uplifted by your actions.

Another Way to Look at it

So, after looking at David’s answer, does this match what you first thought when you pondered the question, “Who can dwell in the house of the Lord?”

It’s not exactly how I would have answered. My mind goes straight to Jesus.

Instead of focusing on our own righteousness, I’d point to the one person who was truly blameless—Jesus Christ. The reality is none of us live up to this perfect standard all the time. We all fall short.

But Jesus didn’t. His life, death, and resurrection perfectly fulfilled this passage. He checked every box. And because of His righteousness, we can dwell in God’s house too—not because of our own merit, but because we’ve been covered by His sacrifice.

David’s words, in a way, foreshadow Jesus. He hints at the one who would deserve to live in God’s presence on His own merit. And because of Jesus, we can now share in that privilege, being adopted into God’s family and living in His house forever.

So here’s the challenge: Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of this passage, but we are called to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:29). That means we should strive to live our lives marked by truth, integrity, and compassion—lives that reflect the high call of passages like Psalm 15.

What do you need to change today to more reflect the kind of person that can dwell in the house of the Lord?

Till He returns,

James Fields
Biblical Counselor