Psalm 15 is concerned with the conditions on which a man or woman may dwell with God. It opens with a question, continues with an answer and concludes with a grand assertion.

First the question:

1
God’s holy hill was of course Jerusalem, more specifically Mt. Zion upon which the Temple came to be built. And his sanctuary was probably the tent which housed the ark of the covenant before Solomon built the Temple. The general consensus is that this Psalm refers to the occasion when David brought the ark from the house of Obed-edom on to Mount Zion and placed it in the tent made for it. Both the tent of meeting and the temple that followed were said to be the house or dwelling place of God, the earthly counterpart to heaven.

This Psalm calls to mind the moral challenge which God’s presence brings, not only to the Old Testament people of God, but even moreso to us the New Testament people of God. The Psalmist is clear that Jehovah is a holy God and that sinners separate themselves from God by their sin. "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell" (Ps. 5:4) God’s presence among us demands a certain kind of people, a certain kind of life - if we want to remain in God’s presence and if we expect him to continue to live with us.

Second, we look at the answer... The Psalmist now describes the kind of person who may draw near to God and live in his presence...

2
Who can dwell in God’s sanctuary? Only someone who "Walks straight, acts right, tells the truth." (Peterson, ibid) Someone who...

3
"Doesn’t hurt your friend, doesn’t blame your neighbor, despises the despicable." i.e, he is not afraid to express disapproval of the wicked (Peterson, ibid)

4a
A person who keeps his word and promise, even when it is to their inconvenience and disadvantage.

5a
A person who makes an honest living. Compare Psalms 24:3-6; Is. 33:14-16. In every list, it is moral righteousness, not ritual purity (sacrifices and attendance at Sabbath worship etc.) that is required. Compare also Jer. 7:2-11. One might say that the same kind of requirements are foremost in the Christian age as well. We stress church attendance and taking the Lord’s supper which are important but not as important as attitude and heart and behavior and speech etc.

5b
Such a person not only can dwell in the presence of God. He also will never be shaken. He will remain secure throughout all the bumps and hurdles of life - and even on the day of judgment.

In one sense, this picture leaves me out - and you too - for no one fulfills this picture to perfection except Jesus. Jesus alone has entered into heaven by virtue of his own merit and goodness. If access to God depends ultimately on us and on our performance, we’re all doomed. For us access to God is possible only through Jesus Christ. See Romans 5:1.

Nevertheless, according to the New Testament, such access to God, such fellowship with God continues only if there is a constant attitude of repentance and a corresponding moral behavior maintained in our daily walk. Compare Hebrews 10:19-25; 12:14; 1 Peter 1:16; Ephesians 4:17, 22ff)

As we consider that Jesus came to save us from the guilt of sin that we might have peace with God, access to God and fellowship with God, let us not forget that Jesus also came to save from the practice of sin so that we might continue in this peace, access to and fellowship with God. "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord."

God’s people have traditionally wanted to be right with God, but on their own terms, while continuing in their sins. Even in the OT, they continued to be quite religious and wishful for God’s blessing - they continued to worship - while at the same time lusting after the sins and stooping to the immoral practices of their neighbors which practices included religious prostitution and other unmentionable practices. So today, we see the same tendency with whole denominations and churches rejecting outright the Biblical teachings concerning homosexuality and marriage.

We must be careful to gaurd against this tendency ourselves. We must take care not to let Satan fool us into thinking we can dwell in God’s house while defying his will. In spite of the fact that no one gains access to God on the merit of his performance, nevertheless access to God is impossible without repentance and a certain holiness of life.