There are some gems in Isaiah 33 starting with:

O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble. (Isaiah 33.2, ESV)

The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness, and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure. (Isaiah 33.5, 6, ESV)

“He will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge” reminds me of 1 Corinthians 1.30:

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (ESV)

Then a question and an answer reminiscent of Psalm 15:

Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings? (Isaiah 33.14, ESV)

It sounds like a rhetorical question expecting the answer, “No one,” but it’s not. Once I asked a friend who played professional baseball, “How do you hit a 100 mph fastball?” I was expecting, “You can’t.” But no, he proceeded to tell me step by step how to do it. Isaiah is the same. Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?

He who…

• walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who
• despises the gain of oppressions, who
• shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who
• stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and
• shuts his eyes from looking on evil,

He will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. (Isaiah 33.15 – 16, ESV)

Those things are doable. As I say, Psalm 15 asks the same question and gives a similar answer.

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who…

• walks blamelessly and
• does what is right and
• speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and
• 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 interest and
• does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15, ESV)

Also a doable list. Psalm 24 is similar:

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who…

• has clean hands and a pure heart, who
• does not lift up his soul to what is false and
• does not swear deceitfully.

He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah (Psalm 24.3 – 6, ESV)

Those of us who understand that we are “saved by grace” that we can’t earn (see Ephesians 2.8, 9) often default to a position of, “Therefore, there’s nothing I can do to please God.” That attitude is contrary to these lists in Isaiah 33 and Psalms 15 and 24. Let’s explore a bit more tomorrow.