Psalm 15

Psalm 15 belongs to Book One of the Psalms (Psalms 1–41), and its superscription reads "A Psalm of David." The preceding Psalm 14 speaks of the fool who says "There is no God" and closes with a longing for salvation to come out of Zion. Psalm 15 follows by asking who may dwell near God.

Structure

• Verse 1 The psalmist asks the LORD who may abide in His tabernacle and dwell on His holy hill.
• Verses 2–3 The first part of the answer: the one who walks uprightly, works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart, and who does not slander with his tongue or do harm to his friend and neighbor.
• Verse 4 He holds in contempt the one who despises God but honors those who fear the LORD. He keeps his oath even when it is to his own hurt.
• Verse 5 He does not lend money at interest, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. The psalm closes with the promise that such a person will never be shaken.

Key Verses

• Psalm 15:1 "LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?" — the question that drives the entire psalm.
• Psalm 15:4 "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not" — frequently cited as an illustration of faithfulness to one's word and promises.
• Psalm 15:5 "He that doeth these things shall never be moved" — the promise attached to a righteous life.

People and Places

• David: named in the superscription.
• Tabernacle: the place of God's presence, understood in connection with the tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem.
• Holy hill: God's holy mountain, commonly identified with Zion.

Interpretive Considerations

• Many scholars regard this psalm as an "entrance liturgy," a question-and-answer exchange used by worshipers before entering the sanctuary. It is often read alongside Psalm 24, which shares the same form.
• The prohibition of interest in verse 5 echoes the laws of Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:36–37, which forbid charging interest when lending money to a poor fellow Israelite. The prohibition of bribery connects with Exodus 23:8. The oath in verse 4 is read together with Ecclesiastes 5:4–5.
• Interpretations differ on how to understand this list. Some read it as conditions for approaching God; others read it as a description of the life of one who already stands before God by grace. In addition, a Christological reading holds that Christ is the one who perfectly fulfilled this standard.
• In Jewish tradition, the Talmud records an interpretation that David summarized the commandments of the Law in the eleven principles of this psalm. This is not a claim made by the text itself.
• In the New Testament, the psalm is read in connection with the saying in the Beatitudes that the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8) and with Jesus' teaching on oaths (Matthew 5:33–37).