Psalms 15 KJV
Who May Dwell with God?
About This Psalm
Who gets to be close to God? Someone who lives with integrity, speaks truth, and keeps promises even when it costs them.
1ord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
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Did You Know?
Psalm 15 mirrors ancient Near Eastern temple-entrance liturgies in which priests posed ethical questions to determine a supplicant's fitness to cross the threshold, adapting a regional ritual pattern to Israelite covenant ethics.
The clause 'swears to his own hurt and changes not' (v. 4) elevates oath-keeping above self-interest, a principle later cited in both rabbinic discussions of vow annulment and early Christian monastic vows of stability.
By pairing 'usury' with 'bribe-taking' in the final verse, the psalm fuses two distinct legal corpora. Exodus 22 and Deuteronomy 16. Into a single criterion for sanctuary access, underscoring economic justice as cultic qualification.
Its complete absence of lament or petition distinguishes it from surrounding Davidic psalms, positioning it instead as a wisdom catechism that could be recited by worshippers before entering the temple precincts.
The psalm's opening query 'who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle?' deliberately employs the language of temporary residence rather than permanent dwelling, theologically framing righteousness as an ongoing pilgrimage rather than a settled state.