Commentary - Psalm 15

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 15 is a magnificent entry liturgy, a catechism for the worshiper approaching the living God. David, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, poses one of the most fundamental questions a man can ask: who is qualified to have fellowship with God? Who can draw near? The question is not about a tourist visa to the holy mountain, but about taking up residence there. It is a question of genuine, settled communion with the thrice-holy God.

The psalm lays out the answer, not as a legalistic checklist for earning salvation, but as a description of the man who has been transformed by grace. This is what true righteousness looks like in shoe leather. It begins with the general character of the man, his integrity, his righteous dealings, his internal truthfulness, and then moves to the specific, practical outworkings of that character in his speech and his relationships with others. The psalm concludes with a glorious promise: the one who lives this way, the one who is truly a friend of God, will be eternally secure. He will never be shaken.

Outline

Context In Psalms

This psalm functions as an entrance psalm, likely used by pilgrims as they approached the Tabernacle or later the Temple in Jerusalem. It sets the ethical and spiritual requirements for true worship. It is not enough to simply show up at the right place; one must come with the right heart, a heart that has been shaped by the character of the God being worshiped. This psalm stands in a line with others that emphasize the ethical demands of the covenant, such as Psalm 24. The question "Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?" is answered with "He who has clean hands and a pure heart." Psalm 15 unpacks what "clean hands and a pure heart" look like in the nitty-gritty of daily life.

Ultimately, this psalm, like the entire law, serves as a mirror. It shows us our sin and our desperate need for a Savior. No man, on his own, can fulfill these requirements perfectly. The only man who has ever walked with perfect integrity, worked perfect righteousness, and spoken only truth from the heart is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who has perfectly fulfilled this psalm, and it is only by being united to Him through faith that we can be counted as those who may dwell on God's holy mountain.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 O Yahweh, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?

The psalm opens with a direct question to God Himself. This is not an abstract philosophical inquiry; it is a heartfelt plea from a creature to His Creator. David is asking about the terms of fellowship. The language used is that of a guest. To "sojourn" in a tent is to be a welcome visitor, to be under the protection and provision of the host. To "dwell" on the holy mountain implies a more permanent, settled residence. The holy mountain, Zion, is where God has chosen to place His name and dwell with His people. So the question is profound: who gets to live with God? Who is fit for His presence? This is the central question of all true religion.

2 He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.

The answer begins with three general characteristics that define the man of God. First, he "walks blamelessly." The Hebrew word here for blameless or upright does not mean sinless perfection. Noah was called blameless, as was Abraham. It refers to a life of integrity, wholeness, and consistency. It is a man whose life is all of a piece, not compartmentalized. He is the same man in public and in private.

Second, he "works righteousness." This is not about performing isolated good deeds to rack up points with God. In the biblical context, righteousness is about covenant faithfulness. It is loyalty. To work righteousness is to fulfill the demands of the relationship you are in, whether with God or with man. It is a dynamic, active loyalty, not a static state of being.

Third, he "speaks truth in his heart." This goes deeper than simply not telling lies. This man's honesty is radical; it goes all the way down. His internal monologue is truthful. He is not self-deceived. He deals honestly with himself before God, which is the necessary precondition for dealing honestly with anyone else. His heart is the source from which truthful words flow.

3 He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

From the general principles, David moves to the practical details, and he starts with the tongue. The man fit for God's presence is not a slanderer, a backbiter. The man who is disloyal to God will inevitably be disloyal to his neighbor, and the tongue is his primary weapon. He doesn't do evil to his neighbor, which, sandwiched between two sins of the tongue, likely refers primarily to verbal assaults, gossip, and ruining a man's reputation. And he does not "take up a reproach," which means he doesn't listen to gossip either. He doesn't receive, circulate, or entertain slanderous reports about his friends. He is a covenant keeper, and that means he is a reputation keeper for those he is in fellowship with.

4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear Yahweh; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;

This verse deals with a man's allegiances. True righteousness requires discernment. The godly man does not have a mushy, sentimental tolerance for evil. A "reprobate," a vile person, is despised in his eyes. This doesn't mean he is personally vindictive, but rather that his moral judgments align with God's. He sees wickedness as God sees it: as something contemptible. Conversely, he "honors those who fear Yahweh." His value system is God's value system. He esteems what God esteems, and the primary thing God esteems is the fear of His own name. This man seeks out and honors the godly.

Furthermore, his covenant loyalty extends to his own promises. He "swears to his own hurt and does not change." This is the mark of true integrity. If he makes an oath, a promise, a deal, he keeps it, even if circumstances change and it turns out that keeping his word will cost him dearly. His word is his bond because he serves a God who keeps His covenant promises, no matter the cost, the ultimate example being the cross.

5 He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

The final particulars deal with financial integrity. The prohibition against putting out money "at interest" (or usury) in the Old Testament was specifically about not exploiting a poor brother in his time of need. It was a law against predatory lending within the covenant community. The man of God does not see his brother's poverty as an opportunity for personal profit. Likewise, he cannot be corrupted by money. He will not "take a bribe against the innocent." He loves justice more than he loves mammon, and so he cannot be bought to pervert justice.

The psalm then concludes with a rock-solid promise. "He who does these things will never be shaken." This is not a promise of a life free from trouble, but a promise of ultimate, unshakable security. The man who lives in fellowship with God, whose character is being shaped into the image of God, is founded on the Rock. Storms will come, winds will blow, but his house will stand. His fellowship with God is secure, not because of the perfection of his performance, but because of the character of the God with whom he dwells.

Application

When we read a psalm like this, our first reaction should be conviction. Who among us can say we have fulfilled this perfectly? Who has never slandered, never failed to honor the godly, never spoken untruth in his heart? This psalm, like the Law, is a schoolmaster that drives us to Christ. He is the only one who has ever perfectly embodied this description. Jesus is the true resident of the holy hill.

The good news of the gospel is that through faith in Christ, His perfect righteousness is imputed to us. We are welcomed into God's tent, not on the basis of our own blameless walk, but on the basis of Christ's. We are declared righteous so that we might then, by the power of the Spirit, begin to learn how to work righteousness. This psalm is therefore not a ladder to climb up to God, but rather a portrait of what a man looks like who has been brought near to God by grace.

Therefore, we should read this psalm as a description of our sanctification. This is the pattern of the Christian life. We are to be people of integrity, whose word is our bond. We are to be people whose tongues are tamed, who build up rather than tear down. We are to be people who love what God loves and hate what God hates. And as we, by grace, grow into this pattern, we will experience the truth of the promise. In a world that is being shaken to its foundations, those who dwell with God in Christ will not be moved.