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Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, who may reside (A)in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your (B)holy hill?
One who (C)walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And (D)speaks truth in his heart.
He (E)does not slander [a]with his tongue,
Nor (F)do evil to his neighbor,
Nor (G)bring shame on his friend;
A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he (H)honors those who fear the Lord;
He (I)takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;
He (J)does not [b]lend his money [c]at interest,
Nor (K)does he take a bribe against the innocent.
(L)One who does these things will never be shaken.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 15:3 Lit according to
  2. Psalm 15:5 Lit give
  3. Psalm 15:5 I.e., to a fellow Israelite

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, who may lodge [as a guest] in Your tent?
Who may dwell [continually] on Your holy hill?

He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness,
And speaks and holds truth in his heart.

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

In his eyes an evil person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].
He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit];

He does not put out his money at interest [to a fellow Israelite],
And does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.(A)

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?
    Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
    speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
Those who refuse to gossip
    or harm their neighbors
    or speak evil of their friends.
Those who despise flagrant sinners,
    and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,
    and keep their promises even when it hurts.
Those who lend money without charging interest,
    and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

Lord, who may dwell(A) in your sacred tent?(B)
    Who may live on your holy mountain?(C)

The one whose walk is blameless,(D)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth(E) from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,(F)
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
    but honors(G) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(H) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;(I)
    who does not accept a bribe(J) against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.(K)

Psalm 15

A song of David.

A recurring theme in the psalms is the dwelling place of God and its importance in worship. This Davidic psalm considers the moral qualities of the person who wishes to approach God.

Eternal One, who is invited to stay in Your dwelling?
    Who is granted passage to Your holy mountain?

Here is the answer: The one who lives with integrity, does what is right,
    and speaks honestly with truth from the heart.
The one who doesn’t speak evil against others
    or wrong his neighbor,
    or slander his friends.
The one who loathes the loathsome,
    honors those who fear the Eternal,
And keeps all promises no matter the cost.
The one who does not lend money with gain in mind
    and cannot be bought to harm an innocent name.

If you live this way, you will not be shaken and will live together with the Lord.