Psalm 15

The Word Made Fresh

(A psalm of David)

1Lord, who can reside in your sanctuary?
Who can settle on your sacred hill?
2Only those in whom there is no blame, who do what is right
and speak truthfully from the heart,
3whose tongues do not slander, who do no harm to their friends,
and do no wrong to their neighbors,
4who hate the wicked and honor those who fear the LORD,
who keep their promises even when it is not to their advantage;
5who lend their money without charging interest,
and never can be bribed to harm the innocent.
Those who do these things will never be pushed aside.

Commentary

Superscription: the 12th “Psalm of David.”

1: There are two ways to understand this psalm. 1) It is usually understood to be a list of qualifications for anyone who would come to worship God on Mt. Zion (God’s “holy hill”) and by extension anyone who would worship with God’s people anywhere. 2) But it also may be understood as a list of qualifications for the king who rules from Jerusalem.

2-5: The list of qualifications is given. Except for the first line about walking blamelessly and doing what is right and verse 4b which has to do with keeping one’s integrity, all the qualifications have to do with ways in which the worshiper (or the king) relates to others.

Takeaway

“…Will never be pushed aside,” the last phrase of the psalm, would readily apply to the king, of course, but also applies to any of God’s faithful. For the king it would mean “will never be deposed,” that is, removed from the throne. For the rest of us it means that God will never allow us to be ignored or forgotten.