Psalms 15:5, commentary and pictures

Psalm 15 closes by answering who may live in God's presence and dwell with Him in His holy hill and in Zion. That fitness belongs to the one who walks uprightly and works righteousness, speaks truth from the heart, does no evil to a neighbor, honors those who fear the Lord, and keeps his sworn word even to his own hurt without changing. Not putting out money to usury means refusing to exploit need by lending for selfish gain on oppressive terms that impoverish a poorer neighbor, and God's law condemns charging ten or twelve percent interest as robbery even when human law allows it. Not taking reward against the innocent means refusing any bribe or dishonest payment to harm or condemn the guiltless, as part of uprightness and moral integrity in all dealing. He that does these things shall never be moved, for the obedient remain secure and steadfast, rooted and grounded in truth upon the eternal Rock, and this same standard forbids backbiting, evil-speaking, and taking up reproach against a neighbor or fellow worker.

Who May Dwell

This closing line completes the answer to who may abide in God's tabernacle and dwell in His holy hill, in Zion. It belongs to the full portrait of the dweller as one who walks uprightly, works righteousness, speaks truth in the heart, does not backbite with the tongue, does no evil to a neighbor, takes up no reproach against a neighbor, despises the vile, honors those who fear the Lord, and keeps an oath even to personal hurt and changing not, adding refusal to put money out to usury and refusal to take reward against the innocent, with the promise that he who does these things shall never be moved. Listening to a charge against a brother or sister is the backbiting condemned here, so both the bearer of false witness and the listener to the report stand condemned, and charges against God's servants are charges against Christ in the person of His saints. Those who hear and accept such reports as true without carrying the charge to the accused create dissatisfaction, feed on scandal, show little knowledge of Christ, bring God's displeasure, and are excluded from abiding in the tabernacle and dwelling in Zion. The guiltless must be cleared from evil surmising, evil speaking, and false accusation by viewing the case correctly with all the facts as they are, because unity is to be jealously preserved and brethren are to press together in love.

Fitness to dwell with God, to abide in His presence and worship, to dwell in the mansions Christ has gone to prepare, and to receive His approval belongs to this upright, truthful, slander-free, neighbor-honoring, oath-keeping character joined to integrity with money. That integrity refuses to exploit others by lending at interest, refuses unfair gain from lending, and refuses a bribe or payment to harm the innocent, as part of complete moral integrity in which right and wrong ways of living show themselves especially in speech. These traits cannot be bought or sold but come from pure and uncorrupted principles cherished in the life, forming a character daily shaped in the divine image with the skill and ability God gives for sure service in His kingdom, as Daniel was kept riveted to the eternal Rock. Doing these things means working in harmony with cheerfulness and wholeheartedness, refusing to listen to complaint, peevishness, murmuring and accusing, firmly closing the heart against worry and disaffection caused by misuse of speech, barricading the soul against voicing evil even when it comes from father, mother, brother, sister, friend or enemy, and guarding against inherited suspicion, envy, jealousy, evil-surmising and complaining while reaching by faith to take hold of Christ for strength. Those who so live remain secure, firm, stable, steadfast and unshaken, because the Lord helps all who determine not to be overcome to resist the devil, draw near to God, and become rooted and grounded in truth.

The psalm defines the character of those who will possess Christ's character and represent it in the world by practical spiritual work in diligent obedience to God's commandments and trust in His promises through Jesus Christ. Only the pure and lowly with clean hands and a pure heart can dwell in His presence, while those corrupt at heart through indulged lust will be proved and exposed. The psalm calls God's people to a thorough change of character and right conduct in the church, including just treatment of fellow believers and repentance for wrongs done to them.

Honest Dealing With Money

Not putting money out to usury means refusing to exploit others by lending at interest, especially on oppressive terms that take advantage of another's need. It means refusing unfair gain and selfish gain from lending, and refusing to profit in a way that impoverishes a poorer neighbor. The one who lives this way is fit to dwell with God and to abide in His tabernacle on His holy hill, and will remain secure, steadfast, and never be moved.

Lending should be merciful so as to help rather than impoverish, for God's law forbids exploiting the poor through usury. Charging ten or twelve percent interest is robbery in God's sight even when human law permits it. God condemns the injustice and holds the unjust dealer accountable. Doing what is required here belongs to a life of justice and mercy, together with walking uprightly and practicing righteousness.

Not taking reward against the innocent means refusing a bribe or payment to harm, condemn, or act against an innocent person, and refusing dishonest gain. Such honesty with money is part of righteousness and uprightness in dealings and moral integrity, belonging together with walking uprightly, working righteousness, speaking truth in the heart, refusing slander and evil and reproach toward a neighbor, honoring those who fear the Lord, and keeping an oath even to personal hurt. Uprightness in dealings and moral integrity require divine aid and a love of honesty for its own sake. These traits cannot be bought or sold but come from pure and uncorrupted principles cherished in the life, shaping character daily in the divine image with the skill and ability God gives for sure service in His kingdom and keeping the faithful never moved, riveted to the eternal Rock.

Steadfast Life and Conduct

To do all that the psalm requires is to remain secure, firm, stable, steadfast and unshaken, riveted to the eternal Rock and never moved. The Lord helps everyone who determines not to be overcome, giving strength to resist the devil, to draw near to God, and to become rooted and grounded in truth. Doing what God commands is the secure rule for life, the only safe and sure course amid perplexities, dangers, and conflicting claims. It is the true foundation for building character in every generation and in every land, safeguarding individual integrity, the purity of the home, the well-being of society, and the stability of the nation.

This steadfast character is daily shaped in the divine image, with the skill and ability God gives for sure service in His kingdom, as Daniel was kept. It is worked out with cheerfulness and wholeheartedness by reaching by faith to take hold of Christ for strength. The standard forbids backbiting with the tongue, doing evil to a neighbor, and spreading or taking up a reproach against a neighbor, with right and wrong ways showing especially in speech. Listening to a charge or to a backbiter without reproving him, dwelling on others' faults, faultfinding and gossip about fellow believers, whispering supposed errors, commenting on and magnifying faults, and tearing down and discouraging violate the standard. Those who whisper, magnify faults, tear down, discourage and destroy, and take up a reproach do the works of Satan rather than Christ.

Living the psalm means pressing together with brethren and loving one another as Christ loves, stopping all evil-surmising against fellow workers. It means jealously preserving unity and clearing the guiltless from evil speaking and false accusation by viewing the case correctly with all the facts as they are. It means refusing to listen to complaint, peevishness, murmuring, accusing, worry, disaffection, suspicion, envy, and jealousy even when voiced by father, mother, brother, sister, friend, or enemy. It means firmly closing the door of the heart against worry and disaffection caused by misuse of speech, barricading the soul against voicing evil, and guarding against inherited suspicion, envy, jealousy, evil-surmising and complaining.

For the church this condemns talking of the deficiencies of brethren, picking flaws in men placed in trust, accusing and condemning ministering brethren, and uprooting confidence in them. It condemns carrying evil reports from church to church and from conference to conference, criticizing fellow workers, excusing failure to do plainly laid-out work, hindering the gospel, and weakening churches, institutions, and conferences. Those who hear and accept reports against God's servants without carrying the charge to the accused create dissension and strife and dissatisfaction, feed on scandal, and show little knowledge of Christ. Charges borne against God's servants are borne against Christ in the person of His saints, so both the bearer of false witness and the listener stand condemned. Such a course brings God's displeasure and His accounting, and excludes from abiding in God's tabernacle and dwelling in Zion.