Psalm 15:1-3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 15:1-5

Here is, I. A very serious and weighty question concerning the characters of a citizen of Zion (Ps. 14:1): ?Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Let me know who shall go to heaven.? Not, who by name (in this way the Lord only knows those that are his), but who by description: ?What kind of people are those whom thou wilt own and crown with distinguishing and everlasting favours?? This supposes that it is a great privilege to be a citizen of Zion, an unspeakable honour and advantage,?that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 15:1

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle ?.... This question, with the following, is put by the psalmist in a view of the sad corruption and degeneracy of mankind described in the preceding psalm, which renders the sons of men unfit for the presence of God, and communion with him; and it is put to the Lord himself, the founder of Zion, who has set his King over this holy hill of his; who has enacted laws for the good of it, and brings his people thither, making them meet for it, and so is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 15:2

He that walketh uprightly ,.... Or "perfectly" F5 ותמים "perfectus", Montanus, Gejerus, ; see Genesis 17:1 ; not so as to be without sin entirely, but as not to be chargeable with any notorious crime, and living in it; moreover, perfection and uprightness often signify sincerity, and the phrase here may design an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; whose faith is unfeigned, whose love is without dissimulation, whose hope is without hypocrisy, and his whole conduct without fraud... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 15:3

He that backbiteth not with his tongue ,.... Is not a slanderer, a defamer, a tale bearer; a backbiter is one who privately, secretly, behind a man's back speaks evil of him, devours and destroys his credit and reputation: the word here used comes from רגל , which signifies the "foot", and denotes such a person who goes about from house to house, speaking things he should not, 1 Timothy 5:13 ; and a word from this root signifies spies; and the phrase here may point at such persons who... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 15:1

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? - The literal translation of this verse is, "Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in the mountain of thy holiness?" Fwor the proper understanding of this question we must note the following particulars: - The tabernacle, which was a kind of moveable temple, was a type of the Church militant, or the state of the people of God in this world. Mount Zion, the holy mount, where the temple was built, was the type of the kingdom of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 15:2

He that walketh uprightly - תמים הולך holech tamim , 1. He walks perfectly. Who sets God before his eyes, takes his word for the rule of his conduct, considers himself a sojourner on earth, and is continually walking to the kingdom of God. He acts according to the perfections of God's law; he has respect to all its parts, and feels the weight and importance of all its injunctions. And worketh righteousness - read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 15:3

He that backbiteth not with his tongue - לשנו על רגל לא lo ragal al leshono , "he foots not upon his tongue." 4. He is one who treats his neighbor with respect. He says nothing that might injure him in his character, person, or property; he forgets no calumny, he is author of no slander, he insinuates nothing by which his neighbor may be injured. The tongue, because of its slanderous conversation, is represented in the nervous original as kicking about the character of an absent... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 15:1

Verse 1 1.O Jehovah, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? As nothing is more common in the world than falsely to assume the name of God, or to pretend to be his people, and as a great part of men allow themselves to do this without any apprehension of the danger it involves, David, without stopping to speak to men, addresses himself to God, which he considers the better course; and he intimates, that if men assume the title of the people of God, without being so in deed and in truth, they gain... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 15:2

Verse 2 2.He that walketh in integrity. Here we should mark, that in the words there is an implied contrast between the vain boasting of those who are only the people of God in name, or who make only a bare profession of being so, which consists in outward observances, and this indubitable and genuine evidence of true godliness which David commends. But it might be asked, As the service of God takes precedence of the duties of charity towards our neighbors, why is there no mention here made of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 15:3

Verse 3 David, after having briefly set forth the virtues with which all who desire to have a place in the Church ought to be endued, now enumerates certain vices from which they ought to be free. In the first place, he tells them that they must not be slanderers or detractors; secondly, that they must restrain themselves from doing any thing mischievous and injurious to their neighbors; and, thirdly, that they must not aid in giving currency to calumnies and false reports. Other vices, from... read more

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