Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 15 (MT) / Psalm 14 (LXX) is a 'Temple entrance liturgy' or 'torah of the gate' — a sharp ethical catalog of who may dwell in God's presence. The ten-fold ethical characterization (integrity, righteousness, truth, non-slander, non-evil, no reproach, despising the reprobate, keeping oaths, no usury, no bribes) encapsulates biblical moral theology in compact form.
Notable Variants
The 'sojourn in your tent / dwell on your holy mountain' opening as the paradigmatic divine-presence-access question; the 'will never be shaken' closing as the promise that Luke 6:48's 'house built on the rock' develops.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 15 = LXX Ps 14. 5 verses.
A psalm of David. LORD, who may sojourn in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
'Who may sojourn in your tent?' opens the entrance-liturgy. The divine-dwelling question anticipates Hebrews 4:14–16's 'let us draw near to the throne of grace' theology.
The one who walks with integrity, who practices righteousness, and speaks truth in their heart.
'Walks with integrity, practices righteousness, speaks truth in his heart' tracks MT. The triple-ethical-catalog is a compressed-Decalogue.
They do not slander with their tongue, do no evil to their neighbor, and bring no reproach against their close companion.
'Does not slander … does no evil' tracks MT. The neighborly-ethics category corresponds to the second-table-of-the-Decalogue.
In their eyes the reprobate is despised, but they honor those who fear the LORD. They swear to their own harm and do not go back on their word.
'Swears to his own harm and does not go back' tracks MT. Matthew 5:33–37 (Jesus on oath-taking) does not negate this Davidic principle but radicalizes it (no oaths needed — simple yes/no suffices).
They do not lend their money at interest, nor accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
'Does not lend money at interest' tracks MT. The anti-usury principle comes from Exod 22:25 / Lev 25:37 / Deut 23:19. The 'will never be shaken' closing becomes NT encouragement-vocabulary (1 Thess 3:3 'no one should be shaken').