Psalms 15
Butler1. LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart. 3 He that slandereth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his friend, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neigh- bour.
THIS Psalm of David corresponds so closely with portions of Psalm 24 that we can scarcely hesitate to refer it to the same occasion—viz., the location of the ark on Mount Zion (see 2 Sam. 6 and 1 Chr. 13). It was thus made the visible dwelling-place of Israel’s God, and there- fore would suggest the question, Who now shall be honored to dwell with God in this holy hill? Who shall enjoy this exalted privilege of spe- cial communion and fellowship with God, and consequently of His perpetual protection? This question it is the purpose of the Psalm to an- swer. As a description of the thoroughly right- cous man it stands in direct contrast with Psalm 14, which is a corresponding description of an intensely wicked man. C.
1. The tent of Jehovah and His holy hill are thought of here in their spiritual character as the places of the Divine presence and of the community of God that has gathered round this; and, accordingly, the sojourning and dwelling is not to be understood externally, but spiritually, with the setting aside and tran- seending of all limitations of space. This spir- itual deepening of the Old Testament view is found also in 27 : 4, 5 ; 61 : 5 ; it is already im- plied where the notion of diligently visiting the sanctuary rises into that of permanently dwell- ing therein (65 : 5 ; 84 : 4, 5). D.
2,3. The man with whom God will hold communion is now described, first as to what he is (v. 2), and then as to what he is not (v. 3). He is a man of whole heart and life, who does the will of God, and speaks the truth because he loves it; it dwells in his heart, and he speaks it there first, before he speaks it with his tongue. “It is a beautiful order,” says Luther. “First the person must be acceptable by cleanness; then the work by righteousness; then the word by truth. So God has regard to Abel (himself) first, and then to his gifts.” He is not one who
4. In whose eyes a reprobate is despised; But he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and chang- eth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, Nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
injures others either by word or by deed, or by listening to and propagating slander. P.
2. Three features of character are indicated: his blameless walk, his acting in accordance with God’s will, and his unfeigned truthful- ness. D.—Walking perfect, and doing right, and speaking truth, in his heart. The Psalmist, speaking in behalf of God, here answers his own question. Walking is put for the habitual course of life. Perfect, complete as to all essen- tial features of the character, without necessa- rily implying perfection in degree. The next phrase, doing right, practising rectitude, may be either a synonymous parallel to the first, or a specification under it, parallel to speaking truth. The general idea of walking perfect is then resolved into the two particular ideas of doing right and speaking truth. In his heart, i.e., sincerely, as opposed to outward show or hypocritical profession. This phrase seems to qualify not merely what precedes, speaking truth, but the whole description, as of one who sincerely and internally, as well as outwardly, leads a blameless life by doing right and speak- ing truth. A.
An external profession of faith and outward communion with the Church of God is not suffi- cient unto salvation, unless we lead an incor- rupt life correspondent to the same, doing the thing which is right and speaking the truth in our heart. The marks are not to be taken from an outward hearing of the word or receiving of the sacraments, but from the duties of right- eousness, giving every man his due, because the touchstone of piety toward God is charity toward our brother. “Herein,” saith John, “are the children of God known, and the chil- dren of the devil: whosoever doth not right- eousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” John Boys.
The way of uprightness is the surest for despatch, and the shortest cut toward the execution or attainment of any good purpose, securing a man from irksome expectations and tedious delays. It is fair and pleasant. He that walketh in it hath good weather and a clear sky about him; a hopeful confidence and a cheerful satisfaction do ever wait upon him. Being conscious to himself of an honest meaning and a due course in prosecuting it, he feeleth no check or struggling of mind, no regret or sting of heart. Barrow.—He walks steadily. A good conscience steers by fixed stars, and aims at fixed marks. An upright man is always the same man, and goes the same way; the external state of things does not alter the moral reason of things with him, or change the law of God. Sydney Smith.—He hath no fear of being detected, or care to smother his intents. The upright man is secure as to his honor and credit; he is sure not to come off disgracefully, either at home in his own approbation, or abroad in the estimation of men. H. Smith.—He hath perfect security as to the final result of his affairs, that he shall not be quite baffled in his expectations and desires. He shall prosper in the true notion of prosperity, explained by that Divine saying, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.” Barrow.
Speaketh truth in his heart. Worded truth or veracity, precious as it is, is but as the outside, as the husk of a more precious reality inside. Worded truth is the outside, and acted truth is the inner kernel. Just as words themselves are but the wordings of the inner man, the abundance of the heart speaking; so truth in words is but the outer form, the external semblance, the visible shadow of truth in deeds, truth in life, truthful obedience, true concord in the heart between the acknowledged law and the will and deed of obedience. The essence of truth is in duty, in heart-whole devotion of duty to the sacred law of God’s truth. There is the source and spring of truthful words; there is the fountain of true honor, of noble, generous, manly confidence; there is the secret of self-respect, and with it of respect from others; of everything which makes the character of man lofty, honorable, and angelic. G. M.
The pervading love of truth is the spirit which should regulate all of our opinions, the standard by which consistency is to be tried, the touchstone of intellectual integrity. Whatever doctrines or sentiments are not the results of its operation are prejudices, even should they chance not to be errors, and whatever changes are effected through its energy and influence are elements of progress, and contribute to the real perfection of our nature. He only deserves the commendation of firmness of opinion who begins with the predominating love of truth, and maintains it steadily and sincerely in all the subsequent periods of his history. The uniform ascendancy of candor, or the love of truth, is the life and soul of the only species of consistency which a wise man desires to possess. . . . If there be a moral principle to which, in every form, humanity has given utterance, it is the obligation of veracity. Truth is alike the perfection of the intellect and the glory of the heart. Thornwell.
Truthfulness in the heart! Perfect transparency in the soul’s acting toward itself, toward man and God! What so beautiful, so near and like the acting of God Himself! It is not merely abstinence from words and deeds of insincerity or deceit, but the sensitive recoil of the spirit from the conception, which permits not the harboring of the thought of falsehood or deception. This most beautiful, most godlike attribute of soul is the spring or quicksener of all admirable qualities; it prompts to all excellence and beneficence in the deeds of the life; it is the foundation element of all greatness in human character, of all happiness in human doing. This speaking of truth to the heart and in the heart is that which is needed for our individual happiness, for the happiness of each household, for the welfare of our entire humanity. Practised by all men in all the relations of social intercourse, it would tend to make earth most like heaven. Above all, it is that which brings each soul nearer to and makes it like God, and prepares it by His communicated grace for His high and holy dwelling-place. B.
3. (Who) hath not slandered with his tongue, (who) hath not done his neighbor harm, and a scandal hath not taken up against his neighbor. The positive description of the foregoing verse is now followed by a negative one. The social virtues are insisted on, and their opposites excluded, because they are apt to be neglected by hypocrites, against whom this Psalm is directed. A.
How thick do censures and reproaches fly in all places, at all tables, in all conventions! And this were the more tolerable, if it were only the fault of ungodly men, of strangers and enemies to religion. But alas! this plague is not only among the Egyptians, but Israelites, too. It is very doleful to consider how professors sharpen their tongues like swords against professors; and one good man censures and reproaches another, and one minister traduceth another; and who can say, “I am clean from this sin?” Poole.—The good name of a man, as saith Solomon, is a precious thing to every one, and to be preferred before much treasure, insomuch that it is no less grievous to hurt a man with the tongue than with a sword; nay, ofttimes the stroke of a tongue is grievouser than the wound of a spear. And therefore the tongue must be bridled, that we hurt not in any wise the good name of our neighbor. P. Baro.
That panoply of sacred principle that lets no arrow of the adversary through any joint of its harness is the Christian’s every-day garment. Every Christian cause is stronger for his hand and his tongue. No tempter is cunning enough to wring a scandal from his behavior. No neighbor shall hesitate on which side, in the grand division of the world, to reckon him. He is committed frankly. He is pledged irrevocably. He is consecrated manfully. If he is Christ’s man, there is no situation, nor turn, nor emergency, where Christ is not honored in his life. And that because the Master’s Spirit is in him. F. D. H.
Nor evil to friend, nor reproach against neighbor. If thou neglectest thy love to thy neighbor, in vain thou professest thy love to God; for by thy love to God the love to thy neighbor is begotten, and by the love to thy neighbor thy love to God is nourished. Quarles.—There is an element of power in the sweet habitude of mind that thinketh no evil and taketh up no reproach. Such people win their way everywhere. The door is open to them everywhere and every heart made ready. Their shadow always falls behind them, and their coming is only brightness. There are faces that are a benediction, and such faces create a great, sweet, compelling light around us while they are with us, and leave a long, quiet twilight in our memories after the sun-setting. C. H. P.
4,5. Again, his character is further described by affirmations and negations. He is one who turns away from the evil and honors the good, who regards as inviolable the sanctity of an oath (not a casuist who sets himself to find a pretext for breaking his word, when it is inconvenient to keep it). He is not one who loves usury or takes bribes. The taking of usury is strictly forbidden in the law, and denounced by the prophets. Kimchi’s casuistic distinction, that it is lawful for the Jew to take usury of strangers, but not of his own people, is very significant; and, like too many Christian, as well as Jewish, interpretations of Scripture, framed to support a convenient and profitable practice. Thus, in heart, in tongue, in actions, in his conduct, as a member of society, he is alike free from reproach. Such is the figure of stainless honor drawn by the pen of a Jewish poet. Christian chivalry has not dreamed of a brighter. We have need often and seriously to ponder it. For it shows us that faith in God and spotless integrity may not be sundered; that religion does not veil or excuse petty dishonesties; that love to God is only then worthy the name when it is the life and bond of every social virtue. Each line is, as it were, a touchstone to which we should bring ourselves. To speak truth in the heart—to take up no reproach against a neighbor—would not the Christian man be perfect of whom this could be said? And that other trait in this Divine character—“who honoreth them that fear the Lord”—is there a surer test of our spiritual condition than this, that we love and honor men because they love Christ? P.
4. He sweareth to his own hurt.** The Christian swears to his own hindrance, and changeth not; yet knoweth that his oath cannot tie him to sin. Bacon.—He keeps his word, whatever it may cost him. He is faithful to his obligations, regardless of any inconvenience, or trouble, or loss, resulting from his fidelity. A character marked by such faithfulness seems to be, as it were, a very fragment of the Rock of Ages; and on its firmness and stability all who know it can rest securely. H. C. T.
What care I to see a man run after a sermon, if he cozens and cheats as soon as he comes home? On the other side, morality must not be without religion, for if so it may change as I see convenience. Religion must govern it. He that has not religion to govern his morality is not a dram better than my mastiff-dog; so long as you stroke him and please him and do not pinch him, he will play with you as finely as may be, he is a very good moral mastiff; but if you hurt him he will fly in your face, and tear out your throat. John Seldon.
5. This usury is not interest on money which is borrowed to make more money with—a commercial transaction of which the Mosaic law had no occasion to speak; but is money loaned to a poor man as the law required bread to be loaned to the suffering, upon which no interest was permitted. In the current life of the Hebrew people, no man borrowed either money or bread save under the stress of hunger, necessity, of which stress no neighbor, well to do himself, was permitted to take advantage. A bribe to harm the innocent was an abomination to the Mosaic law—is so to all righteous law—to every upright conscience. “Shall never be moved”—shall have a sure standing in the house of God, evermore enjoying His protection and never jostled from His sure foundation. C.
We nowhere learn from the institutes delivered by Moses that the simple taking of interest was forbidden to the Israelites; but the Divine law would give no countenance to the griping and extortionate practices to which miserly money lenders are always prone. The industrious poor might sometimes be reduced to such straits that pecuniary accommodations might be necessary to them; and toward such God would inculcate a kind and helpful spirit, and the precept is enforced by the relation which they sustained to Him: “Remember that you are lending to My people, My poor; and therefore take no advantage of their necessities. Trust Me against the fear of loss, and treat them kindly and generously.” Bush.—That the poor should receive compassion and help was a part of the judicial law which God appointed for the Jews in particular; but it is a common principle of justice, which extends to all nations and to all ages, that we should keep ourselves from plundering and devouring the poor who are in distress and want. Whence it follows that the gain which he acquires who lends his money upon interest, without doing injury to any one, is not to be included under the head of unlawful usury. Calvin.
He that doeth. “Tis not said he that professes this or that, or he that believes thus and thus, or he that is of such or such an opinion or way of worship; ‘tis not he that hears much or talks much of religion; no, nor he that thinks much of these things and means well; but ‘tis he that “doeth these things”—that is actually employed about them—that is the religious and truly godly man. ‘Tis not, I say, a formal professor, a wild opinionist, a high-flown perfectist; it is not a constant hearer, or a mighty talker, or a laborious teacher, or a gifted brother, or a simple well-wisher must pass; but ‘tis the honest and sincere doer of these things that will abide the test and stand the trial. The harmless humor of meaning well is not enough to approve a man’s spiritual state, to acquit obligations, or to ascertain his expectations. For He that bids us “eschew evil” does immediately subjoin that we must “follow” and “hold fast that which is good.” It will be no good account not to have done evil, unless we make it appear that we have been doing good too; since the non-commission of great sins will not excuse our omission of great duties. A. Littleton.
And now that his character is fully described, instead of concluding, such an one may sojourn, etc., the closing sentence is shaped otherwise, in conformity with the spiritual meaning of the Psalmist’s question, one that doeth thus shall never be moved, he stands fast, being upheld by Jehovah, hidden in His fellowship; nothing from without, no misfortune, can overthrow him. D.—Instead of “he that doeth these things shall dwell in the house of Jehovah,” etc., the answer is varied in form, “shall never be moved,” which is, in fact, the same truth in another and larger form. Such a man may not take up his dwelling in the earthly courts of the Lord; but, at least, he shall so live in the presence of God, and under the care of God, that his feet shall be upon a rock.
The Epistle of James is the New Testament expansion of and comment upon this Psalm. For another treatment of the subject in the Old, see Isa. 33: 13–16. P.
The citizen of Zion is one that is conscientiously honest and just in all his dealings, faithful and fair to all with whom he has to do. He worketh righteousness; he walks in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord, and takes care to give all their due; is just both to God and man; and in speaking to both, he speaks that which is the truth in his heart; his prayers, professions, and promises to God come not out of feigned lips, nor dares he tell a lie, or so much as equivocate, in his converse or commerce with men. He walks by the rules of righteousness and truth, and scorns and abhors the gains of injustice and fraud; he reckons that that cannot be a good bargain, nor a saving one, which is made with a lie, and that he who wrongs his neighbor, though ever so plausibly, will prove in the end to have done the greatest injury to himself. He is one that values men by their virtue and piety, and not by the figure they make in the world. He thinks the better of no man’s wickedness for his grandeur. In his eyes a vile person is contemned. He thinks the worse of no man’s piety for his poverty, but he knows them that fear the Lord. He reckons that serious piety, wherever it is found, puts an honor upon a man, and makes his face to shine, more than wealth, or wit, or a great name among men does or can. He is one that always prefers a good conscience before any secular interest or advantage whatsoever; for if he has promised upon oath to do anything, though afterward it appear much to his damage and prejudice in his worldly estate, yet he adheres to it and changes not. He is one that will not increase his estate by any unjust practices. Not by extortion. He putteth not out his money to usury, that he may live at ease upon the labors of others, while he is in a capacity for improving it by his own industry. Not by bribery. He will not take a reward against the innocent; if he be any way employed in the administration of public justice, he will not for any gain, or hope of it, to himself, do anything to the prejudice of a righteous cause.
The Psalm concludes with a ratification of this character of the citizen of Zion. He is like Zion-hill itself, which cannot be moved, but abides forever (125 : 1). Every true living member of the Church, like the Church itself, is built upon a Rock, which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. He that doeth these things shall never be moved; shall not be moved forever, so the word is. The grace of God shall always be sufficient for him, to preserve him safe and blameless to the heavenly kingdom; temptations shall not overcome him, troubles shall not overwhelm him, nothing shall rob him of his present peace or his future bliss. H.
To engage in the performance of home duties faultlessly, without petulance, without haste, without fretting—to repress the sarcastic and unkind word, to be calm in the hot moment of anger, to do without weariness, and to suffer without murmuring, to be charitable in judgment and trample out of the heart the Pharisee spirit, deeming life at once too short and too costly for quarrels and for pride; to maintain a chivalrous honor in all business relations; to hold back from the temptations of doubtful or hasty gain; to wear “the white flower,” not “of a blameless life” only, but of a life cleansed from its earthliness and made pure by the Holy Spirit; to walk about the world and before men with a calm brow, conscious of integrity, and with a kind heart filled with love; to shed abroad the “sweet savor of Christ,” and allure men to the heaven to which they know you to be travelling—these are but many-sided exhibitions of the one holy character, many facets of the one jewel of fidelity by which you are to be “approved” of your Father which is in heaven. Punshon.
In real life, up to the limit of his culture, a thoroughbred Christian is a thoroughbred gentleman. He cannot do a mean thing. He will not equivocate. The stories he tells are not elastic. He will not hang his veracity on the difference between the singular and the plural of a word. His word weighs on his conscience like an oath; he knows no difference. At the custom house his oath is as trusty as in the witness-box. In either, he is not conveniently afflicted with an intermittent memory. His silences he regulates by religious principles as honorably as his speech. Phelps.
It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain. He carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the mind of those with whom he is cast—all clashing of opinion or collision of feeling, all restraint or suspicion or gloom or resentment; his great concern being to make every one at ease and at home. He has his eyes on all his company, he is tender toward the bashful, gentle toward the distant, and merciful toward the absurd. He can recollect to whom he is speaking; he guards against unseasonable allusions on topics which may irritate; he is seldom prominent in conversation, and never wearisome. He makes light of favors when he does them, and seems to be receiving when he is conferring. He never speaks of himself except when compelled, never defends himself by a mere retort; he has no care for slander or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing motives to those who interfere with him, and interprets everything for the best. He is never mean or little in his disputes, never takes unfair advantages, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil, which he dare not say out. From long-sighted prudence, he observes the maxim of the ancient sage, “That we should ever conduct ourselves toward our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend.” He has too much good sense to be affronted at insults, and is too well employed to remember injuries. Newman.