Psalm 15 explained: Who May Live Near God

The question at the door (v. 1)

The singer asks who may stay in God's sacred tent on his holy mountain, meaning Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where God's presence was believed to dwell. Many scholars think worshipers asked this as they arrived at the temple gate and heard the answer that follows.

Honest inside and out (vv. 2-3)

"Blameless" here means whole and consistent, a person who is the same inside as outside, not someone who never fails. Such a person tells the truth sincerely, harms no neighbor, and neither starts damaging gossip nor passes it along.

Right loyalties, kept promises (v. 4)

This person judges others by how they live, not by status: they reject people who do evil and respect those who honor the LORD. They keep a sworn promise even when it turns out to cost them.

Fair with money (v. 5)

Israel's law forbade charging interest on loans to fellow Israelites, and the Hebrew word for interest comes from a word meaning "to bite." This person also refuses to accept a bribe to condemn an innocent person, and the psalm ends by saying whoever lives this way will stand firm and never fall.

Key verse: Psalm 15:2

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether this list sets the conditions for being accepted by God or describes the kind of life that grows in people God has already welcomed.

Something to think about

Of the qualities in this list, which one do you think reveals the most about a person's real character, and why?