---
title: "Clarke"
description: "The title, מזמור לדוד mizmor ledavid, a Psalm of David, has nothing in it particularly worthy of notice. If it were a Psalm composed during the captivity,"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/psalms/15"
---

The *title*, מזמור לדוד mizmor ledavid, a Psalm of David, has nothing in it particularly worthy of notice. If it were a Psalm composed during the captivity, relating to their return and settlement in their own land, with the restoration of their temple service and all the ordinances of God, and a description of the persons who should then be considered Israelites indeed, the name of *David* is improperly prefixed. But the subject is of the most general utility, and demands the most solemn and serious attention of all men who profess to believe in the immortality of the soul.
Verse [Psalms 15:1](../../../kjv/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?" For the proper understanding of this question we must note the following particulars:-
1. 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.
2. *Mount Zion*, the *holy mount*, where the temple was built, was the type of the *kingdom of heaven*. There the ark became *stationary*, and was no longer carried about from place to place; and the whole was typical of the *rest* that remains for the people of God.
3. The TABERNACLE was a temporary and frequently-removed building, carried about from place to place, and not long in any one place. Concerning this it is said: מי יגור *mi yagur*, "Who shall *lodge*, or *sojourn*," there? It is not a *residence*, or *dwelling-place*, but a place to *lodge* in for a time.
4. The TEMPLE was a *fixed* and *permanent* building; and here it is inquired, מי ישכן *mi yiscon*, "Who shall *dwell, abide*," or have his *permanent residence*, there?
5. The *tabernacle* being a migratory temple, carried about on the shoulders of the priests and Levites, there was no *dwelling* there for any; they could but *lodge* or *sojourn*.
6. The *temple* being *fixed*, the priests, Levites, c., became *permanent occupiers*. There was no *lodging* or *sojourning*, but *permanent residence* for all connected with it.
7. The *tabernacle* is, therefore, a proper type of the *Church* *militant*, wandering up and down, tossed by various storms and tempests the followers of God, having here *no continuing city*; *sojourning* only on earth to get a preparation for eternal glory.
8. The *temple* is also a proper type or emblem of the *Church* *triumphant* in heaven. "Here the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." It is the *dwelling-place*, the *eternal* *residence*, of all who are faithful unto death, who are made *pillars in that temple of God, to go no more out for ever*.
The questions therefore are,
1. Who can be considered a fit member of the Church of Christ here below? and,
2. Who shall be made partakers of an endless glory? In answer to these questions, the character of what we may term a *true* *Israelite*, or a *good Christian*, is given in the following particulars: -

Verse [Psalms 15:2](../../../kjv/psalms/15/2). ***He that walketh uprightly*** — הולך תמים *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*** —
2. He is not satisfied with a *contemplative* life; he has *duties* to perform. The law of *righteousness* has placed him in certain *relations*, and each of these relations has its peculiar duties. פעל צדק *poel tsedek*, the words here used, signify to *give just weight*, to *render* to all their *dues*.
1. As he is the *creature* of GOD, he has duties to perform to *him*. He owes God his heart: *May son, give me thy heart*; and should love him with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is giving GOD *his due*.
2. As a *member of civil society*, he has various duties to perform to his fellows, as they have to him. He is to love them as himself, and do unto all men as he would they should do unto him.
3. There are duties which he owes to *himself*. That his *body* may be in health, vigour, and activity, he should avoid every thing by which it might be injured, particularly all excesses in eating, drinking, sleeping, c. That his *soul* may be saved, he should avoid all sin all irregular and disorderly passions. He owes it to his soul to apply to God for that grace which produces repentance, faith, and holiness; and in order to get all these blessings, he should *read, watch, pray,* *hear the word preached*, and diligently use all the *ordinances of* *God*. He who acts not thus, *defrauds both his body and soul*: but the person in the text works righteousness-*gives to all their due*; and thus keeps a conscience void of offence, both towards God and man.
***And speaketh the truth in his heart.*** —
3. He is a *true* man; in him there is no *false way*. He is no man of *pretenses; speaking one* *thing*, and *meaning another*. He *professes* nothing but what he *feels* and *intends*; with him there are no *hollow friendships, vain* *compliments*, nor *empty professions of esteem, love, regard*, or *friendship*. His *mouth* speaks nothing but what his *heart* dictates. His *heart*, his *tongue*, and his *hand*, are all in unison. *Hypocrisy, guile*, and *deceit*, have no place in his soul.

Verse [Psalms 15:3](../../../kjv/psalms/15/3). **He that*****backbiteth not with his tongue*** — לא רגל על לשנו *lo ragal al leshono*, "he foots not upon his tongue."
4. He is one who treats his neighbour 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 neighbour may be injured. The *tongue*, because of its slanderous conversation, is represented in the nervous original as *kicking about* the character of an absent person; a very common vice, and as destructive as it is common: but the man who expects to see God abhors it, and *backbites not with his tongue*. The words *backbite* and *backbiter* come from the Anglo-Saxon bac, *the back*, and [A.S.], *to bite*. How it came to be used in the sense it has in our language, seems at first view unaccountable; but it was intended to convey the treble sense of *knavishness, cowardice*, and *brutality*. He is a *knave*, who would rob you of your *good name*; he is a *coward*, that would speak of you in your *absence* what he dared not to do in your *presence*; and only an ill-conditioned *dog* would fly at and *bite* your *back* when your *face* was *turned*. All these *three ideas* are included in the term; and they all meet in the *detractor* and *calumniator*. His tongue is the tongue of a *knave*, a *coward*, and a *dog*. Such a person, of course, has no right to the privileges of the *Church militant*, and none of his disposition can ever see God.
***Nor doeth evil to his neighbour*** —
5. He not only avoids *evil* *speaking*, but he avoids also *evil acting* towards his neighbour. He *speaks* no *evil* of him; he *does* no *evil* to him; he does him no *harm*; he occasions him no *wrong*. On the contrary, he *gives him* *his due*. See under the second particular. [Psalms 15:2](../../../kjv/psalms/15/2).
***Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.*** —
6. The word חרפה *cherpah*, which we here translate *a reproach*, comes from חרף *charaph, to strip*, or *make bare*, to *deprive one of his* *garments*; hence חרף *choreph*, the *winter*, because it *strips* *the fields* of their *clothing*, and the *trees* of their *foliage*. By this, nature appears to be *dishonoured* and *disgraced*. The application is easy: a man, for instance, of a good character is reported to have done something wrong: the tale is spread, and the slanderers and *backbiters* carry it about; and thus the man is *stripped* of *his fair character*, of his *clothing of righteousness*, *truth*, and *honesty*. All may be *false*; or the man, in an hour of the power of darkness, may have been tempted and *overcome*; may have been wounded in the cloudy and dark day, and deeply mourns his fall before God. Who that has not the heart of a devil would not strive rather to *cover* than *make bare* the fault? Those *who feed*, as the proverb says, *like the flies, passing over all a man's whole* *parts to light upon his wounds*, will take up the tale, *and carry* *it about*. Such, in the course of their diabolic work, carry the story of scandal to the righteous man; to him who loves his God and his neighbour. But what reception has the tale-bearer? The good man *taketh it not up*; לא נשא lo nasa, he will not *bear* it; it shall not be propagated from him. He cannot prevent the detractor from *laying it down*; but it is in his power not to *take* *it up*: and thus the progress of the slander may be arrested. *He* *taketh not up a reproach against his neighbour*; and the tale-bearer is probably discouraged from carrying it to another door. Reader, drive the slanderer of your neighbour far away from you: ever remembering that in the law of God, as well as in the law of the land, "the *receiver* is as bad as the *thief*."

Verse [Psalms 15:4](../../../kjv/psalms/15/4). ***In whose eves a vile person is contemned*** —
7. This man judges of others by their conduct; he tries no man's heart. He knows men only by the *fruits* they bear; and thus he gains knowledge of the *principle* from which they proceed. A *vile person*, נמאס nimas, the *reprobate*, one abandoned to sin; is *despised*, נבזה nibzeh, is *loathsome*, as if he were covered with the *elephantiasis* or *leprosy*, for so the word implies. He may be *rich*, he may be *learned*, he may be a *great man* and *honourable* with his master, in high offices in the state; but if he be a spiritual *leper*, an *infidel*, a *profligate*, the righteous man must despise him, and hold him, because he is an enemy to God and to man, in sovereign contempt. If he be in power, he will not treat him as if *worthy* of his dignity; while he *respects* the *office* he will *detest* the *man*. And this is quite right; for the popular odium should ever be pointed against vice.
*Aben Ezra* gives a curious turn to this clause, which he translates thus: "He is mean and contemptible in his own eyes;" and it is certain that the original, נבזה בעיניו נמאס *nibzeh* *beeynaiv nimas*, will bear this translation. His *paraphrase* on it is beautiful: "A pious man, whatever good he may have done, and however concordant to the Divine law he may have walked, considers all this of no worth, compared with what it was his duty to do for the glory of his Creator." A sentiment very like that of our Lord, [Luke 17:10](../../../kjv/luke/17/10): "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do."
Taken in this sense, the words intimate, that the man who is truly pious, who is a proper member of the Church *militant*, and is going straight to the *Church triumphant*, is truly *humble*; he knows he *has nothing but what he has received*, he has no *merit*, he trusts not in himself, but in the living God. He renounces his *own* *righteousness*, and trusts in the *eternal mercy of God* through the *infinitely meritorious atonement* made by Jesus Christ. The language of his heart is, -
*The fear of the Lord* is often taken for the *whole of religion*; and sometimes for that *reverence* which a man feels for the *majesty* and *holiness of God*, that induces him to hate and depart from evil. Here it may signify the lowest degree of religion, *repentance whereby we forsake sin*.
***Sweareth to*****his own*****hurt, and changeth not.*** —
9. If at any time he have bound himself by a solemn engagement to do so and so, and he finds afterwards that to keep his *oath* will be greatly to his *damage*; yet such reverence has he for *God* and for *truth*, that he will not *change*, be the consequences what they may. He is faithful also to his *promises*; his bare word will bind him equally with an *oath*. He that will not be honest *without* an oath will not be honest *with* one.
The *Hebrew* might be thus translated: "He sweareth to afflict himself, and does not change;" and thus the *Chaldee* has rendered this clause. He has promised to the Lord to keep his body under, and bring it into subjection; to deny himself that he may not pamper the flesh, and have the more to give to the poor.

Verse [Psalms 15:5](../../../kjv/psalms/15/5). ***Putteth not out his money to usury*** —
10. As *usury* signifies *unlawful interest*, or that which is got by *taking* *advantage of the necessity of a distressed neighbour*, no man that fears God can be guilty of it. The word נשך *neshech*, which we translate *usury*, comes from *nashach*, to *bite as a serpent*; and here must signify that *biting* or *devouring usury*, which ruins the man who has it to pay. "The *increase of usury* is called נשך *neshech*, because it resembles the *biting of a serpent*. For as this is so small at first, as scarcely to be perceptible, but the *venom* soon spreads and diffuses itself till it reaches the vitals; so the *increase of usury*, which at first is not perceived nor felt, at length grows so much as by degrees to *devour* another's substance." *Middoch's* edition of *Leigh's* Critica Sacra, sub voce נשך.
The Jews ever were, and are still, remarkable for *usury* and *usurious contracts*; and a Jew that is saved from it is in the fair way, charity would suppose, to the kingdom of heaven. The Roman laws condemned the *usurer* to the forfeiture of *four times* *the sum*. Cato de Rust., lib. i.
***Nor taketh reward against the innocent.*** —
11. He neither gives nor receives a *bribe* in order to pervert justice or injure an innocent man in his cause. The lawyer, who sees a poor man opposed by a rich man, who, though he is convinced in his conscience that the poor man has justice and right on his side, yet takes the *larger fee* from the *rich* man to plead against the poor man, has in fact taken a *bribe against the innocent*, and without the most signal interposition of the mercy of God, is as sure of hell as if he were already there.
***He that doeth these*****things**] He in whose character all these excellences meet, though still much more is necessary under the *Christian dispensation, shall never be moved*- he shall stand fast for ever. He is an upright, honest man, and God will ever be his support.
Now we have the important question answered, Who shall go to heaven? The man who to *faith in Christ Jesus* adds those *eleven* moral excellences which have been already enumerated. And only such a character is fit for a place in the Church of Christ.
On this verse there is a singular reading in my old MS. *Psalter*, which I must notice. The clause, *Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad* *usuram*, "who putteth not out his money to usury," is thus translated: *He that gat nout his catel til oker.* Now this intimates that the author had either read *pecudem*, CATTLE, for *pecuniam*, MONEY; or that *catel* was the only *money* current in his time and country. And indeed it has long been the case, that the *Scottish* peasantry paid their rents *in kind*; so many *cows* or *sheep* given to the laird for the usufruct of the ground. That this is no mistake in the *translation* is evident enough from the *paraphrase*, where he repeats the words, with his gloss upon them: *He that gaf nout his Catel till oker* bodyly als covaytus men dos gastly: that he seke naght for his gude dede, na mede of this werld, bot anely of heven.
The very unusual word *oker* signifies *produce* of any kind, whether of *cattle, land, money*, or even the human *offspring*. It is found in the *Anglo-Saxon*, the *Gothic*, the *German*, and the *Danish*; in all which languages it signifies *produce, fruit,* *offspring, usury*, and the like. Dr. *Jameson* does not show the word in any of its forms, though it is evident that it existed in the ancient *Scottish* language.
The word *catel* may be used here for *chattels, substance* of any kind, moveable or immoveable; but this word itself was originally derived from *cattle*, which were from the beginning the *principal* *substance* or *riches* of the inhabitants of the country. Indeed the word *pecunia, money*, was derived from *pecus, cattle*, which were no longer used as a medium of commerce when silver and gold came into use. There is a passage in *Chaucer* where *cattel catching* seems to be used for *getting money*. Speaking of the wicked priests of his time, he says: -
A Psalm of doctrine, consisting of *two* parts, in which we have the character of a sound Christian, (rather, an upright Jew.)
I. The *first* part is delivered in the form of a *dialogue* between God and the prophet, from [Psalms 15:1-5](../../../kjv/psalms/15/1-5).
II. The *second* is the *epiphonema*, or moral reflection, in the close of the last verse.
I. 1. The question proposed by the psalmist to God,
1. "Lord, who shall sojourn in thy holy tabernacle?"
2. "Who shall rest upon thy holy hill?" That is, because all are not *Israel* which are *of Israel*, therefore the psalmist asks of God, Who shall sojourn as a true member in the *Church militant*? And who shall *rest* in the *Church triumphant*?
2. To which God returns the following answer, containing very remarkable notes of the true character of a member of the Church: -
1. In *general*, he is a man, who is, 1. *Upright* in *thought*; he is an honest man: "He that walketh uprightly." 2. *Just* in his *deed*: "He works righteousness." 3. *True* in his *word*: "He speaks the truth in his heart."
2. In *particular*, he is a man who avoids evil.
1. In himself he is no slanderer: "He backbites not with his tongue."
2. He is no wrong-doer: "Nor doeth evil to his neighbour."
3. He is no reviler, tale-bearer, nor tale-hearer: "He takes not up a reproach against his neighbour."
4. He is no favourer of sin: "In whose eyes an evil person is contemned."
5. He is no oppressor nor extortioner: *He puts not his money* to his poor brother *to usury*.
6. No briber: "He takes no reward against the innocent."
3. Such a man is he who *honours them that fear the Lord*.
4. "He sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." He will surely keep his word; his character is composed of piety and charity.
II. The *epiphonema*, or moral reflection has these *two* parts: -
1. The *party* to whom this privilege belongs: "He that doeth these things;" for the *doers*, not the *hearers*, of the law shall be justified.
2. The *promise* made to him: "He shall never be moved." The life of grace is the way to the life of glory. See the preceding notes.

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