Psalms 15 - Introduction

This psalm refers to a single subject, but that the most important which can come before the human mind. It is the question. Who is truly religious? who will enter heaven? who will be saved? The psalm contains a statement of what real religion is; one of the most explicit and formal of the statements which we have in the Old Testament on that subject. The form in which the matter is presented is that of a question in the first verse, and of the answer to that question in the other verses of the psalm.

I. The question. Psalms 15:1. The question is, who shall be permitted to reside with God in his tabernacle? who shall be entitled to the privilege of dwelling on his holy hill (that is, Zion, regarded as the dwelling-place of God, and the emblem of heaven)? In other words, who has such a character as to be entitled to hope for the favor and friendship of God?

II. The answer, Psalms 15:2. The answer embraces the following particulars:

(1) The man who is upright, just, honest, truthful, Psalms 15:2.

(2) The man who treats his neighbor properly; who does not slander or reproach him; who does not readily listen to calumnious reports in regard to him, Psalms 15:3.

(3) The man who regards the righteous and the wicked as they should be regarded; who looks with proper disapprobation on all who are “vile” in their character, and with true respect on all who fear the Lord, Psalms 15:4.

(4) The man who is faithful to an engagement, though it proves to be against his own interest, Psalms 15:4.

(5) The man who does not take advantage of the necessities of others, who does not put out his money “to usury,” and who, if a magistrate, does not take a bribe to induce him to condemn the innocent, Psalms 15:5.

These are characteristics of true religion everywhere, and it is as true now as it was when this psalm was composed that it is only those who possess this character who have a right to regard themselves as the friends of God, or who have a well-founded hope of dwelling with him in heaven.

The psalm purports, in the title, to be “A Psalm of David.” It is not known on what occasion it was written, nor is it material to know this in order to understand the psalm. It has been supposed by some that it was composed on the occasion when the ark was carried up from the house of Obed-edom (2 Samuel 6:12 ff), but there is nothing in the psalm itself which should lead us to refer it to that occasion, or to any other special occasion. It seems rather - like Psalms 1:1 - to be adapted to all times and all places. It contains a general illustration of the nature of true religion, and there has been no state of things in the world in which such a psalm might not be appropriately composed; there is none in which it may not be appropriately read and pondered.