The big picture
Psalms 15 opens in verse 1 with “LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”, reaches its middle movement near verse 3 with “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a…”, and closes in verse 5 with “He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He…” Repeated or prominent terms include doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 5Psalms 15:1-5
1–5: LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy…
Psalms 15:1–5 opens with “LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” and reaches “He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 15 develops its own movement around doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide, with particular weight carried by doeth, LORD, neighbour.
Deep dive
The movement opens with “LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” By verse 3, the text has turned to “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a…” It lands on “He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 question, 1 stated contrast, 1 verse naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.
Speaker, parallel lines, images, emotional movement, and changes in voice carry the argument. Wise guidance is richer than a mechanical promise. Words such as doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide, backbiteth tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Psalms 15 develops its own movement around doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.
Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 1: “LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.
Words to trace: doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide, backbiteth
Verse-by-verse path
- Psalms 15:1
“LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
- Psalms 15:2
“He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” The line’s distinctive content terms include heart, righteousness, speaketh. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
- Psalms 15:3
“He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his…” The line’s distinctive content terms include neighbour, backbiteth, doeth. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
- Psalms 15:4
“In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD . He that sweareth to his own hurt…” The line’s distinctive content terms include changeth, contemned, eyes. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.
- Psalms 15:5
“He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Psalms 15:1-5
King James Version1LORD , who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD . He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Questions to keep in mind while reading
- Follow the speaker, images, parallel lines, questions, and emotional movement.
- Notice where tension or suffering resists an easy answer.
- Read a saying as wisdom for faithful discernment, not as a mechanical promise detached from context.
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.
Questions beneath the surface
- What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Psalms 15?
- Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
- What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
- Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?
Questions for serious personal contemplation
These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.
Observe without rushing
What part of Psalms 15 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?
Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?
Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: Psalms 15 develops its own movement around doeth, LORD, neighbour, taketh, abide?
What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?
Examine your inner life honestly
Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?
What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?
Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?
If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?
Respond with wisdom and courage
What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?
How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?
What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?
What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?