Bible Commentaries
Psalms 15

Verses 1-5

XV. Yahweh’ s Client.— The Phœ nicians were familiar with the idea that a man might become the client of a god and so put himself under Divine protection. They used the same word for “ client” as the Hebrews, viz. gç r. Hence we have such names in Phœ nician, as Gerastart, “ client of Astarte,” Gerhekal, “ client of the temple,” etc. But to be Yahweh’ s client moral qualities are necessary; indeed no others are mentioned here. With the whole Ps. cf. Isaiah 33:13-16.

Psalms 15:1 . tent (so Heb., cf. mg.) is a poetical name for the Temple.

Psalms 15:4 . “ To his own hurt” is abbreviated from “ to his own advantage or to his own hurt” ; whatever the result of keeping his oath may be to himself. Cf. Numbers 24:13, “ I cannot go beyond the word of Yahweh to do either good or bad.”

Psalms 15:5 . The Law forbade a Hebrew to take interest from a compatriot: it was no fault to take it from a Gentile (see, e.g., Deuteronomy 23:20). Probably the Psalmist was thinking only of interest taken from a brother, i.e. a Jew (p. 112).