This Psalm teacheth on what condition God did choose the Jews for his peculiar people; and wherefore he placed his Temple among them, which was to the intent that they by living uprightly and godly, might witness that they were his special and holy people (from the beginning of Psalm 15 in the Geneva Bible).
A Psalm Of David
1 Lord, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle? who shall rest in thine holy Mountain? 2 He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that slandereth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor receiveth a false report against his neighbor. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord: he that sweareth to his own hindrance and changeth not. 5 He that giveth not his money unto usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent: he that doeth these things, shall never be moved. 1599 Geneva Bible
For those who desire to “abide,” dwell (1), or remain (1) in the Lord’s “Tabernacle” or covering (1), and for those who desire to “rest,” dwell (1), or to reside or permanently stay (1) in the Lord’s “holy” or hallowed (1) “Mountain,” hill (1) or country (1), one must “walketh [behave (self), lead, forward (1)] uprightly [undefiled (1)], and worketh [to practise, ordain, wrought (1)] righteousness [just(-ice) (1)], and speaketh the truth [right, sure, faithful (1)] in his heart.” In other words, as it states in the notes of the Geneva Bible, “First God requireth uprightness of life, next doing well to others, and thirdly, truth and simplicity in our words.”
One is required to not be one that “slanderereth,” backbite (1), or be a tale bearer (1).
One is required to not do “evil [adversity. affliction, calamity (1)] to his neighbor.”
One is required to not receive or “to take or obtain from another in any manner, and either good or evil” (2) “a false report against his neighbor.”
In verse 4a regarding “In whose eyes a vile [depise (1)] person is contemned” as it states in the notes of the Geneva Bible that in one’s eyes, one should be, “He that flattereth not the ungodly in their wickedness.” The Lord honors those who “fear [morally reverent (submissive, humble (2), afraid, fear(-full)] the Lord” and “sweareth,” compel one to swear (2), take an oath (1), to one’s “own hindrance,” hindrance meaning a “restraing motion” (2), and to not change from that fear or hinderance.
One is required to not give money unto “usury”, or to place “interest on a debt” (1), to not take reward, gift (1), or bribe (1) “against the innocent.” Regarding “he that doeth these things,” i.e., they that take no interest on a debt or not take a bribe ‘against the innocent”, they “shall never be moved.” As it states in the notes of the Geneva Bible, they “That is, shall not be cast forth of the Church as hypocrites.” They “shall never be moved,” or they will not “be fallen in decay” (1) or “be (re-)moved” (1).
Therefore, live “uprightly” [without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sound, without spot, undefiled, whole (1)].
(1) The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, by James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D.
(2) Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary.
Brenda A. McGee has attended New York Theological Seminary in New York, NY, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA as a Master of Divinity student.