Psalms 15:5 · Bible study
Psalms 15:5 Commentary: The Citizen of Zion's Financial Integrity
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of Psalm 15:5: the prohibition of usury and bribery, and the promise of unshakable security for those who live justly.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The righteous person avoids oppressive lending and bribery, and will be secure in God’s presence.
- Key words: Neshek (usury, from ‘to bite’), shachad (bribe), mot (totter, shake).
- Main debate: Does this forbid all interest or only exploitative interest? The OT context (Deuteronomy 23:19-20) suggests the latter.
- Theological theme: Covenant ethics: how God’s people treat the poor and administer justice reflects their relationship with God.
- Best use: Teaching on economic integrity and the holistic character required for worship and community life.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
WEB World English Bible 2000
he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.
KJV King James Version 1769
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He that putteth not out his money to interest, Nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
His silver he hath not given in usury, And a bribe against the innocent Hath not taken; Whoso is doing these is not moved to the age!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
[He that] putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these [things] shall never be moved.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: it is thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Quien su dinero no dió á usura, ni contra el inocente tomó cohecho. El que hace estas cosas, no resbalará para siempre.
Tal pessoa não empresta seu dinheiro com juros; nem aceita suborno contra o inocente; quem faz isto, nunca se abalará.
Il n’ exige point d’ intérêt de son argent,
wer sein Geld nicht auf Wucher gibt und nimmt nicht Geschenke gegen den Unschuldigen: wer das tut, der wird wohl bleiben.
Die zijn geld niet geeft op woeker, en geen geschenk neemt tegen den onschuldige. Die deze dingen doet, zal niet wankelen in eeuwigheid.
non dà il suo danaro ad usura, né accetta presenti a danno dell’innocente. Chi fa queste cose non sarà mai smosso.
Który pieniędzy swych nie daje na lichwę, i darów przeciwko niewinnym nie przyjmuje. Kto to czyni, nie zachwieje się na wieki.
Господь есть часть наследия моего и чаши моей. Ты держишь жребий мой.
他不 放 債 取利，不 受 賄賂 以害 無辜。行 這些事 的人必永 不 動搖。
He who does not put out his money at interest, or for payment give false decisions against men who have done no wrong. He who does these things will never be moved.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 15:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse caps the description of the person fit to dwell in God's sanctuary. The Hebrew word for usury, neshek, derives from a root meaning 'to bite', a graphic image of interest that devours a borrower's livelihood, as Adam Clarke and others note. Barnes and Gill point out that the Old Testament law prohibited interest only when lending to a fellow Israelite in need (Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35-37), while allowing interest from foreigners (Deuteronomy 23:19-20). The prohibition, then, is not against all lending at interest but against taking advantage of the poor. Bribery is similarly condemned as a perversion of justice (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19). The closing promise, 'shall never be shaken', means that such a person enjoys unshakeable security under God's protection, as the Cambridge Bible and Matthew Henry affirm. The psalm does not promise sinless perfection but a habitual pattern of righteousness that God honors.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Absolute prohibition of all interest: Literary reading of 'usury' in the OT and early church tradition; the word 'neshek' suggests any interest is biting.
- Prohibition of exploitative interest only: Deuteronomy 23:19-20 allows interest from foreigners, showing the law targets oppression of a 'brother,' not all lending.
What is clear: Taking advantage of the poor through oppressive interest and perverting justice through bribery are condemned, and a life of consistent integrity brings God's enduring protection.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Usury (interest) | Christians agree that taking advantage of the poor through oppressive interest is forbidden. | Some traditions view all charging of interest as usury (following early church and medieval teaching), while others see only excessive or exploitative interest as sinful, citing Deuteronomy 23:20 where Israel could charge interest to foreigners. |
| Bribery | All traditions condemn bribery as a perversion of justice. | The debate centers on what constitutes a bribe in modern contexts, e.g., campaign contributions, gifts to officials, or even hospitality, and whether intent matters more than form. |
| The promise of stability | The righteous will not be ‘shaken’ from God’s presence and will enjoy lasting security. | Some interpret this as temporal protection from calamity; others as final perseverance in salvation, noting that the righteous may still face trials (Psalm 34:19). |
| Scope of the psalm's requirements | The psalm describes the character of those who may approach God in worship. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions often see this as part of the moral law that Christians are called to fulfill through grace; some Protestant traditions emphasize that this describes the imputed righteousness of Christ, not our own achievement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Israel's economy was built on covenant community. Lending to a fellow Israelite was an act of mercy, not a commercial transaction. The law therefore prohibited charging interest, neshek, when lending to a brother in need, because it exploited his vulnerability (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35-37). The same root means 'to bite,' suggesting interest that slowly drains a borrower's resources. Bribery was a persistent threat to justice in the ancient Near East; judges and officials could be corrupted by gifts. The Law repeatedly warns against it (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19).
Psalm 15 likely functioned as a liturgy for worshipers entering the temple on Mount Zion. The question 'who shall dwell on your holy hill?' implies that moral purity is required for approach to God. The answer details social and economic behaviors: how one treats the poor, handles money, and administers justice. By the time of the psalm, the ark was in Jerusalem, and the sanctuary stood as the place of God's presence. These standards were not merely ceremonial but practical, shaping daily life.
Today's financial systems differ vastly: impersonal institutions, regulated interest, and global markets. Yet the underlying principle remains. Charging interest that exploits the vulnerable, whether through payday loans, predatory lending, or taking advantage of a friend in need, violates the neighbor-love that God requires. The psalm calls God's people to use their resources in ways that build up and protect, not bite and devour.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 15:5. The Masoretic text is stable, and translations agree on the substance. The primary interpretive question is lexical and ethical, not textual.
Reception History
The early church largely read this verse as forbidding all interest, interpreting the Old Testament law as a universal moral norm. The Didache and early church fathers condemned usury outright. During the Middle Ages, the church prohibited clergy and later laity from charging interest on loans, a position reflected in canon law. The Reformation brought a shift: Calvin and later Reformed commentators distinguished between oppressive usury (unjust to the poor) and moderate interest in commercial contexts, noting the exception for foreigners in Deuteronomy. Wesleyan and Baptist traditions emphasized the principle of mercy over rigid rule, focusing on the heart of the commandment: do not profit from another’s distress. Today, Christians apply the verse differently, but all agree that exploiting the vulnerable violates God’s design for community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Money and mercy, The prohibition of usury is not a blanket ban on interest but a call to protect the poor from exploitation. The word neshek (‘bite’) paints a vivid picture: do not profit from another’s distress.
- Justice and integrity, Rejecting bribes means refusing to pervert justice for personal gain. This extends to any favor or gift that compromises fairness.
- The promise of stability, The one who lives this way ‘shall never be shaken.’ This is not immunity from hardship but a deep, enduring security in God’s presence.
Five-point outline
- The setting: worship on God’s holy hill requires moral fitness.
- Usury defined: oppressive interest that exploits the poor.
- Bribery denounced: corrupting justice undermines community.
- Holistic character: all parts of life, speech, finances, relationships, are integrated.
- The reward: unshakable fellowship with God, now and forever.
Illustration hooks
- Lending money to a struggling friend and charging interest, is that loving?
- A payday loan company that charges 400% APR in a low-income neighbourhood.
- A workplace situation where a gift or favour influences a decision that harms someone else.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it a sin to charge any interest at all, even through a bank?
- How do I know if my lending is helping or hurting someone?
- Does this psalm mean I can lose my salvation if I mess up financially?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 15:5 brings the psalm’s description of the righteous person to a close. It names two specific economic sins, usury and bribery, and links them to the promise of stability. This verse challenges us to examine how we use money and influence, especially toward the vulnerable.
Discussion questions
- What does the word ‘usury’ mean in the original language, and why is that image powerful?
- Read Exodus 22:25 and Deuteronomy 23:19-20. Why was interest forbidden among Israelites but allowed with foreigners? What principle underlies that distinction?
- How should a Christian think about charging interest on a loan to a friend or family member today? Where is the line between fair and oppressive?
- Bribery seems obvious, but what modern forms might it take, job referrals, gifts to officials, or even subtle favors?
- What does ‘shall never be shaken’ mean? Does it promise protection from all trouble, or something else? Consider Psalm 16:8 and Psalm 125:1.
- This psalm lists ten specific behaviours. Do you think it describes attainable holiness or an ideal to aspire to? How do grace and effort fit together?
- Think of one financial decision you face this week. How could you apply the heart of this verse, love for neighbor and trust in God’s provision?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 22:25 | “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest. |
| Exodus 23:7 | “Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked. |
| Exodus 23:8 | “You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous. |
| Leviticus 25:35 | “‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident. |
| Leviticus 25:37 | You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. |
| Deuteronomy 16:19 | You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. |
| Deuteronomy 23:19 | You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest. |
| Deuteronomy 23:20 | You may charge a foreigner interest; but you shall not charge your brother interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the "biting" nature of usury, from the Hebrew word for a serpent's bite, to describe interest that ruins a desperate neighbor. He then applies the warning against bribes directly to a lawyer who takes a rich man's fee to plead against a poor man with justice on his side, calling that man as sure of hell as if already there. His reading is a sharp warning against financial exploitation and corrupting justice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the Hebrew word for usury meant any interest, not just illegal rates. He argues the psalm forbids taking advantage of a poor brother's need, not receiving ordinary interest in business transactions. The real sin is a harsh, grasping spirit, and taking bribes to pervert justice.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God's covenant with His people has always included a condition: they must live justly and uprightly. Hypocrites who claim to be God's people while lacking true holiness deceive only themselves, for God alone knows who truly belongs to Him.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary draws a distinction between the specific Old Testament law against charging interest to fellow Israelites, now seen as obsolete, and its underlying principle, which remains binding. It also notes bribery as a persistent corruption. The Psalmist's conclusion goes beyond the opening question: such a person enjoys unshaken prosperity under God's protection.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that refusing both usury and bribes is the mark of a person who will stand secure under God's protection. The focus is on concrete ethical conduct—avoiding exploitative lending and corrupt judgment—as the actual practice of righteousness that guarantees lasting stability.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes between oppressive usury, which exploits the poor, and lending at a moderate, lawful interest, which he considers just. He stresses that the promise of stability applies to those who practice all the listed virtues, not just avoid the forbidden acts.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that the word "usury" comes from a verb meaning "to bite," capturing how interest becomes a predatory bite that harms others. The same principle applies to bribery: both are forbidden because they profit unjustly at another's expense. Those who avoid such practices will be secure in God's presence.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch reads Psalm 15 as a detailed expansion of specific Torah passages, where each verb describes a person's settled habit rather than a single act. They argue that "loads reproach" means placing a heavy burden
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats the question of who may dwell with God as a matter of character, not of name or ancestry. He insists that this privilege is not inherited by birth but determined by how one walks, works, and speaks. Those who seek heaven must look to God himself for the terms of citizenship.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley defines usury specifically as lending that violates God's law, citing the Old Testament restrictions. He interprets "reward" as a bribe given to support an unjust cause. For him, "moved" means the righteous person will dwell with God in this life and remain with the Lord eternally after death.