Psalm 15 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

Psalm 15 is considered to be one of the “wisdom psalms.” See the Introduction to Psalms for more information about the wisdom psalms. (See: wise) 1. Two parallel rhetorical questions with the same meaning (1) 2. Ten character traits of the type of person Yahweh lets enter his presence (2–5b) 3. The promised reward for the person meeting Yahweh’s requirements (5c)

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Psalm

The type of person who may enter into God’s presence

Verse one begins with two questions that are both asking the same thing (parallelism). They are both rhetorical questions that are meant to make the reader think intently about the type of behaviors and attitudes that God requires. Verses 2–5b provide the answer to the questions in verse one. They indicate ten character traits that God requires. The last sentence in verse five is the conclusion to this psalm and states the promised reward for meeting Yahweh’s moral requirements. (See: godly and good and promise)

Moral Conditions for Worship

Scholars have noted that this psalm contains a list of ten different conditions for those who want to participate in worship at the temple. The list consists of three positives in verse two, three negatives in verse three, two positives in verse four, followed by two negatives in verse five. (See: temple)

Translation Issues in This Psalm

Who do the pronouns “he,” “his,” and “him” refer to?

All occurrences of the pronouns “he,” “his,” and “him” refer to the same type of person. The person being described is not one particular person but rather anyone who exhibits the behaviors described in verses 2–5.