About this episode
Psalm 15: The Question at the Gate
David asks the most direct question a soul can ask: Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? It is the question of a man standing at the threshold, looking in, wondering if he belongs. And the answer that comes back is not a list of rituals performed or beliefs affirmed but a portrait of a life. He walks uprightly. He speaks truth in his heart — not merely with his lips, which is easy enough, but in that interior place where we negotiate with ourselves about what is really true. He does not backbite, does not harm his neighbor, does not take up a reproach. He honors those who fear the Lord and — here is the detail that catches the breath — he sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not. That is, he makes a promise that turns out to cost him, and he keeps it anyway. This is not a psalm about perfection. It is a psalm about integrity, which is something quite different. The person who dwells on God's holy hill is simply the person whose inner life and outer life are the same thing.
00:00 Who Shall Abide in Thy Tabernacle?
00:10 He That Walketh Uprightly
00:20 He That Speaketh Truth in His Heart
00:30 He That Backbiteth Not
00:38 He That Sweareth to His Own Hurt
00:46 He That Doeth These Things Shall Never Be Moved
Interactive timestamps
Jump to segmentGet every episode summarized
Each time Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
Transcript ready
9 searchable segments. Every word is indexed and playable.
Full transcript
Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day — Psalm Chapter 15. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.
0:00Psalm 15, a psalm of David Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle, who shall dwell in thy holy hill, he that walketh up brightly and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteeth not with his tongue nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor takeeth up a reproach against his neighbor, and whose eyes a vile person is condemned. But he, on earth, them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own heart, and changeeth not. He that puteth not out of his own money to usually, or takeeth three ward against the innocent. He that doeth be seen shall never be moved.
More episodes
More from Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day
Psalm Chapter 26 - A Psalm of David
Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day
Psalm Chapter 25
Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day
Psalm Chapter 24
Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day
Psalm Chapter 23
Daily Psalms - Classical Psalms Every Day