Psalms 15:5

5 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.

Psalms 15:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 15:5

[He that] putteth not out his money to usury
To the poor, in an extravagant and exorbitant way, by which he bites, devours, and destroys his little substance, and sadly afflicts and distresses him; see ( Exodus 22:25 ) ; otherwise, to lend money on moderate interest, and according to the laws, customs, and usages of nations, and to take interest for it, is no more unlawful than to take interest for houses and land; yea, it is according to the law of common justice and equity, that if one man lends money to another to trade with, and gain by, that he should have a proportionate share in the gain of such a trade; but the design of this passage, and the law on which it is founded, is, to forbid all exactions and oppressions of the poor, and all avaricious practices, and to encourage liberality and beneficence; and such who are covetous, and bite and oppress the poor, are not fit for church communion; see ( 1 Corinthians 5:11 ) ( Ephesians 5:5 ) ;

nor taketh reward against the innocent;
either to swear falsely against him, or to pass a wrong sentence on him; see ( 1 Samuel 12:3 ) ;

he that doeth these [things] shall never be moved;
from the tabernacle of God, and his holy hill; he is fit to be a member of the church of God, and an inhabitant of Zion; and he shall dwell and abide there, he shall be a pillar which shall never go out, ( Revelation 3:12 ) ; he shall finally persevere, through the grace of God; he shall hold on and out unto the end: and though he may fall through infirmity and temptation into sin, and that many times, yet he shall not finally and totally fall, ( 2 Peter 1:10 ) ; but shall be as Mount Zion which can never be removed, ( Psalms 125:1 Psalms 125:2 ) ; The words should be rendered, since the accent "athnach" is on (hla) , "these things", thus; "he that doeth these things", not only what is mentioned in this verse, but in the foregoing, "he", I say, "shall never be moved".

Psalms 15:5 In-Context

2 He who walks blamelessly, does what is right, And speaks truth in his heart;
3 He who doesn't slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his friend, Nor casts slurs against his fellow man;
4 In whose eyes a vile man is despised, But who honors those who fear Yahweh; He who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn't change;
5 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.
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