Psalms 15:5

5 The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person. Whoever does these things will 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

1 O LORD, who may stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.
3 The one who does not slander with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor.
4 The one who despises those rejected by God but honors those who fear the LORD. The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it.
5 The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
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