Psalm 15 asks a question about the kind of person one has to be in order to be worthy to live near to God. And then it gives us the answer! Most people would assume that it is enough to simply believe in God. According to the psalm there is worthy standard to live up to. How close do we come?


מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יהוה מִי־יָגוּר בְּאָהֳלֶךָ מִי־יִשְׁכֹּן בְּהַר קָדְשֶׁךָ
הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִים וּפֹעֵל צֶדֶק וְדֹבֵר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ
לֹא־רָגַל עַל־לְשֹׁנוֹ לֹא־עָשָׂה לְרֵעֵהוּ רָעָה וְחֶרְפָּה לֹא־נָשָׂא עַל־קְרֹבוֹ
נִבְזֶה בְּעֵינָיו נִמְאָס וְאֶת־יִרְאֵי יהוה יְכַבֵּד נִשְׁבַּע לְהָרַע וְלֹא יָמִר
כַּסְפּוֹ לֹא־נָתַן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וְשֹׁחַד עַל־נָקִי לֹא לָקָח עֹשֵׂה־אֵלֶּה לֹא יִמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם

A psalm of David, ADONAI (LORD), who can dwell in your tent?
Who is worthy of living on your holy hill?
One who walks blameless and does right
One who speaks truthfully in one’s heart
One whose tongue does not slander,
One does no evil to a neighbor or disgrace someone close.
In such a person’s eyes, the reprobate are despised
But those who fear ADONAI (LORD) are honored
Such a person will stand by an oath to its detriment
Such a person does not lend money at interest
Or accept gifts to speak against the innocent.
A person who lives in this way will never be shaken.
(translation by Pinchas Shir)

If you love Psalms and want to increase your Hebrew vocabulary, try reading them in Hebrew-English interlinear. Before you notice, you will memorize so many new words!