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Psalm 15 · a question people ask

Does Psalm 15 mean you have to be good enough to come near to God?

In the text

The psalm asks, "LORD, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill?" (15:1), and its answer is a life: "He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart" (15:2), on to "He who does these things shall never be shaken" (15:5). It doesn't say how anyone becomes such a person, and it doesn't speak of sin or forgiveness. Other psalms speak to God in other words: "If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3) and "But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared" (Psalm 130:4). And "Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous" (Psalm 143:2). These verses stand side by side in Scripture, and these notes don't choose how they fit together.

The verses

“A Psalm by David. LORD, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart;”
Psalm 15:1-2 · World English Bible
“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.”
Psalm 15:5 · World English Bible
“If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.”
Psalm 130:3-4 · World English Bible
“Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.”
Psalm 143:2 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 15

Psalm 15: Who shall dwell in your tent?

The WEB's "sanctuary" in 15:1 is ohel in Hebrew, a tent: "I will dwell in your tent forever" (Psalm 61:4) has the same two Hebrew words. And the psalm asks who shall dwell there, but ends on something else: "He who does these things shall never be shaken" (15:5).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions