Psalms 15:3

Psalms 15:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
• New International Version (NIV)whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others;
• English Standard Version (ESV)who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

Context of Psalms 15:3

1O Lord, who may lodge [as a guest] in Your tent? Who may dwell [continually] on Your holy hill? 2He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness, And speaks and holds truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4In his eyes an evil person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder]. He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit]; 5He does not put out his money at interest [to a fellow Israelite], And does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Psalms 15:3 word by word

לֹֽא־רָגַ֨ל׀ עַל־לְשֹׁנ֗וֹ לֹא־עָשָׂ֣ה לְרֵעֵ֣הוּ רָעָ֑ה וְ֝חֶרְפָּ֗ה לֹא־נָשָׂ֥א עַל־קְרֹֽבוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• backbitethרָגַלrâgal · to spyH7270
• not with his tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
• nor doethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• to his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• nor taketh upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: loudH5375
• a reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
• against his neighbourקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138

Cross-references for Psalms 15:3

• Psalms 101:5Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will silence; The one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate.
• Exodus 23:1“You shall not give a false report; you shall not join hands with the wicked to be a malicious witness [promoting wrong and violence].
• Leviticus 19:16You shall not go around as a gossip among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor [with slander or false testimony]; I am the Lord.
• Jeremiah 9:4“Let everyone beware of his neighbor And do not trust any brother. For every brother is a supplanter [like Jacob, a deceiver, ready to grab his brother’s heel], And every neighbor goes around as a slanderer.
• Romans 1:30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors [of new forms] of evil, disobedient and disrespectful to parents,
• James 4:11Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks [self-righteously] against a brother or judges his brother [hypocritically], speaks against the Law and judges the Law. If you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge of it.
• 1 Peter 2:1So put aside every trace of malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander and hateful speech;
• 1 Samuel 24:11Look, my father! Indeed, see the hem of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the hem of your robe and did not kill you, know and understand [without question] that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait to take my life.
• Isaiah 56:2Blessed (happy, fortunate) is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it, Who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
• Matthew 7:12“So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.
• Romans 12:17Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone.
• Romans 13:10Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law.
• 3 John 1:11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but [imitate] what is good. The one who practices good [exhibiting godly character, moral courage and personal integrity] is of God; the one who practices [or permits or tolerates] evil has not seen God [he has no personal experience with Him and does not know Him at all].
• Proverbs 22:10Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away; Even strife and dishonor will cease.
• Proverbs 25:3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the hearts and minds of kings are unsearchable.

Commentaries on Psalms 15:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He that backbiteth not with his tongue - לשנו על רגל לא lo ragal al leshono, "he foots not upon his tongue." 4. He is one who treats his neighbor with respect. He says nothing that might injure him in his character, person, or property; he forgets no calumny, he is author of no slander, he insinuates nothing by which his neighbor may be injured. The tongue, because of its slanderous conversation, is represented in the nervous original as kicking about the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He that backbiteth not with his tongue - The word “backbite” means to censure; slander; reproach; speak evil of. The Hebrew word - רגל râgal - a verb formed from the word foot, means properly “to foot it,” and then “to go about.” Then it means to go about as a tale-bearer or slanderer; to circulate reports unfavorable to others. It is not improperly rendered here “backbite;” and the idea is, that it is essential to true piety that one should “not” be a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-5This wisdom poem contrasts the lifestyle of the righteous with the actions of fools (Psalm 14). The questions in this psalm invite people to examine themselves and not pay attention to problems with the wicked. The question of who dwells in God’s presence leads into a description of godly character qualities (compare Psalm 24:3–6; Isaiah 33:14–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. He neither slanders nor spreads slander.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 15:3

• Backbiting
• Holiness
• Integrity
• Neighbor
• Righteous
• Righteousness
• Slander
• Speaking
• Talebearer

In the dictionaries

• Backbite
• Contemn
• Evilspeaking
• Tabernacle
• God
• Neighbor
• Papyrus
• Psalms, Book of
• Slander
• Poetry, Hebrew

Commentaries on Psalms 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings