English Standard Version
Psalms 15:3
3who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
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;
- 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;
- New Living Translation (NLT)Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.
Context of Psalms 15:3
1O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 2He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
Read all of Psalms 15Psalms 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 slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
- Exodus 23:1"You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.
- Leviticus 19:16You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
- Jeremiah 9:4Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.
- Romans 1:30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
- James 4:11Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
- 1 Peter 2:1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
- 1 Samuel 24:11See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it.
- Isaiah 56:2Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
- Matthew 7:12"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
- Romans 12:17Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
- Romans 13:10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
- 3 John 1:11Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
- Proverbs 22:10Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.
- Proverbs 25:3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries