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 stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart. The one who does not slander with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor. 4The 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. 5The 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 15:3 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 101:5I will destroy anyone who secretly slanders his neighbor. I will not tolerate anyone with a conceited look or arrogant heart.
• Exodus 23:1⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Never spread false rumors. Don’t join forces with wicked people by giving false testimony.
• Leviticus 19:16Never gossip. Never endanger your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.
• Jeremiah 9:4“Beware of your neighbors. Don’t trust your relatives. Every relative cheats. Every neighbor goes around slandering.
• Romans 1:30slanderers, haters of God, haughty, arrogant, and boastful. They think up new ways to be cruel. They don’t obey their parents,
• James 4:11Brothers and sisters, stop slandering each other. Those who slander and judge other believers slander and judge God’s laws. If you judge God’s teachings, you are no longer following them. Instead, you are judging them.
• 1 Peter 2:1So get rid of every kind of evil, every kind of deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander.
• 1 Samuel 24:11My master, look at this! The border of your robe is in my hand! Since I cut off the border of your robe and didn’t kill you, you should know and be able to see I mean no harm or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you, but you are trying to ambush me in order to take my life.
• Isaiah 56:2Blessed is the one who does these things and the person who holds on to them. Blessed is the one who keeps the day of rest—a holy day, from becoming unholy and his hands from doing anything wrong.
• Matthew 7:12“Always do for other people everything you want them to do for you. That is ⌞the meaning of⌟ Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets.
• Romans 12:17Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you. Focus your thoughts on those things that are considered noble.
• Romans 13:10Love never does anything that is harmful to a neighbor. Therefore, love fulfills Moses’ Teachings.
• 3 John 1:11Dear friend, never imitate evil, but imitate good. The person who does good is from God. The person who does evil has never seen God.
• Proverbs 22:10Drive out a mocker, and conflict will leave. Quarreling and abuse will stop.
• Proverbs 25:3⌞Like⌟ the high heavens and the deep earth, so the mind 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

• 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