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.
• 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;
• New Living Translation (NLT)Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.

Context of Psalms 15:3

1Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; 4who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; 5who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. 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 101:5Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.
• Exodus 23:1“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
• Leviticus 19:16“ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.
• Jeremiah 9:4“Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.
• Romans 1:30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
• James 4:11Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
• 1 Peter 2:1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
• 1 Samuel 24:11See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
• Isaiah 56:2Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”
• Matthew 7:12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
• Romans 12:17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
• Romans 13:10Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
• 3 John 1:11Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
• Proverbs 22:10Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.
• Proverbs 25:3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts 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