The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 14
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 15 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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A Psalm of David. O Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? And who shall dwell in thy holy mountain?
Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυίδ. Κύριε, τίς παροικήσει ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου; καὶ τίς κατασκηνώσει ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ ἁγίῳ σου;
Touching this title there is no question. "O Lord who shall sojourn in Your tabernacle?". Although tabernacle be sometimes used even for an everlasting habitation: yet when tabernacle is taken in its proper meaning, it is a thing of war. Hence soldiers are called tent-fellows, as having their tents together. This…
He that walks blameless, and works righteousness, Who speaks truth in his heart.
Πορευόμενος ἄμωμος, καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην· λαλῶν ἀλήθειαν ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ·
"He who walks without stain, and works righteousness". Here he has laid down the proposition; in what follows he sets it forth in detail.
Who has not spoken craftily with his tongue, Neither has done evil to his neighbor, Nor taken up a reproach against them that dwelt nearest to him.
Ὃς οὐκ ἐδόλωσεν ἐν γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἐποίησε τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ κακὸν, καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν οὐκ ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ·
"Who speaks the truth in his heart." For some have truth on their lips, and not in their heart. As if one should deceitfully point out a road, knowing that there were robbers there, and should say, If you go this way, you will be safe from robbers; and it should turn out that in fact there were no robbers found there:…
In his sight an evil-worker is set at nought, But he honors them that fear the Lord. He swears to his neighbor, and disappoints him not.
Ἐξουδένωται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πονηρευόμενος, τοὺς δὲ φοβουμένους Κύριον δοξάζει· ὁ ὀμνύων τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐθετῶν·
"The malicious one has been brought to nought in his sight". This is perfection, that the malicious one have no force against a man; and that this be "in his sight;" that is, that he know most surely that the malicious is not, save when the mind turns itself away from the eternal and immutable form of her own Creator…
He has not lent his money on usury, And has not received bribes against the innocent. He that does these things shall never be moved.
Τὸ ἀργύριον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἐπὶ τόκῳ, καὶ δῶρα ἐπʼ ἀθώοις οὐκ ἔλαβεν· ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα, οὐ σαλευθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
"Who sweareth unto his neighbour, and deceiveth him not." "Who hath not given his money upon usury, and hath not taken rewards against the innocent" (ver. 5). These are no great things: but he who is not able to do even this, much less able is he to speak the truth in his heart, and to practise no deceit in his…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.