Psa 15:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: “A PSALM OF DAVID”.

HISTORICAL SETTING: V 1 suggests David bringing the ark to Zion: 2Sa 6. Vv 2-5a strongly suggest his firm resolution and vow not to be a king after the pattern of Saul. Every detail in these verses (except perhaps v 5a) points to a CT with the worst features of Saul’s character and reign.

ECHOES OF PSALM 15: All the 9 psalms which follow Psa 15 seem to echo it; but esp Psa 24:3-6, which, like this psalm, is about the bringing of the ark to Zion. Another allusion in Isa 33:14,15, because Hezekiah’s reign, like the early days of David, saw a contest between unprincipled men of the world and God’s man of faith, who was unable to assert himself.

The ancient rabbi Samlai stated that Moses gave 613 commandments, and that David reduced these to 11 commandments (ie Psa 15). Further, he stated that Isaiah reduced the 11 to 6 (Isa 33:15). What he could not mention, of course, was that Jesus was to summarize all the law in only two commandments (Mat 22:40).

THE MESSIAH: Jesus’ “Sermon on Mount” (Mat 5-7) is his extended commentary on Psa 15. “As though white light passes through a prism to be split up into the many colors of the spectrum, so [Psa 15] passed through the inspired mind of Jesus to come out in all this colorful teaching” (CT).

A comparison of Psa 15 and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7):