Psalm 15
The Lord as My Only Portion
The psalmist declares God as his sole refuge and rejects the company of those who follow false idols.
Keep me safe, Lord, for all my hope and comfort rest in you alone. You are my glorious God, who has no need of the little good I possess and can easily do without it. God has wonderfully planted his holy people in this earthly land.✦ They are my delight; I'll always give them my will, my understanding, and my heart.✦ Their afflictions were many, and they hurried eagerly after them; but I will have no part in their bloody offerings. I won't even speak their names.
The Inheritance of the Faithful
God is identified as the psalmist's true inheritance and the source of his secure and beautiful life.
God is my portion, my whole inheritance, my cup, my treasure, and my jewel. As I desire, O Lord, you will surely restore my portion and inheritance.1 By God's decree, the boundary lines have fallen for me in such a beautiful place—my chosen inheritance. For this inheritance, renowned and without reproach, will be glorious indeed for me.
Guided by the Living God
The psalmist finds wisdom and stability through the constant presence of the Lord.
I will praise God, who lives forever. He gives me understanding and good sense, both day and night. My innermost being, which God created, corrects my thoughts.2 I have always kept the Lord before me; the glorious Lord stands at my right hand, so I won't stumble.
Hope Beyond the Grave
The psalmist expresses confidence in resurrection and eternal joy in the presence of the Lord.
Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced with joy. Beyond all this, my body will always rest in steadfast hope, thanking and praising my Lord. You won't abandon my soul to hell or bring me to grief, but you will preserve me, so that your holy one won't see the corruption that could destroy him. You have shown me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence, my Lord; in your hand you hold a delightful treasure that will last forever.
Read the original Latin
BEwaert my Heer, op v certeyn Staet al mijn hoep en troost alleyn Ghi zijt mijn God vol eeren Die niet en behoeft mijn goeden cleyn Maer moecht die wel ontbeeren.
Den heylighen in dit aertsche lant Heeft God seer wonderlijck gheplant. Daer in is mijn behaghen Ick sal haer mijn wil, en, mijn verstant Mijn herte altijt toe draghen.
Haer cranckheden die waren veel Daer nae si haesten al gheheel Ick en sal doch niet versamen Haren bloedighen offer tot mijn deel. Noch dencken op haer namen.
God is mijn deel, mijn erue gheheel Mijn kelck, mijn schat, en mijn iuweel. Ghi sult nae mijn begheren O Heer mijn porcy end erfdeel Certeyn restitueren.
Die coorden zijn mi na Gods ghebot Gheuallen tot een soe schoonen lot Mijn erffenis ghepresen. Want die vernaemt is sonder spot Sal my seer heerlijck wesen.
Ich sal God louen, die eewich leeft. Die my verstant en sinnen gheeft, By daghen, en bi nachten. Mijn nieren, die God ghescapen heeft Die straffen mijn ghedachten.
Ick heb ghesien, den Heer present In mijn ghesicht altijt ontrent Ter rechter hant besiden Staet my die Heer seer excellent Dat ic niet en sou gliden.
Daer om so was mijn hert verblijt Mijn tong veruruechde met iolijt Mijn vleesch zal daer en bouen In vaste hope rusten altijt Mijn Heer dancken en louen.
Ghi en sult mijn siel ter hellen niet Verlaten: noch brenghen in verdriet Maer sult my conserueren Dat dijn heylighe niet en siet Dat hem mach corrumperen.
Ghi deedt my kennen des leuens pat Met blischap sult ghi maken sat My Heer, doer v aenschouwen Al in v hant een bliden schat Ten eynde sult ghi houwen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.15.3;Ps.17.3 — He does not slander with his tongue, does no harm to his neighbor, and takes no reproach against his friend. Ps.17.3 — “You have tested my heart; you have examined me in the night; you have tried me and found nothing wrong. I have resolved that my mouth will not transgress.”
- ↩Ps.15.3;Ps.17.3 — He does not slander with his tongue, does no harm to his neighbor, and takes no reproach against his friend. Ps.17.3 — “You have tested my heart; you have examined me in the night; you have tried me and found nothing wrong. I have resolved that my mouth will not transgress.”
Notes
- 1 ↩The Dutch “restitueren” literally means “restore” or “give back”; the underlying psalm tradition may instead suggest securing or maintaining the speaker's allotted inheritance.
- 2 ↩Literally “my kidneys,” a biblical image for the innermost self, especially the seat of conscience and inward counsel.
Souterliedekens (Psalm Songs) companion
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