Psalm 15:4
New International Version
who 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;

New Living Translation
Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the LORD, and keep their promises even when it hurts.

English Standard Version
in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

Berean Standard Bible
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,

King James Bible
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

New King James Version
In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

New American Standard Bible
A despicable person is despised in his eyes, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;

NASB 1995
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;

NASB 1977
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt, and does not change;

Legacy Standard Bible
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear Yahweh; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;

Amplified Bible
In his eyes an evil person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder]. He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit];

Christian Standard Bible
who despises the one rejected by the LORD but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his word whatever the cost,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
who despises the one rejected by the LORD but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his word whatever the cost,

American Standard Version
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honoreth them that fear Jehovah; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the quarrelsome are despised in his eyes and he honors the worshipers of LORD JEHOVAH; he swears to his neighbor and does not lie.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
In his sight an evil-worker is set at nought, but he honours them that fear the Lord. He swears to his neighbour, and disappoints him not.

Contemporary English Version
They hate worthless people, but show respect for all who worship the LORD. And they keep their promises, no matter what the cost.

Douay-Rheims Bible
In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing: but he glorifieth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his neighbour, and deceiveth not;

English Revised Version
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The 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.

Good News Translation
They despise those whom God rejects, but honor those who obey the LORD. They always do what they promise, no matter how much it may cost.

International Standard Version
The one who despises those who are utterly wicked, but who honors the one who fears the LORD, who keeps his word even when it hurts and does not change,

JPS Tanakh 1917
In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honoureth them that fear the LORD; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;

Literal Standard Version
A rejected one [is] despised in his eyes, | And he honors those fearing YHWH. He has sworn to endure evil, and does not change;

Majority Standard Bible
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,

New American Bible
Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,

NET Bible
He despises a reprobate, but honors the LORD's loyal followers. He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.

New Revised Standard Version
in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the LORD; who stand by their oath even to their hurt;

New Heart English Bible
In his eyes a vile man is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD. He keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn't change it.

Webster's Bible Translation
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoreth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

World English Bible
in whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear Yahweh; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change;

Young's Literal Translation
Despised in his eyes is a rejected one, And those fearing Jehovah he doth honour. He hath sworn to suffer evil, and changeth not;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Who May Dwell on Your Holy Hill?
3who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend, 4who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath, 5who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.…

Cross References
Acts 28:10
The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.

Judges 11:35
As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back."

Psalm 24:4
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully.


Treasury of Scripture

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honors them that fear the LORD. He that swears to his own hurt, and changes not.

a vile

Psalm 101:4
A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

2 Kings 3:13,14
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab…

Esther 3:2
And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

but

Psalm 16:3
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

Psalm 101:6
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

Psalm 119:63
I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

sweareth

Joshua 9:18-20
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes…

Judges 11:35
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

2 Samuel 21:1,2
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites…

Jump to Previous
Approval Change Changeth Contemned Despised Evil Eyes Fear Fearing Gives Honoreth Honors Honour Honoureth Hurt Hurts Keeps Lord's Oath Rejected Reprobate Suffer Sweareth Swears Sworn Turning Vile
Jump to Next
Approval Change Changeth Contemned Despised Evil Eyes Fear Fearing Gives Honoreth Honors Honour Honoureth Hurt Hurts Keeps Lord's Oath Rejected Reprobate Suffer Sweareth Swears Sworn Turning Vile
Psalm 15
1. David describes a citizen of Zion














(4) In whose eyes.--The first clause is obscure. The subject and predicate are not clearly marked; but the Authorised Version gives the right sense. It is quite out of keeping with the context to make both verbs predicates, and to translate, "He is despised and rejected in his own eyes," i.e., thinks humbly of himself. The meaning is, "Those deserving contempt are contemned; but the good who fear Jehovah are honoured."

To his own hurt.--Literally, to do evil, i.e., to him-self (see Leviticus 5:4). The LXX., by transposing the letters, read, "to his neighbour;" and the English Prayer Book version has apparently combined the two thoughts: "Who sweareth to his neighbour, and dis-appointeth him not, even though it were to his own hindrance."

"His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,

His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate;

His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,

His heart is far from fraud as heaven from earth."

SHAKSPEARE: Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Verse 4. - In whose eyes a vile person is contemned. So the LXX., the Vulgate, Ewald, Hupfeld, Hengstenberg, and the Revised Version. Others prefer to translate, "He is despised in his own eyes, [and] worthless" (Abort Ezra, Hitzig, Delitzsch, Kay, 'Speaker's Commentary'). Either rendering furnishes a good sense; but the law of parallelism is very decidedly in favour of the former. As the righteous man honors those who fear God, so he contemns those who are vile or worthless. He is no respecter of persons. Men's outward circumstances are nothing to him. He awards honour or contempt according to men's moral qualities. But he honoreth them that fear the Lord. "It is no common virtue," says Calvin, "to honour pious and godly men, since in the opinion of the world they are often as the offscouring of all things (1 Corinthans 4:13)? He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. The righteous man, if he happens to have sworn to do something which it turns out will be to his own hurt, nevertheless keeps his engagement (comp Leviticus 5:4, where לְהָרַע is used in the same sense).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
who despises
נִבְזֶ֤ה ׀ (niḇ·zeh)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 959: To disesteem

the vile
נִמְאָ֗ס (nim·’ās)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3988: To spurn, to disappear

but
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

honors
יְכַבֵּ֑ד (yə·ḵab·bêḏ)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3513: To be heavy, weighty, or burdensome

those who fear
יִרְאֵ֣י (yir·’ê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3373: Fearing, reverent

the LORD,
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

who does not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

revise
יָמִֽר׃ (yā·mir)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4171: To alter, to barter, to dispose of

a costly
לְ֝הָרַ֗ע (lə·hā·ra‘)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7489: To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, bad

oath,
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע (niš·ba‘)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear


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OT Poetry: Psalm 15:4 In whose eyes a vile man (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 15:3
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