Psalms 15:4

Render with R.V.,

In whose eyes a reprobate is despised.

The truthfulness of his character is shewn in his estimate of men. The world's false estimates are one of the evils which will disappear in the Messianic age (Isaiah 32:5 ff.). A reprobate, one who is not good metal but worthless dross (Jeremiah 6:30), he treats with well-merited contempt, while -he honoureth those that fear Jehovah."

By the Targum and some commentators, ancient and modern, the clause is rendered, despised is he in his own eyes, rejected, which is well paraphrased in P.B.V. "He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes;" cp. 2 Samuel 6:22. But (1) the words -despicable reprobate" are such as David could hardly use to express humility and self-abasement; and (2) the contrast required by the parallelism is not -he despises himself and honours others," but -he abhors the base and honours the godly," i.e. shews right discernment in his regard for men. Cp. Psalms 16:3; 1 Samuel 2:30.

He that sweareth&c] Though he hath sworn to his own hurt, he changeth not. He performs his oaths and vows without modification or rebatement, even though they may have been rashly made and prove to be to his own disadvantage. Comp. the phrase in the Law for the expiation of rash oaths (Leviticus 5:4), "if any one swear rashly with his lips to do evilor to do good." Any -changing" of animals devoted by vows (which were of the nature of oaths) was expressly forbidden (Leviticus 27:10). Here the reference is quite general.

The LXX, Vulg., and Syr. render, by a slight change of vocalisation, to his fellow(cp. Psalms 15:3): and P.B.V. (as in Psalms 84:7) combines both renderings in its paraphrase, -He that sweareth unto his neighbourand disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance."