Read Psalm 15 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
15:1-5 {p} He who does righteously, and does not do wickedly, dwells with YHVH.
Psalm 15:1-5 Chiastic Structure:
“To sojourn,” and “to dwell” in the 1A pair are Compared with “to not be moved” in the 2A pair. The Hebrew Root Words:
To sojourn is Strong’s H1481 גור guwr, a primitive root meaning, “to sojourn.”
gimel ג = the foot, thus foot, walk, gather
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
resh ר = the head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The partial root is gimel + resh, the walking (gimel) man (resh) or nomad, sojourner, traveler. In his heart however (as the vav is in the ‘heart’ of the root), is a secure tent peg (vav), a place to cease from wandering. He is always looking for it.
To dwell is Strong’s H7931 שכן shakan, a primitive root meaning, “to settle down, to dwell.” According to Gesenius, the 3-letter root is shin + kaph + nun, but the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon says the shin was transposed from an original sin or samech over time.
sin ס = the thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
kaph כ, ך = the open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
nun נ, ן = the seed, thus continue, heir, son
A protected (sin) covering (kaph, in the sense of the father’s open palm covering the head of his son when conferring the blessing) under which one continues (nun); i.e., one’s permanent dwelling place rather than a temporary booth.
Both of these verbs have the sense of a permanent place to settle down, that place where one lives and makes a home.
To (not) be moved is Strong’s H4131 מוט mowt, a primitive root meaning, “to totter, to shake.”
mem מ, ם = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
tet ט = the basket, thus surround, contain, hold, mud
Mem + tet is the partial root which indicates water (mem) within (tet), i.e., a green branch. Something green is still flexible; it can be shaped to the desired shape and then left to dry. Once the water is removed it is no longer flexible, it retains its shape. So the parable is to be shaken as (vav) a green branch (mem + tet) that moves with the wind.
He who has settled into the place of YHVH’s dwelling and presence, as a permanent home, is he who shall not be moved; his days of moving from place to place to find sustenance or shelter are behind him. Moreover, its biblical usage indicates his foot shall not slip nor his confidence be shaken. Notice it is the one who does, and does not, that dwells with YHVH. Genetics, ethnicity, upbringing, and social status has nothing to do with it.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
To be wholehearted: Tamiym, “Perfect,” Strong’s H8549 – Christine Miller
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