Psalms 15:5

15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. 1 

He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. 2 

The one who lives like this 3  will never be upended.

Psalms 31:13

31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, 4 

the terrifying news that comes from every direction. 5 

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

Psalms 68:18

68:18 You ascend on high, 6 

you have taken many captives. 7 

You receive tribute 8  from 9  men,

including even sinful rebels.

Indeed the Lord God lives there! 10 

1 sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.

2 tn Heb “a bribe against the innocent he does not take.” For other texts condemning the practice of a judge or witness taking a bribe, see Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; 27:25; 1 Sam 8:3; Ezek 22:12; Prov 17:23.

3 tn Heb “does these things.”

4 tn Heb “the report of many.”

5 tn Heb “the terror from all around.”

7 tn Heb “to the elevated place”; or “on high.” This probably refers to the Lord’s throne on Mount Zion.

8 tn Heb “you have taken captives captive.”

9 tn Or “gifts.”

10 tn Or “among.”

11 tn Heb “so that the Lord God might live [there].” Many take the infinitive construct with -לְ (lamed) as indicating purpose here, but it is unclear how the offering of tribute enables the Lord to live in Zion. This may be an occurrence of the relatively rare emphatic lamed (see HALOT 510-11 s.v. II לְ, though this text is not listed as an example there). If so, the statement corresponds nicely to the final line of v. 16, which also affirms emphatically that the Lord lives in Zion.