who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
Parallel translations
- WEB 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;
- KJV 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.
- NKJV 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;
- NASB 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;
- NLT Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The godly despise what is vile, honor those who fear God, and keep their word even at personal cost. It matters because true integrity holds firm regardless of consequences.
Overview
This verse describes right moral discernment, valuing the godly and rejecting the vile, and keeping a sworn promise even when it proves costly. Faithfulness to one's word reflects the faithfulness of God himself. Christ supremely kept his covenant commitment to save his people, even though it cost him his life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Judg 11:35As 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.”
- Matt 5:33Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Ps 101:6My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.
- Ps 101:4A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know nothing of evil.
- Isa 32:5–6No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.
- Ps 16:3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
- Job 32:21–22I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man.
- Ps 119:63I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts.
- Esth 3:2All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.
- 2 Kgs 3:13–14Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
- Dan 5:17–31In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
- Josh 9:18–20But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
- 2 Sam 21:1–2During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
- Matt 12:49–50Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers.
- Acts 24:25As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”
- Acts 28:10The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.
- Acts 24:2–3When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.
- Jas 2:1–9My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 15:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.