What does Psalm 15:5 mean?

The person allowed to be the Lord's guest in the tabernacle (Psalm 15:1) exhibits faith in the Lord in the way he lends money. Jews were commanded in Scripture not to charge interest of fellow Israelites. Exodus 22:25 states, "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him." There is a biblical distinction between lending to those in need, for their need, as opposed to lending for some business purpose. In this verse, for example, the Hebrew terminology specifically refers to usury: the charging of unfair levels of interest. One who lends to invest reasonably expects a return on his money (Luke 19:23). Those who lend to the needy and poor should not expect to profit from that charity.

Also, the Lord commanded His people not to accept a bribe. Exodus 23:8 states plainly, "And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right." It seems judges commonly accepted bribes in David's day. Later, both the sin of usury and the sin of taking a bribe brought indictments from the prophets (Isaiah 1:23; 5:23; 10:2; Ezekiel 22:12; Amos 5:11–12).

David writes that the person who lives according to the characteristics described in verses 2–5 will never be moved, meaning nothing will shake him. His consistent lifestyle of godliness will act as a form of self-protection to avoid falling into sin and evil.