Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 15:4

"In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honoreth them that fear Jehovah; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;" — Psalms 15:4 (ASV)

In whose eyes. —The first clause is obscure. The subject and predicate are not clearly marked; but the Authorised Version gives the right sense. It is quite out of keeping with the context to make both verbs predicates, and to translate, “He is despised and rejected in his own eyes,” i.e., thinks humbly of himself. The meaning is, “Those deserving contempt are despised; but the good who fear Jehovah are honoured.”

To his own hurt. —Literally, to do evil, i.e., to himself . The Septuagint, by transposing the letters, read, “to his neighbour;” and the English Prayer Book version has apparently combined the two thoughts: “Who swears to his neighbour, and does not disappoint him, even if it were to his own hindrance.”

“His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,
His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate;
His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,
His heart is far from fraud as heaven from earth.”

Shakespeare: Two Gentlemen of Verona.