Funeral reading
Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)
JPS 1917 translation
“Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)” by JPS 1917 translation is a scripture reading read at a funeral or memorial service. It takes about 40 seconds read aloud, usually by the officiant. It is in the public domain, so the full text is printed on this page and goes straight into a ceremony script.
The full text
A Psalm of David. Lord, who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart; That hath no slander upon his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his fellow, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honoureth them that fear the Lord; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not; He that putteth not out his money on interest, Nor taketh a bribe against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Public domain, so these words can be printed in a ceremony script or an order of service.
What it is about
A portrait of an honest person. Read at Jewish funerals for exactly that reason.
Read at a funeral or memorial service. Themes: integrity · a decent life · speaking truth · keeping your word.
Questions about reading it aloud
How long does “Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)” take to read aloud?
“Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)” takes about 40 seconds read aloud at a ceremony pace, which is slower than conversation — roughly 130 words a minute. That is the figure the run-sheet uses when it works out the timing for the whole service.
Who usually reads “Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)”?
Usually the officiant rather than a guest reader. “Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)” runs about 40 seconds, which sits inside the part of the service the officiant is already leading, and keeping it there means it is carried by the person who has rehearsed it.
Can “Psalm 15 (JPS 1917)” be printed in a ceremony script?
Yes. It is in the public domain, so the full text is on this page and can be printed in a script or an order of service.
Where this text was checked
Checked word for word against a full-text edition that is itself the authority — a Project Gutenberg or Wikisource transcription, a publisher’s own edition, or the issuing body’s page.
Checked
A reading is two minutes of the hour.
The rest is the welcome, the life, the remembrances, the committal — and knowing what comes next. Answer some questions about them and get the whole service, written out, with this reading in its place.