Psalms 101:1 - Meaning and Application

David here gives himself, and others, a pattern for both a good ruler and a good head of a household. If people in those places were careful to do their duty, it would help bring about a much wider reform.

Notice the subject of the psalm: “I will sing of mercy and justice” (Psa 101:1). This can mean God’s mercy and justice, looking back over God’s dealings with David since he was first anointed king. During that time, David had many rebukes and hard trials, but he also had many great rescues and gifts from God. So he would sing to God about both.

God’s dealings with his people usually include both mercy and judgment, with one set beside the other. He has appointed days that are partly cloudy and partly bright, like showers and sunshine. It was that way in David’s life and his family too, for when the ark returned in joy, Uzza died in judgment. When God gives us both mercy and hardship, we should sing, and sing to him, about both. We must feel rightly about both, and thank God for both.

The Chaldee paraphrase says it this way: whether God gives mercy or brings judgment, David will still sing his hymns before the Lord. Whatever our outward condition is, joyful or sorrowful, we must still give God glory and praise him. Neither success nor suffering should silence our worship.

Or the words may mean David’s own mercy and justice. In this psalm, he promises to be merciful and just, or wise, since “judgment” often means good sense and discretion. To do what is right and to love mercy is the heart of our duty, and David meant to be faithful in that place and calling to which God had put him. Family blessings and family troubles are both calls to family worship.

David turned his vow into a song, so he could keep it in mind and repeat it often. He also wanted it passed on to others and preserved in his family, as a model for his sons and those who came after them.

David next resolves to conduct himself carefully and with a clear conscience in his court (Psa 101:2). This includes his conduct in general, how he would behave in everything. He would live by a rule, not by impulse or chance. Even as a king, he binds himself by a solemn promise to behave well. It also includes his conduct in his house, not just in public but in private, where he was less watched by people but still always seen by God.

It is not enough to act religious when we are in public. We must also govern ourselves by God’s ways in our homes. People in public office are not excused from caring for their families. In fact, they should be even more careful to show a good example by ruling their own houses well (Ti1 3:4). When David had many public duties, he still came home to bless his house (Sa2 6:20).

He resolves, first, to act honestly and with integrity. He will walk in a perfect way, meaning the way of God’s commandments, which are called perfect because the law of the Lord is perfect. He will do this with a perfect heart, meaning with real sincerity, without pretending before God or people. When God’s word is our rule, and God’s glory is our aim, then we walk in a perfect way with a perfect heart.

He also resolves to act carefully and wisely: “I will behave myself wisely.” Some read this as, “I will understand or direct myself in a perfect way.” In other words, he will walk cautiously. We all must resolve to use Christian wisdom in the paths of Christian faithfulness. We must never leave the right way under the excuse of being wise. Instead, while we keep to the good way, we should be wise as serpents.

He adds a prayer: “O when will you come to me?” It is a desirable thing for a man to have God come and dwell with him in his own house. Those who walk with a perfect heart in a perfect way may expect God’s presence. If we compare this with the historian’s account of David (Sa1 18:14), we see how exactly it matched both his purpose and his prayer, and that neither was wasted. As David planned, he behaved wisely in all his ways, and as he prayed, the Lord was with him.

David then resolves that he will do no evil himself (Psa 101:3). “I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.” He means that he will not aim at anything except God’s glory and the public good. He will never plan to enrich himself by harming his people, or to strengthen his own power by taking away their rights. In all our worldly work, we must see that what we set before us is right and good, not forbidden gain. We must never pursue anything that we cannot have without sin. A good man is one who shuts his eyes from seeing evil (Isa 33:15).

He says, in effect, “I hate the work of those who turn aside from the path of justice” (Job 31:7). He will not only avoid such things, but loathe them. He will not let any stain of injustice cling to him. If any wrongdoing should touch his hands, he means to wash it off quickly.

He also resolves not to keep bad servants or use wicked men around him. He will not support them or show them favor, because that would harden them in their sin and encourage others to do the same. He will not keep close company with them, or allow them among his other servants, because they would spread sin through his household. He will not trust them or put them in power, since people who hate reform will always oppose what is good.

When he begins to name these people, he does not mention drunkards, adulterers, murderers, or blasphemers. Men guilty of such open sins would not likely be admitted into his house, so he does not need to make a special vow against them. Instead, he mentions those whose sins were less obvious, but still dangerous, and against whom he needed to be watchful and wise. He will have nothing to do, first, with spiteful and malicious people, those who are sour in spirit, love to be contrary, and keep grudges, even while doing harm to those they dislike (Psa 101:4). A perverse heart will depart from me, as not fit for a company held together by love.

I will not know means, “I will have no dealings, as far as I can help it, with such a wicked person.” A little malice and evil spreads quickly, like leaven working through dough.

He also resolves to keep away from slanderers, those who secretly damage their neighbor’s reputation (Psalms 101:5). Whoever spreads private lies or harmful stories about another, he says, will be cut off from his household and court. Many people try to win favor with rulers by making false reports, hoping it will please them. But if a ruler listens to lies, all his servants become wicked (Proverbs 29:12). David will not only refuse to listen, he will also block such people from rising in his service. He punishes not only open false accusers, but also those who whisper lies behind another’s back. It is sad that David did not remember this promise in the case of Mephibosheth and Ziba.

He also will not keep proud, self-important, ambitious people around him. Such people do great harm in a family, a court, or a church, because pride leads to conflict. So he says that anyone with a haughty look and a proud heart will not be tolerated. He will not keep giving attention to people who are always chasing promotion, because they are usually after their own honor, not the good of others. God resists the proud, and David will do the same.

He will also have nothing to do with deceitful people who are ready to lie or cheat (Psalms 101:7). A person who works deceit may get close to him for a time, but once exposed, he will not stay in David’s house. Great men often use clever deceivers as tools for their own purposes, but David will not employ such people. Whoever tells lies will not remain in his sight, but will be removed in disgrace. David showed that he was a man after God’s own heart, because God hates both a proud look and a lying tongue. He also pointed ahead to Christ, who will finally banish from his presence all who love and practice lies (Revelation 22:15).

David then says that he will put honest and good people in positions of trust (Psalms 101:6). His eyes will be on the faithful in the land. In choosing servants and officials, he will look among the people of Israel, not foreigners, and choose true Israelites, faithful people in the land, even though not all in that land were faithful. His eyes will search them out, because such people often live quietly in the country rather than pushing themselves forward in the city. People who are least eager for high office are often the best fit for it. Wise rulers will look for such people in private life and bring them into service. Whoever walks in a blameless way, careful about what he says and does, will serve him. The kingdom must look for honest people to make courtiers of, and whoever is best should be preferred.

This was a good resolve from David, though either he did not fully keep it, or he was misled when he made Ahithophel his close counselor. Every head of a household should take care, for his own good and his children’s, to bring into the home servants who seem to fear God. The Son of David, Christ, has his eyes on the faithful in the land. He shares his secret with them, and they will dwell with him. Saul chose servants for their good looks (1 Samuel 8:16), but David chose for their goodness.

David also meant to extend his reform beyond the court to the city and the whole land (Psalms 101:8). He says, “I will early destroy all the wicked of the land,” meaning all who are discovered and convicted, so that the law can take its course against them. He will do all he can to remove open wickedness, so that none who are openly evil are left. He will do it early, with no delay, no sparing of effort, and with eagerness to promote good order and restrain sin. Those who want to do real good must rise early to the task.

His aim was not only to protect his rule and keep peace in the land, but also to honor God by keeping his church pure. The “city of the Lord” was not just Jerusalem, but the whole land, and in a larger sense the gospel church as well. It is for the good of the city of the Lord to be cleared of wicked people, who both shame it and weaken it. So everyone should do what they can in their own place for such a good work, and do it with zeal. The day is coming when the Son of David will cut off all wicked doers from the new Jerusalem, because nothing sinful will enter there.