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Commentary on Psalms 101 verses 1–8
David here cuts out to himself and others a pattern both of a good magistrate and a good master of a family; and, if these were careful to discharge the duty of their place, it would contribute very much to a universal reformation. Observe,
I. The chosen subject of the psalm (Psa 101:1): I will sing of mercy and judgment, that is,
1.Of God's mercy and judgment, and then it looks back upon the dispensations of Providence concerning David since he was first anointed to be king, during which time he had met with many a rebuke and much hardship on the one hand, and yet, on the other hand, had had many wonderful deliverances wrought for him and favours bestowed upon him; of these he will sing unto God. Note, (1.) God's providences concerning his people are commonly mixed - mercy and judgment; God has set the one over-against the other, and appointed them April-days, showers and sunshine. It was so with David and his family; when there was mercy in the return of the ark there was judgment in the death of Uzza. (2.) When God in his providence exercises us with a mixture of mercy and judgment it is our duty to sing, and sing unto him, both of the one and of the other; we must be suitably affected with both, and make suitable acknowledgments to God for both. The Chaldee-paraphrase of this is observable: If thou bestowest mercy upon me, or If thou bring any judgment upon me, before thee, O Lord! will I sing my hymns for all. Whatever our outward condition is, whether joyful or sorrowful, still we must give glory to God, and sing praises to him; neither the laughter of a prosperous condition nor the tears of an afflicted condition must put us out of tune for sacred songs. Or,
2.It may be understood of David's mercy and judgment; he would, in this psalm, promise to be merciful, and just, or wise, for judgment is often put for discretion. To do justly and love mercy is the sum of our duty; these he would covenant to make conscience of in that place and relation to which God had called him and this in consideration of the various providences of God that had occurred to him. Family-mercies and family-afflictions are both of them calls to family-religion. David put his vow into a song or psalm, that he might the better keep it in his own mind and frequently repeat it, and that it might the better be communicated to others and preserved in his family, for a pattern to his sons and successors.
II. The general resolution David took up to conduct himself carefully and conscientiously in his court, Psa 101:2. We have here,
1.A good purpose concerning his conversation - concerning his conversation in general (how he would behave himself in every thing; he would live by rule, and not at large, not walk at all adventures; he would, though a king, by a solemn covenant bind himself to his good behaviour), and concerning his conversation in his family particularly, not only how he would walk when he appeared in public, when he sat in the throne, but how he would walk within his house, where he was more out of the eye of the world, but where he still saw himself under the eye of God. It is not enough to put on our religion when we go abroad and appear before men; but we must govern ourselves by it in our families. Those that are in public stations are not thereby excused from care in governing their families; nay, rather, they are more concerned to set a good example of ruling their own houses well, Ti1 3:4. When David had his hands full of public affairs, yet he returned to bless his house, Sa2 6:20. He resolves, (1.) To act conscientiously and with integrity, to walk in a perfect way, in the way of God's commandments; that is a perfect way, for the law of the Lord is perfect. This he will walk in with a perfect heart, with all sincerity, not dissembling either with God or men. When we make the word of God our rule, and are ruled by it, the glory of God our end, and aim at it, then we walk in a perfect way with a perfect heart. (2.) To act considerately and with discretion: I will behave myself wisely; I will understand or instruct myself in a perfect way, so some. I will walk circumspectly. Note, We must all resolve to walk by the rules of Christian prudence in the ways of Christian piety. We must never turn aside out of the perfect way, under pretence of behaving ourselves wisely; but, while we keep to the good way, we must be wise as serpents.
2.A good prayer: O when wilt thou come unto me? Note, It is a desirable thing, when a man has a house of his own, to have God come to him and dwell with him in it; and those may expect God's presence that walk with a perfect heart in a perfect way. If we compare the account which the historian gives of David (Sa1 18:14), we shall find how exactly it answers his purpose and prayer, and that neither was in vain. David, as he purposed, behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and, as he prayed, the Lord was with him.
III. His particular resolution to practise no evil himself (Psa 101:3): "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes; I will not design nor aim at any thing but what is for the glory of God and the public welfare." He will never have it in his eye to enrich himself by impoverishing his subjects, or enlarge his own prerogative by encroaching on their property. In all our worldly business we must see that what we set our eyes upon be right and good and not any forbidden fruit, and that we never seek that which we cannot have without sin. It is the character of a good man that he shuts his eyes from seeing evil, Isa 33:15. "Nay, I hate the work of those that turn aside from the paths of equity (Job 31:7), not only I avoid it, but I abhor it; it shall not cleave to me. If any blot of injustice should come on my hands, it shall be washed off quickly."
IV. His further resolution not to keep bad servants, nor to employ those about him that were vicious. He will not countenance them, nor show them any favour, lest thereby he should harden them in their wickedness, and encourage others to do like them. He will not converse with them himself, nor admit them into the company of his other servants, lest they should spread the infection of sin in his family. He will not confide in them, nor put them in power under him; for those who hated to be reformed would certainly hinder every thing that is good. When he comes to mention particulars he does not mention drunkards, adulterers, murderers or blasphemers; such gross sinners as these he was in no danger of admitting into his house, nor did he need to covenant particularly against having fellowship with them; but he mentions those whose sins were less scandalous, but no less dangerous, and in reference to whom he needed to stand upon his guard with caution and to behave himself wisely. He will have nothing to do, 1. With spiteful malicious people, who are ill-natured, and will bear a grudge a great while, and care not what mischief they do to those they have a pique against (Psa 101:4): "A froward heart (one that delights to be cross and perverse) shall depart from me, as not fit for society, the bond of which is love. I will not know," that is, "I will have no acquaintance or conversation, if I can help it, with such a wicked person; for a little of the leaven of malice and wickedness will leaven the whole lump." 2. With slanderers, and those who take a pleasure in wounding their neighbour's reputation secretly (Psa 101:5): "Whoso privily slanders his neighbour, either raises or spreads false stories, to the prejudice of his good name, him will I cut off from my family and court." Many endeavour to raise themselves into the favour of princes by unjust representations of persons and things, which they think will please their prince. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked, Pro 29:12. But David will not only not hearken to them, but will prevent the preferment of those that hope thus to curry favour with him: he will punish not only him that falsely accuses another in open court, but him that privily slanders another. I wish David had remembered this vow in the case of Mephibosheth and Ziba. 3. With haughty, conceited, ambitious people; none do more mischief in a family, in a court, in a church, for only by pride comes contention: "Therefore him that has a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer; I will have no patience with those that are still grasping at all preferments, for it is certain that they do not aim at doing good, but only at aggrandizing themselves and their families." God resists the proud, and so will David. 4. With false deceitful people, that scruple not to tell lies, or commit frauds (Psa 101:7): "He that worketh deceit, though he may insinuate himself into my family, yet, as soon as he is discovered, shall not dwell within my house." Some great men know how to serve their own purposes by such as are skilful to deceive, and they are fit tools for them to work by; but David will make use of no such persons as agents for him: He that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight, but shall be expelled the house with indignation. Herein David was a man after God's own heart, for a proud look and a lying tongue are things which God hates; and he was also a type of Christ, who will, in the great day, banish from his presence all that love and make a lie, Rev 22:15.
V. His resolution to put those in trust under him that were honest and good (Psa 101:6): My eyes shall be upon the faithful in the land. In choosing his servants and ministers of state he kept to the land of Israel and would not employ foreigners; none shall be preferred but true-born Israelites, and those such as were Israelites indeed, the faithful in the land; for even in that land there were those that were unfaithful. These faithful ones his eyes shall be upon, to discover them and find them out; for they were modest, did not crowd into the city to court preferment, but lived retired in the land, in the country, out of the way of it. Those are commonly most fit for places of honour and trust that are least fond of them; and therefore wise princes will spy out such in their recesses and privacies, and take them to dwell with them and act under them. He that walks in a perfect way, that makes conscience of what he says and does, shall serve me. The kingdom must be searched for honest men to make courtiers of; and, if any man is better than another, he must be preferred. This was a good resolution of David's; but either he did not keep to it or else his judgment was imposed upon when he made Ahithophel his right hand. It should be the care and endeavour of all masters of families, for their own sakes and their children's, to take such servants into their families as they have reason to hope fear God. The Son of David has his eyes upon the faithful in the land; his secret is with them, and they shall dwell with him. Saul chose servants for their goodliness (Sa1 8:16), but David for their goodness.
VI. His resolution to extend his zeal to the reformation of the city and country, as well as of the court (Psa 101:8): "I will early destroy all the wicked of the land, all that are discovered and convicted; the law shall have its course against them." He would do his utmost to destroy all the wicked, so that there might be none left that were notoriously wicked. He would do it early; he would lose no time and spare no pains; he would be forward and zealous in promoting the reformation of manners and suppression of vice; and those must rise betimes that will do anything to purpose in the work. That which he aimed at was not only the securing of his own government and the peace of the country, but the honour of God in the purity of his church, That I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord. Not Jerusalem only, but the whole land, was the city of the Lord; so is the gospel-church. It is the interest of the city of the Lord to be purged from wicked doers, who both blemish it and weaken it; and it is therefore the duty of all to do what they can, in their places, towards so good a work, and to be zealously affected in it. The day is coming when the Son of David shall cut off all wicked doers from the new Jerusalem, for there shall not enter into it any that do iniquity.
"The proud man has not dwelt in the midst of my house" [Psalm 101:7]. Understand this of the heart. The proud did not dwell in my heart: no such dwelt in my heart: for he hurried away from me. None but the meek and peaceful dwelt in my heart; the proud dwelt not there, for the unrighteous one dwells not in the heart of the righteous. Let the righteous be distant from you, I know not how many miles and stations: ye dwell together, if you have one heart. "The proud doer has not dwelt in the midst of my house: he that speaks unjust things has not directed in the sight of my eyes." This is the spotless way, where we understand when the Lord comes unto us.
If we return to our psalms rather frequently, brothers, we shut off the approach to worldly thoughts; the spiritual song dominates, and carnal thoughts depart. The psalms are the weapons of the servants of God. The one who clings to the psalms does not fear the enemy, for our Lord says concerning this adversary, “Your adversary is the devil.” The devil suggests adverse thoughts, in order that he may kill us if he can; on the other hand, we have right thoughts, if we read the psalms aloud quite frequently. The devil says, Be proud; I repeat with the psalm what our Lord says: “He shall not dwell within my house who practices pride”; and elsewhere: “God resists the proud”;38 also in Solomon: “A proud person knows nothing. He has a morbid passion for contention.” He [the devil] would not encourage pride, if he knew that it had a place among the servants of God in paradise. This is why the devil especially encourages monks to be proud, in order that they may afterwards be excluded from the place from which he was expelled. If he had not been proud, he would have kept his preeminence in heaven. He encourages quarrels, he excites hatred, he himself stirs up people, but you should resist him like the true psalmist by saying, “O Lord, set a watch before my mouth, and let not my heart incline to evil words.”
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SUMMARY
Psalms 101:7 encapsulates King David's profound commitment to establishing a righteous and truthful administration, declaring an uncompromising policy of exclusion for anyone who engages in deceitful practices or utters falsehoods within his royal court and personal sphere of influence. This verse serves as a foundational principle for a leader dedicated to upholding divine standards of integrity and justice, reflecting a deep desire to align his earthly rule with God's character of holiness and honesty.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 101:7 is masterfully crafted, employing several potent literary devices to convey its uncompromising message of integrity. Parallelism is prominently featured in the two distinct yet complementary clauses: "He that worketh deceit" is syntactically and thematically paralleled by "he that telleth lies," while "shall not dwell within my house" finds its counterpart in "shall not tarry in my sight." This synonymous parallelism serves to intensify and reinforce the central theme of rejecting all manifestations of dishonesty, encompassing both deceptive actions and words. The use of emphatic negative declarations—"shall not dwell" and "shall not tarry"—creates an undeniable sense of absolute and unwavering resolve, bordering on hyperbole to underscore the severity and finality of the king's commitment. Furthermore, the psalm as a whole, and this verse in particular, functions as a royal decree or a solemn vow, a formal and binding declaration of policy and personal conduct, which imbues the text with significant authority and profound solemnity. The concepts of "my house" and "my sight" can also be interpreted as forms of metonymy, representing David's entire sphere of influence, his administrative domain, and the very essence of his personal and governmental integrity.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 101:7 is profoundly anchored in the biblical understanding of God's immutable character and His unwavering expectations for His people, particularly those entrusted with leadership. The Scriptures consistently portray God as the ultimate source of truth, faithfulness, and justice, who unequivocally abhors falsehood and deceit. David's solemn vow to purge his court of liars and deceivers is a deliberate and earnest attempt to mirror these divine attributes within his earthly reign, thereby establishing a kingdom that authentically reflects God's righteousness and moral purity. This profound commitment to truth extends far beyond the king's personal sphere, serving as a powerful summons to all who seek to live righteously, calling believers to embody radical truthfulness in every facet of their lives. It underscores that integrity is not merely a commendable moral virtue but a fundamental theological imperative, a direct reflection of our allegiance to a God who is truth itself.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 101:7 presents a timeless and incisive challenge, not only for those in positions of authority but for all individuals and communities striving for righteousness. In a contemporary world frequently characterized by deliberate misinformation, manipulative narratives, and outright falsehoods, David's resolute declaration serves as a potent and necessary reminder of the non-negotiable, intrinsic value of truth. For believers, this verse issues a clarion call to cultivate radical honesty and unwavering integrity in every dimension of our lives: our personal conduct, our family dynamics, our professional interactions, and our church communities. It compels us to engage in a rigorous self-examination of our own words, motives, and actions, diligently rooting out any subtle tendencies towards deceit, exaggeration, insincerity, or duplicity. Furthermore, it profoundly encourages us to exercise discerning wisdom regarding the influences we permit into our "house"—our inner circle of relationships, the information we consume, the thoughts we entertain, and the spiritual environment we cultivate. Just as King David meticulously sought to establish a court free from the corrosive effects of corruption, we are similarly called to foster environments—be they our homes, workplaces, or churches—where truth is profoundly cherished, accountability is consistently practiced, and integrity is genuinely celebrated, recognizing that our unwavering commitment to truth is a direct and powerful reflection of the very character of God Himself.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "my house" refer to in this verse?
Answer: In Psalms 101:7, "my house" (Hebrew: בֵּיתִי, bayith) refers primarily to King David's royal palace, his immediate personal household, and, by significant extension, his entire administration and governmental apparatus. It signifies the inner circle of his court, encompassing his most trusted advisors, officials, and servants. David is emphatically declaring that anyone who habitually practices deceit or speaks lies will not be permitted to reside, serve, or hold any position of influence within this crucial sphere, thereby underscoring his profound commitment to maintaining a righteous, trustworthy, and divinely aligned government.
Is this verse only applicable to kings or leaders?
Answer: While the psalm originates as a royal vow articulated by King David, its underlying principles are profoundly and broadly applicable to all believers. David's unwavering commitment to integrity and truthfulness reflects an unchanging divine standard that God expects from all His people, regardless of their station. Just as David sought to purify his physical "house" and royal court, believers are called to purify their own lives, their families, and their communities from the pervasive influence of deceit and falsehood. The New Testament consistently echoes this imperative, urging us to "put away falsehood" and "speak the truth to one's neighbor" (Ephesians 4:25), and to live authentically as "children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). Therefore, this verse serves as a powerful and enduring guide for cultivating personal integrity and exercising discerning wisdom in our associations for all who earnestly follow God.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 101:7, with its fervent commitment to truth and the decisive expulsion of deceit, finds its ultimate and perfect realization in the person and kingdom of Jesus Christ. While David, an earthly king, diligently strived to purge his court of falsehood, Jesus perfectly embodies truth, unequivocally declaring Himself to be "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Throughout His earthly ministry, Christ consistently exposed hypocrisy and deceit, confronting the insidious lies of the devil, whom He unmasked as "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). His eternal kingdom is fundamentally not built upon political maneuvering, human deception, or worldly compromise, but upon the unshakeable and eternal foundation of divine truth (John 18:37). Moreover, Jesus actively purifies His spiritual "house"—the church, which is His mystical body of believers—from all falsehood, blemish, and moral stain, presenting it to Himself "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:27). Ultimately, in the glorious consummation of the new heavens and new earth, "nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 21:27), thereby perfectly fulfilling David's profound aspiration for a realm utterly and eternally free from all deceit and lies.