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Psalm 101

This psalm probably originated as a private song and then later was used in public worship as well.  It's David's song about himself, about the way he feels about the righteousness, justice, and truth that needs be found in his reign as king.  It's a song of determination, determination to have these qualities in his life and to require them in all his government officers as well.  (Oh that government officials would feel that way today!!!)

He begins with the Lord Himself – the Lord Who is, after all, worthy of praise for these same qualities.  David loves his Lord for what he sees of these things, and he sings, "I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises."  David is just saying that his heart has been drawn to this wonderful character of God and that it's just because of it that he wants to imitate Him.

He says, "I will behave wisely in a perfect way.  Oh when will You come to me?  I will walk within my house with a perfect heart."  He so much loves the righteous character of God that he eagerly desires God to live in his house, to make His presence and goodness known in all aspects of the kingdom.

It's with that attitude that he goes on to say, "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away - it shall not cling to me."  He wants nothing to do with anything that is evil in God's sight.

He is determined also to put away evil throughout the kingdom: "Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure."  And not only will he put away evil from the kingdom, but he will promote all good.  He says, "My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me."  He goes on to declare what he will do with the deceitful, the liar, and all the wicked, because he doesn't want them to in any way defile Jehovah's land.

Obviously, David himself was far from perfect.  He himself was guilty of many of the things he hated.  Nor did he succeed in putting away all evil from Israel.  He often had to repent of  his and their failures.  But he was determined nevertheless. His determination to deal with the evil he found in himself and his kingdom reveals a heart that loves Jehovah's ways - a heart we also need to have.  We too must never be so discouraged that we are not determined to deal with our sin.

There is only One Who has perfectly fulfilled the righteousness David desired, and that One is our Lord Jesus Christ, David's greater Son.  He did ONLY good, and He loved justice so much that He died to satisfy it.  He lived the truth of God, the righteousness of God, and all the character of God.  In other words, He glorified God.  

We need to make a constant habit of observing Him - until our hearts, like David's, are taken up with His goodness, until we too desire to be righteous, until we become absolutely determined to be like Him because we love Him.