PSALM 101
Psalmist will sing unto the LORD verse 1
I will sing of mercy and judgment
unto YOU – O LORD – will I sing
List of sins Psalmist will not commit verse 2- 5
I will behave myself wisely in the PERFECT way
O when will YOU come to me?
I will walk within my house with a PERFECT heart
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes
I hate the work of them that turn aside
it shall not cleave to me
A forward heart shall depart from me
I will not know a wicked person
whoso privily slanders his neighbor
him will I cut off
him that has a high look
and a PROUD heart
will not I suffer
Psalmist will establish fellowship standards verse 6- 8
Mine eyes shall be on the faithful of the land
that they may dwell with me
he that walks in a PERFECT way
he shall serve me
he that works deceit shall not dwell within my house
he that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight
I will early destroy all the wicked of the land
that I may cut off all wicked doers
from the city of the LORD
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 “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.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). (Behave – 7919 שָׂכַל, שָׂכַל [sakal /saw·kal/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2263, 2264; GK 8505 and 8506; 63 occurrences; AV translates as “understand” 12 times, “wise” 12 times, “prosper” eight times, “wisely” six times, “understanding” five times, “consider” four times, “instruct” three times, “prudent” twice, “skill” twice, “teach” twice, and translated miscellaneously seven times. 1 to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper. 1A (Qal) to be prudent, be circumspect. 1B (Hiphil). 1B1 to look at or upon, have insight. 1B2 to give attention to, consider, ponder, be prudent. 1B3 to have insight, have comprehension. 1B3A insight, comprehension (subst). 1B4 to cause to consider, give insight, teach. 1B4A the teachers, the wise. 1B5 to act circumspectly, act prudently, act wisely. 1B6 to prosper, have success. 1B7 to cause to prosper. 2 (Piel) to lay crosswise, cross (hands). James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: David was a man after God’s own heart and yet he made mistakes that cost him dearly. In this psalm he comes before the Lord and desires to be a man that walks carefully and selects friends that do the same. David starts by looking at himself and how he needs to behave! It is in the secret places that determine a man and his integrity. If you can walk confidently in your own house then you can confront issues out in the community. None of us are sinless but we can be intent on being as mature of a person as possible. Critics will use any flaw to undermine your testimony for the Lord! Behave wisely and speak boldly.
CHALLENGE: Examine your personal attitudes and actions before confronting another about theirs! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. (8549 “perfect” [tamiym] means integrity, truth, without blemish, complete, full sound, without spot, undefiled, or upright. 8537 “perfect” [tom] means completeness, prosperity, innocence, full, integrity, upright, or simplicity. Both of these words come from the same Hebrew root word “tamam” 8552 which means also to be clean or whole.)
DEVOTION: Who are you willing to fellowship with? There are two types of people in our world. Some are those who are followers of the LORD and some are not followers of the LORD. Can we have friendships with those who are outside of Christ? YES!!! Most of us have family which are not followers of the LORD. What is the difference between fellowship and friendship/family? Fellowship can only be had with those who are followers of the LORD. These individuals are willing to talk about what the LORD is doing in their lives. These individuals are trying to follow the standards that are set in the Word of God.
The Psalmist is expressing his desire to have standards in his life. He wants to be able to sing of the mercy of the LORD each day. It is hard to sing praises to the LORD in front of those who don’t want anything to do with the LORD.
His standards are called “a perfect way” or an upright way. He wants to have a heart that is completely yielded to the LORD. Will this Psalmist live a sinless life? NO!!! There was only one man who lived a sinless life while on this earth and that was Jesus Christ.
King David is talking about a man who has confessed his sins and is walking in the way the LORD has taught him through HIS word. He knows not to walk with those who have a proud heart or a forward heart. He understands enough to not have them around in his house. He is the king and wants the wicked to not even be in the city of Jerusalem.
Once we have accepted Christ as our personal Savior this word can apply to our lives because we are in proper relationship with the LORD. Does this mean that we don’t sin after we become a follower of Christ? NO!!! It means that we have a standing with God because of the blood of Christ. Also, because of that standing we can have fellowship with the triune God. Sin does break the fellowship but not our relationship.
We return to fellowship through confession. If we chose to not confess our sin, then the LORD chastens us into confession or premature death. The LORD is preparing the true followers of Christ who are members of the universal church to be a spotless and blameless bride. Christ is the bridegroom. HE is coming back for his bride. Even so come LORD Jesus!!! Let us walk with an upright heart until HE comes.
Our friendships can turn into those we have fellowship with on a regular basis. Our relationship with the LORD should influence who we spend time with on a regular basis.
CHALLENGE: We need to encourage our family members to choose wisely who they pick as their friends. I pray daily that my children and grandchildren will have good Biblical fellowship with those who they chose as friends.
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: 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (7750 “turn aside” [suwt] means to swerve, fall away, revolted, faults, deviation, transgression, rebel, insurgent, one in open defiance of authority, or condition of one who is faithless to a person or principle.)
DEVOTION: David is trying to establish a standard for himself and those he will have fellowship with in his world. There will be people that he knows who are not faithful but he will not spend his time with them. He will try to only have fellowship with those who are willing to obey the LORD and HIS commands. It will not be easy for David or for us.
One of those who he will not spend time with are those who rebel against the LORD. There are always individuals who look like they want to be faithful to the LORD but their actions give a different story. David is watching the lives of those who are his friends. If he sees someone who is not willing to follow the LORD and is trying to lead him to rebel against the LORD he will walk away from that individual rather than follow him. This is a standard we have to have as well. We have to encourage those who we call friends to follow the LORD faithfully. Most will listen but some will try to get us to compromise our faith to fit into the world’s standards. These are false friends and teachers.
Remember the ones we spend the most time with influence the most in our life and actions. We need to look for good examples to follow rather than just following anyone anywhere.
CHALLENGE: Discernment in our friends is important to our spiritual growth in the LORD. We need to pick friends who will help us get closer to the LORD rather than further from HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 4 A forward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. (6141 “forward” [‘iqqesh] means perverse, crooked, twisted, distorted, dishonest, immoral, evasive, perverted, deceitful, false, or a man of fraudulent speech.)
DEVOTION: There are individuals who are twisted in their way of thinking. They don’t think like people who seem to have conscience. They are individuals who only look out for themselves and no one else.
These individuals don’t care who they hurt as long as they get ahead in life. The problem is that some of these people are in our local Bible believing churches. They come in looking good at first but as time moves on they get themselves into positions of power and then their true colors are shown.
This happens too often in the membership of good churches where the LORD is moving things forward with the salvation of souls and the fruit of the Spirit being manifested in the congregation.
But once everything looks rosy than this individual or group of individuals who work their way up into leadership in the church start moving in a direction away from the LORD and toward works for their personal glory.
We have to make sure that our motives are pure in the sight of the LORD for a church to genuinely move forward. We are to honor the LORD in all our decisions. We are to be ones who help the struggling and not condemn them to “keep the church pure.”
Those who work with discipline need to make sure that they are working for restoration for those who are trying to live the life God wants them to live.
Some in leadership don’t want to work with those who are struggling but want to keep the church pure of anyone who is struggling. They are like the Pharisees of old who think they are better than other people.
CHALLENGE: Watch out for the Pharisees and Sadducees in the church. God wants us to be individuals who help those who are struggling.
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: 6 MY eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with ME: he that walks in a perfect way, he shall serve ME. (8549 “tamiym] means complete, unscathed, intact, blameless, without fault, free of blemish, impeccable, free of guilt, not subject to blame, whole, or without defect.)
DEVOTION: There is only ONE who fits this description perfectly that had never had to ask for forgiveness of sin and that Jesus Christ. The rest of the world need to ask for forgiveness.
Here we have a good description of Christ and one we become a follow of HIM we can be forgiven to the point where God can look at us through HIM and see a righteous person.
It is only through the forgiveness of sin that we can walk in a what that this free from guilt because Christ has taken the guilt on HIMSELF on the cross. These types of people make up those who are genuine followers of Christ.
Those in this category keep short accounts with God and try with the help of the Holy Spirit to live life in a way that is pleasing to the LORD. They are not blameless, but in the sense that they have never sinned but God looks at them through Christ and only sees Christ as they are HIS genuine followers.
There are many who claim to be free from guilt but most of them have a very high opinion of themselves and a low opinion of what God expects of genuine followers. Watch out for those who claim to be sinless. It is not true. All of us are sinner saved by grace who genuinely trust in Christ.
CHALLENGE: Our lives have keep short accounts with the LORD. Never think that you are without sin unless you keep these accounts regular.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
I will sing verse 1
I will behave myself verse 2
I will walk with a perfect heart verse 2
I will set no wicked thing before me verse 3
I will hate the work of wicked verse 3
A forward heart shall depart from me verse 4
I will not know a wicked person verse 4
I will cut off those who slander their neighbor verse 5
I will not suffer those with high look verse 5
I will not suffer those who have a proud heart verse 5
I will look on the faithful of the land verse 6
I will only have those who walk right as servants verse 6
I will not allow those who work deceit to dwell
with me verse 7
I will not put up with those who lie verse 7
I will as king destroy those who are wicked verse 8
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
When will you come unto me verse 2
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sing verse 1
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 8
Come early to destroy all the wicked verse 8
City of the LORD verse 8
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Neighbor verse 5
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wicked verse 3, 4, 8
Turn aside verse 3
Cleave to sin verse 3
Forward heart verse 4
Slander verse 5
High look verse 5
Proud heart verse 5
Deceit verse 7
Lies verse 7
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Sing verse 1
Mercy verse 1
Judgment verse 1
Behave wisely verse 2
Perfect way verse 2, 6
` Walk properly verse 2
Perfect heart verse 2
Hate the work of sinners verse 3
Avoid sin verse 3
Avoid proud heart verse 5
Eyes on faithful verse 6
Fellowship with faithful verse 6
Walk in a perfect way verse 6
Serve the LORD verse 6
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
David verse 1- 8
City of the LORD verse 8
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Cut off verse 5, 8
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QUOTES regarding passage
101:5–6. The king also wrote that he would surround himself with faithful servants. He would silence (cf. v. 8) slanderers and not tolerate the arrogant. Haughty eyes (cf. 18:27; Prov. 6:17; 30:13) refers to a proud look. David would look for faithful people to serve him, those whose lives were blameless (in integrity) as his own was at that point (cf. Ps. 101:2). (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 866). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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David moved from the heart of the leader to the hearts of the sinners (vv. 4–5) and turned the emphasis to the leader’s eyes and what he saw (vv. 3, 5, 6, 7 [“tarry in my sight,” kjv]). The heart and the eyes work together, for what the heart loves, the eyes will seek and find (Eccl. 2:10; Jer. 22:17). This section parallels Psalm 15 where David described the ideal worshiper whom God welcomes to His dwelling. David did not want anyone in his official family who was not walking with the Lord. “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes” (v. 3a, nasb).means more than beholding vile things “the lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16). It also means setting worthless goals and seeking to reach them. Leaders must set the best goals, guided by God’s will, for outlook determines outcome. The spiritual leader not only sets the best goals but he or she also uses the best methods for achieving those goals (v. 3b). “Faithless” people are apostates, people who have abandoned God’s way for their own way and the world’s way. David had his eyes on the faithful, not the faithless (v. 6). A “perverse heart” is a twisted heart, one that does not conform to God’s will (Prov. 3:32; 6:16–19; 11:20), and a twisted heart produces a deceitful tongue (v. 7; Matt. 12:34–35; see Prov. 17:20). The word translated “proud” in verse 5 means “wide, expanded” and describes people who are inflated with their own importance. It is important that leaders cultivate humility and lead by being servants, not dictators. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be exultant (1st ed., pp. 42–43). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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101:5 slanders … haughty look … arrogant heart. Neither character assassination nor pride will be tolerated in the kingdom. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 101:5). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Now the king speaks as head of the political machine and as the guardian of justice. Verses 5–7 show what he looks for in his appointments, and what he disapproves of as men jockey for position, smearing their rivals (5a) and adopting impressive airs (5b) and devious ways (7). It is not only kings who need this perception. But his good judgment springs from his character. On the one hand he ‘cannot’ stand self-importance (5; the disclaimer is stronger than will not, like God’s ‘cannot’ in Isa. 1:13), and on the other hand he warms to people whose spiritual attitude he shares: those who follow the way that is blameless (6), as he aspires to do (cf. 2a). (Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 392). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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Ver. 5. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off, &c.] That raises and spreads a false report of him; that insinuates evil things of him; that brings false charges and accusations against him, in a private manner, when he has no opportunity to defend himself: such an one David threatens to cut off from his presence, as Kimchi interprets it; from all communion and conversation with him; and yet he listened to the slanders of Ziba against Mephibosheth: but Christ, who knows the hearts and the secret actions of men, will reject and cut off all persons of such a character: the Targum is, “he that speaketh with a triple tongue against his neighbour, him will I destroy, and he shall be smitten with the leprosy:” a slandering tongue is called a triple tongue with the Jews, because, as they say, it kills three persons; him that carries the slander, him that receives it, and him of whom it is related; see Ecclesiasticus 28:16 him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer; or, I cannot; that is, cannot bear him in my presence and company; cannot look upon him with any pleasure and delight: the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the Oriental versions, render it, with him I will not eat: have no familiarity or acquaintance with him; see 1 Cor. 5:11 such who looked above others, and with contempt upon them, whose hearts were large, as the word signifies, were ambitious and insatiable, and never had enough of riches and honour; such were very contrary to David’s character, and could never be agreeable to him, Psal. 131:1, 2 as the proud and haughty Pharisees were not to Christ, Luke 18:9–14 and the man of sin that exalts himself above all that is called God, that little horn, whose look is more stout than his fellows, 2 Thess. 2:4, 8; Dan. 7:20. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, p. 125). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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5. “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off.” He had known so bitterly the miseries caused by slanderers that he intended to deal severely with such vipers when he came into power, not to revenge his own ills, but to prevent others from suffering as he had done. To give one’s neighbour a stab in the dark is one of the most atrocious of crimes, and cannot be too heartily reprobated, yet such as are guilty of it often find patronage in high places, and are considered to be men of penetration, trusty ones who have a keen eye, and take care to keep their lords well posted up. King David would lop the goodly tree of his state of all such superfluous boughs, “Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.” Proud, domineering, supercilious gentlemen, who look down upon the poor as though they were so many worms crawling in the earth beneath their feet, the Psalmist could not bear. The sight of them made him suffer, and therefore he would not suffer them. Great men often affect aristocratic airs and haughty manners, David therefore resolved that none should be great in his palace but those who had more grace and more sense than to indulge in such abominable vanity. Proud men are generally hard, and therefore very unfit for office; persons of high looks provoke enmity and discontent, and the fewer of such people about a court the better for the stability of a throne. If all slanderers were now cut off, and all the proud banished, it is to be feared that the next census would declare a very sensible diminution of the population. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 88-110 (Vol. 4, pp. 240–241). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Joseph’s older brothers are tested.
INSIGHT
Sometimes we get a second chance. When we do, it is important to seize the opportunity.
Judah did. When his brothers plotted to kill Joseph, Judah intervened. But he still fell short of rescuing Joseph.
Judah’s second chance came when, from his perspective, Benjamin’s life was in danger. Judah put his own life on the line. Perhaps this commitment was taken into account in the blessings he passed on to his sons, resulting in the Messiah coming through the tribe of Judah.
Throughout life we are given second chances. We should take these chances and set things right. (Quiet Walk)
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JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Romans 5:1
Justification is opposed to condemnation, and nobody can bring an accusation because it is God who declares people just.
Justification is legal and forensic, and as you go on with the Scriptures you will find this in other places: “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). And in Galatians 2:16 there is a statement that is parallel to those in Romans: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians is the great epistle that gave Martin Luther his liberty. His famous commentary on the epistle to the Galatians is a book that you should read, and the more you go on with it, the more you will enjoy it. Do not be put off by his polemic against the Roman Catholics. He had to do that because you must show what is wrong as well as what is right. People do not like t hat today, but Luther had to do it, and I think we must do it in our age and generation.
God makes a legal declaration that all the demands of the law upon us, as a condition of life, are fully satisfied with regard to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are no longer in a state of condemnation: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Why? Because God has declared it. He is the Lawgiver, and he says that Christ has satisfied the law. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes” (Romans 10:4).
A Thought to Ponder (God is the Lawgiver, and He says that Christ has satisfied the law.) From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 171-172, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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From the outset M’Cheyne’s ministry was dominated by his own devotional life before God, his public reaching and also his pastoral visitation. (p. 66)
One of the first things he did at Dundee was to start a weekly prayer meeting in the church. (p. 67)
M’Cheyne clearly knew the importance of prayer for success as a preacher and in his daily walk with his Lord. Just a few months before his death he said, ‘I ought to spend the best hours of the day in communion with God. It is my noblest and most fruitful employment.’
….He once advised, for example, ‘Study holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all week.’ (p. 70, Preachers Who Made a Difference by Peter Jeffery)
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Some of us struggle more with certain attitudes because of the cultures we are from, the kind of homes we grew up in, or the kind of churches we attended during our formative years. Those factors have certainly influenced my tendency toward certain attitudes. (p. 100)
Criticism is dwelling upon the perceived faults of another with no view to their good. (p. 101)
That ‘s why I added that last part to the definition: with no view to their good. It’s not criticism to dwell upon a fault you observe in someone, provided: 1) you’re gonna pray about it, and/or, 2) you’re gonna pursue a solution. (p. 102)
The verb in Hebrew that means “spoke against” is in the feminine. That means that the primary critic in this case was Miriam. I guess Aaron sort of got dragged into it. ….
Miriam really was a godly, righteous woman, which tells us, among other things, that we don’t want to think that we’re so far along spiritually that we couldn’t be guilty of a critical attitude. (p. 103)
The primary consequence of a critical attitude is seen in our fellowship with God. Sin hinders our fellowship with God. … To confess is to say the same thing. (p. 107)
Gradually one fact began to stand out: Those who suffered from extreme tension had a single trait in common – they were habitual faultfinders, constant critics of people and things around them. Meanwhile, the men and women who were free of all tensions were the least critical of others. No doubt about it then: The habit of criticizing is a very personally destructive pattern of thinking. (p. 109)
Oswald Chambers, the great devotional writer, wrote, “Beware of anything that puts you in the place of the superior person.” Anything that makes you feel superior is not conducive to your spiritual life. That’s what criticism does: It takes the focus off me and my faults and highlights me as the one who knows. …. Criticism is self-exalting, and God will not honor that. (p. 112)
Oswald Chambers made a brilliant observation: “ Whenever you are in a critical temper, it is impossible to enter into communion with God.” That’s a scary thought! Criticism makes us hard and vindictive and cruel. It leaves us with the flattering notion that we are superior persons. It is impossible to develop the characteristics of a saint and at the same tiem maintain a critical attitude. Criticism harms our relationship with God and others, and that will block the flow of God’s blessing. (p. 114) (LORD, CHANGE My ATTITUDE (Before It’s Too Late) by James MacDonald)
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