Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 101:1

Clarke's Commentary

PSALM CI

The subject proposed, mercy and judgment, 1.

The psalmist's resolution in respect to his private conduct, 2.

He will put away evil, inward and outward, 3.

No evil person shall stand in his presence, 4;

nor any slanderer of his neighbour, 4, 5.

He will encourage the faithful and upright, 6;

but the deceitful, the liars, and the profligate, he will cast

out of the city of God, 7, 8.

NOTES ON PSALM CI

The Hebrew and all the Versions attribute this Psalm to David. It shows us the resolutions he formed when he came to the throne; and it is a perfect model according to which a wise prince should regulate his conduct and his government.

Verse Psalms 101:1. I will sing of mercy and judgment — David might say, Adverse and prosperous providences have been of the utmost use to my soul; therefore, I will thank God for both. Or, as he was probably now called to the government of all the tribes, he might make a resolution that he would show חסד chesed, incessant benevolence, to the upright; and משפט mishpat, the execution of judgment, to the wicked; and would make the conduct of God the model of his own.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 101:0 Principles of government

David here sets out the principles he sought to follow in his government of Israel. In view of the high ideals outlined here, it is not surprising that people such as Joab, Ahithophel and Absalom found David a hindrance to the success of their devious plans and selfish ambitions.
The chief concerns of David are loyalty to God and justice to his people. In his personal life he is determined to be strictly honest, pure in thoughts and actions, and uncompromisingly opposed to all evil (1-4). As for those who live in his palace, his ministers and officials, he will not tolerate any who are treacherous, proud, deceitful or untruthful. He will accept only those who are trustworthy and blameless (5-7). As for the people he governs, he will be strictly just in punishing the wicked, no matter how much money and power they may have (8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE KING'S RESOLUTIONS FOR HIS OWN CONDUCT

"I will sing of lovingkindness and justice: Unto thee, O Jehovah, will I sing praises. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way: Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no base thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; It shall not cleave unto me. A perverse heart shall depart from me: I will know no evil thing."

"Lovingkindness and justice" The motto of David's reign would be God's lovingkindness and justice, principles which the king here resolved to establish in his kingdom. There would be lovingkindness to the widows, the fatherless, the poor and oppressed; and justice would be meted out to evil-doers.

"I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way" An alternative reading of this is, "I will give heed unto the perfect way." The idea seems to be that David would do his best to live perfectly in God's sight.

"Oh when wilt thou come unto me?" Maclaren interpreted this as, "David's longing to see the Ark of the Covenant brought to Jerusalem."Footnote is not available He applied this as an indication of the early date of the psalm in David's reign. However, we believe a better view of this expression was that of Adam Clarke, "I can neither walk in this perfect way, nor grow wise unto salvation, unless thou come unto me by the grace of thy Spirit; for without thee I can do nothing."Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), op. cit., p. 537.

"I will walk within my house with a perfect heart" This is the truly revealing test of human character. An interview with any personal counselor will confirm the fact that many men whose public behavior is above reproach exhibit the qualities of a wasp or a tiger in the presence of their own families. Abused and tyrannized wives or children are common social consequences of this.

A Christian man should walk before his own family with the utmost care to treat them with lovingkindness, consideration, understanding, and toleration of their mistakes, loving them, as an apostle said, "even as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up to death for her." Such a person adorns the doctrine of God.

"I will set no base thing before mine eyes" "He will not allow any proposition or purpose that is morally worthless or vile to be brought before him for consideration."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-C, p. 109.

"I hate the work of them that turn aside" The "turning aside" here is a reference to sin, "missing the mark." The alternative reading renders it, "I hate the doing of unfaithfulness."

"A perverse heart shall depart from me" A king especially needed a resolution of this kind, because pride and stubbornness have led to the ruin of many a monarch. A perverse heart is the opposite of a heart that consents to be corrected by the Word of God. David indeed manifested the quality extolled here in his humbly accepting the reproof of Nathan the prophet following his shameful conduct with Bathsheba.

"I will know no evil thing" The alternative reading is, "I will know no evil person." The resolution is that no evil person, or evil thing, shall be accepted and tolerated as an adviser, an associate, or a deputy authority under him.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

I will sing of mercy and judgment - That is, In the psalm which he was about to compose, he would make these the burden of his song; he would, in fact, by stating his views as to the regulation of his own conduct, commend these virtues - mercy and justice - to mankind, and celebrate their value. He who himself “adopts” the principles of mercy, kindness, truth, and justice, as his own guide, commends these virtues to mankind in the best way possible. No language can do it effectually, unless a man practices these virtues himself.

Unto thee, O Lord, will I sing - As commending and approving these things; as having put it into my heart to practice them; as displaying them in thine own higher administration: for a father of a family, or a magistrate, is but the representative of God.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

1I will sing of mercy and of judgment What David here says concerning singing must be understood by the reader as intimating that this psalm contains the substance of his meditations with himself, as to what kind of king he would be whenever he should be put in possession of the sovereign power which had been promised him. To sing therefore of mercy and of judgment, is equivalent to declaring in solemn terms, that he would be a just and an upright king. Augustine understands this as meaning that God is to be praised, whether he punish men with severity, or whether he show himself merciful to them; but this interpretation is too refined. David does not speak of God’s secret judgments, but of the due administration of the kingdom, that he might both by words and deeds fulfill his vocation. When he asserts, Unto thee, O Jehovah! will I sing psalms, he acknowledges that it was by the favor of God that he was appointed to so distinguished and honorable an office; for it would have been an act of presumptuous rashness for him to have thrust himself into it, at the mere impulse of his own mind. He very properly comprehends all princely virtues under these two particulars, mercy and judgment; for as it is the principal duty of a king to yield to every man his own right, so he is also required to possess a considerate love and compassion towards his subjects. Solomon therefore justly says, (Proverbs 16:12) “The throne is established by righteousness.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

This time shall we turn in our Bibles to Psalms 101:1-8 . Psalms 101:1-8 is a psalm of David, and David declares in the first verse,

I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing ( Psalms 101:1 ).

Now though David says he is going to sing of mercy and of judgment, in his song I find nothing of mercy, only of judgment. And David was very strong in his desires of God concerning his enemies and concerning the wicked. And David, of course, was interested in mercy concerning himself, but concerning his enemies he was always concerned with judgment. David, of course, is much like we are. We want mercy. Whenever we've done wrong we want mercy, but whenever someone wrongs us, then we want judgment on them. And that is only human nature I guess, but David so often is expressing his desires upon his enemies. And though he says, "I will sing of mercy and judgment," as we look at the song, David said,

I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when will you come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart ( Psalms 101:2 ).

Now the word perfect has changed its meaning through the years, and in the scriptural use of the word perfect, it is not referring to something that is without fault, but it is referring to something that is complete. So I will walk with a complete heart towards God. My heart completely towards Him, rather than my heart being perfect, you know, there's no sin in my heart, or no evil, or nothing bad in my heart. It doesn't mean that. It means that it's a complete heart towards God.

I will set no wicked thing before my eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it will not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Who so privately slanders his neighbor, I will cut him off: he that has a high look and a proud heart I will not allow. My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh 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 the wicked doers from the city of the LORD ( Psalms 101:3-8 ).

So David doesn't really say much of mercy but much of judgment in this song. How that he will bring a judgment against the wicked, the slanderer, the proud, and the deceitful. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. David’s appreciation for God 101:1

The psalmist focused his praise on God’s loyal love and justice. These qualities are foundational to His rule (cf. Psalms 89:14). David proceeded to request that his own rule would have a similarly strong base.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 101

David voiced his desire and commitment to maintain holiness in his personal life, and in his court, in this royal psalm. One writer classified this as a psalm of dedication. [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 273.]

"The qualities of Jesus the Messiah, as given in Isaiah 11:1-5 and in this psalm, reveal a fulfillment of the theocratic ideal: concern for integrity, justice, and devotion. Similarly, the followers of Jesus must conform to his high standards (Psalms 101:6; cf. 1 Timothy 3:1-16; 2 Timothy 2:14-26; Titus 1:6-9)." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 640.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

I will sing of mercy and judgment,.... Either of mercy and justice, exercised by him towards his people, which he resolved to do, and did, 2 Samuel 8:15 which are two very principal points in government, are the glory of a reign, the support of the throne, and the happiness of a people, Proverbs 20:28, or rather of the mercy of God to himself, in delivering him from his enemies, and raising him to the throne; and of the judgment of God in maintaining his cause, and avenging him on those that hated him: every good man has reason to sing of the "mercy" of God; not only of his providential mercy, but of his special mercy, prepared in council and covenant for him, displayed in regeneration, in the pardon of sin, and in his everlasting salvation: or of "grace" and goodness, as the word f signifies; of the grace and goodness of God laid up in Christ, shown forth through him, and to which the whole of salvation is owing; singing of this shows a sense of it, thankfulness for it, and a cheerful disposition of soul, in a view of interest in it: and he may also sing of "judgment": of righteous punishment inflicted upon his enemies, and the enemies of God, and Christ, and true religion; not as taking delight in the misery of fellow creatures, but as rejoicing in the glory of divine justice displayed therein, and in a deliverance from them; as Israel did at the Red sea; and as the church will, when Babylon is destroyed: moreover, a good man may sing of mercy and judgment together, with respect to himself; there being, in the course of his life, a mixture of prosperity and adversity, of merciful and afflictive dispensations, which work together for his good; and he has reason to be thankful for the one as for the other, as Job was, Job 1:21, so the Targum,

"if thou renderest mercy to me; if thou exercisest judgment on me; for all I will praise thee:''

judgment sometimes signifies chastisement, Jeremiah 10:24, it may be understood of Christ, who sung of the mercy of God, as shown in the mission of him into the world to save men, and which was glorified in their redemption by him; and of the justice of God exercised on him, as their surety, on whom judgment came unto condemnation for their sins; and when the sword of justice was awaked against him, the hand of mercy was turned on the little ones, Zechariah 13:7,

unto thee, O Lord, will I sing; on the above subjects.

f חסד "gratiam", Gejerus, Michaelis.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A psalm of David.

      1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.   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.   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.   4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.   5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.   6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.   7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.   8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

      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 (Psalms 101:1; Psalms 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, Psalms 101:2; Psalms 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,1 Timothy 3:4. When David had his hands full of public affairs, yet he returned to bless his house, 2 Samuel 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 (1 Samuel 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 (Psalms 101:3; Psalms 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, Isaiah 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 (Psalms 101:4; Psalms 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 (Psalms 101:5; Psalms 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,Proverbs 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 (Psalms 101:7; Psalms 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,Revelation 22:15.

      V. His resolution to put those in trust under him that were honest and good (Psalms 101:6; Psalms 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 (1 Samuel 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 (Psalms 101:8; Psalms 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.