Psalm 101

Psalm 101 belongs to Book IV (Psalms 90–106) of the Psalms. It immediately follows Psalm 100, which calls the people to enter the temple with thanksgiving, and it opens a sequence of psalms (101–103) that bear David's name. The psalm's theme is a vow made by the king himself. Some interpreters read it in light of its placement: after the preceding psalms (93, 95–99) proclaim that the LORD is King, this psalm presents a human king's pledge about how he will rule under Him.

Structure

• Verse 1 The psalmist declares that he will sing of the LORD's mercy and judgment.
• Verses 2–4 He resolves to behave himself wisely in a perfect way and to walk within his house with a perfect heart. He vows to set no wicked thing before his eyes, to hate the work of those who turn aside, and to put away a froward heart.
• Verses 5–7 He will not tolerate anyone who secretly slanders a neighbor or anyone who is proud. The faithful he will keep near him to serve him, while those who work deceit and tell lies he will banish from his house and from his sight.
• Verse 8 He concludes by vowing to destroy the wicked of the land early, cutting them off from the city of the LORD.

Key Verses

• Psalm 101:1 "I will sing of mercy and judgment" (KJV). This verse shows that the rule described in the psalm begins with God's own character of love and justice.
• Psalm 101:2 "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart" (KJV). This verse is often cited because the king pledges his personal and household conduct before turning to public governance.

People and Places

• David: The king of Israel named in the superscription.
• The city of the LORD (verse 8): The royal city under the king's rule, commonly understood to be Jerusalem.

Points for Reflection

• The word rendered "mercy" in verse 1 translates the Hebrew hesed, God's steadfast love. (The Korean term used in this verse, inja, should not be confused with its homophone meaning "son of man.")
• Some interpreters connect the question in verse 2, "O when wilt thou come unto me?", with the time when the ark of the covenant was brought to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). The text itself, however, does not explicitly state this setting.
• The word rendered "early" in verse 8 (literally "every morning") is understood to reflect the custom of the king holding court in the morning. It may be compared with Jeremiah 21: "Execute judgment in the morning" (Jeremiah 21:12).
• The psalm is close in theme to Psalm 15, which asks who is qualified to stand before God.
• The psalm is not directly quoted in the New Testament. The warning in verse 5 against slandering one's neighbor is often read alongside James 4:11–12. Some strands of Christian tradition connect the psalm's ideal king with the hope of the Messiah.
• Martin Luther is known to have written an exposition of this psalm in connection with the duties of rulers.

In the Korean Church

In Korean churches, verses 2–3 are sometimes used as a sermon text on the life of faith in the home or on the godliness of church officers and leaders.