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Psalms 101:1-8 King James Version (KJV)

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 an 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.


Psalms 101:1-8 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 [[A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 I will sing H7891 of mercy H2617 and judgment: H4941 unto thee, O LORD, H3068 will I sing. H2167

2 I will behave myself wisely H7919 in a perfect H8549 way. H1870 O when wilt thou come H935 unto me? I will walk H1980 within H7130 my house H1004 with a perfect H8537 heart. H3824

3 I will set H7896 no wicked H1100 thing H1697 before mine eyes: H5869 I hate H8130 the work H6213 of them that turn aside; H7750 it shall not cleave H1692 to me.

4 A froward H6141 heart H3824 shall depart H5493 from me: I will not know H3045 a wicked H7451 person.

5 Whoso privily H5643 slandereth H3960 H3960 his neighbour, H7453 him will I cut off: H6789 him that hath an high H1362 look H5869 and a proud H7342 heart H3824 will not I suffer. H3201

6 Mine eyes H5869 shall be upon the faithful H539 of the land, H776 that they may dwell H3427 with me: he that walketh H1980 in a perfect H8549 way, H1870 he shall serve H8334 me.

7 He that worketh H6213 deceit H7423 shall not dwell H3427 within H7130 my house: H1004 he that telleth H1696 lies H8267 shall not tarry H3559 in my sight. H5869

8 I will early H1242 destroy H6789 all the wicked H7563 of the land; H776 that I may cut off H3772 all wicked H205 doers H6466 from the city H5892 of the LORD. H3068


Psalms 101:1-8 American Standard (ASV)

1 I will sing of lovingkindness and justice: Unto thee, O Jehovah, will I sing praises.

2 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.

3 I will set no base thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; It shall not cleave unto me.

4 A perverse heart shall depart from me: I will know no evil thing.

5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I destroy: Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not 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 minister unto me.

7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes.

8 Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land; To cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of Jehovah. Psalm 102 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before Jehovah.


Psalms 101:1-8 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 A Psalm of David. Kindness and judgment I sing, To Thee, O Jehovah, I sing praise.

2 I act wisely in a perfect way, When dost Thou come in unto me? I walk habitually in the integrity of my heart, In the midst of my house.

3 I set not before mine eyes a worthless thing, The work of those turning aside I have hated, It adhereth not to me.

4 A perverse heart turneth aside from me, Wickedness I know not.

5 Whoso slandereth in secret his neighbour, Him I cut off, The high of eyes and proud of heart, him I endure not.

6 Mine eyes are on the faithful of the land, To dwell with me, Whoso is walking in a perfect way, he serveth me.

7 He dwelleth not in my house who is working deceit, Whoso is speaking lies Is not established before mine eyes.

8 At morning I cut off all the wicked of the land, To cut off from the city of Jehovah All the workers of iniquity!


Psalms 101:1-8 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 {A Psalm of David.} I will sing of loving-kindness and judgment: unto thee, Jehovah, will I sing psalms.

2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. When wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.

3 I will set no thing of Belial before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know evil.

5 Whoso secretly slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy; him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not 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 practiseth deceit shall not dwell within my house; he that speaketh falsehoods shall not subsist in my sight.

8 Every morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land: to cut off all workers of iniquity from the city of Jehovah.


Psalms 101:1-8 World English Bible (WEB)

1 > I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, Yahweh, I will sing praises.

2 I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart.

3 I will set no vile thing before my eyes. I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me.

4 A perverse heart will be far from me. I will have nothing to do with evil.

5 I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won't tolerate one who is haughty and conceited.

6 My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, He will serve me.

7 He who practices deceit won't dwell within my house. He who speaks falsehood won't be established before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land; To cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh's city.


Psalms 101:1-8 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 <A Psalm. Of David.> I will make a song of mercy and righteousness; to you, O Lord, will I make melody.

2 I will do wisely in the way of righteousness: O when will you come to me? I will be walking in my house with a true heart.

3 I will not put any evil thing before my eyes; I am against all turning to one side; I will not have it near me.

4 The false heart I will send away from me: I will not have an evil-doer for a friend.

5 I will put to death anyone who says evil of his neighbour secretly; the man with a high look and a heart of pride is disgusting to me.

6 My eyes will be on those of good faith in the land, so that they may be living in my house; he who is walking in the right way will be my servant.

7 The worker of deceit will not come into my house; the false man will have no place before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning will I put to death all the sinners in the land, so that all evil-doers may be cut off from Jerusalem.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 101

Commentary on Psalms 101 Matthew Henry Commentary


Psalm 101

David was certainly the penman of this psalm, and it has in it the genuine spirit of the man after God's own heart; it is a solemn vow which he made to God when he took upon him the charge of a family and of the kingdom. Whether it was penned when he entered upon the government, immediately after the death of Saul (as some think), or when he began to reign over all Israel, and brought up the ark to the city of David (as others think), is not material; it is an excellent plan or model for the good government of a court, or the keeping up of virtue and piety, and, by that means, good order, in it: but it is applicable to private families; it is the householder's psalm. It instructs all that are in any sphere of power, whether larger or narrower, to use their power so as to make it a terror to evil-doers, but a praise to those that do well. Here is,

  • I. The general scope of David's vow (v. 1, 2).
  • II. The particulars of it, that he would detest and discountenance all manner of wickedness (v. 3-5, 7, 8) and that he would favour and encourage such as were virtuous (v. 6).

Some think this may fitly be accommodated to Christ, the Son of David, who governs his church, the city of the Lord, by these rules, and who loves righteousness and hates wickedness. In singing this psalm families, both governors and governed, should teach, and admonish, and engage themselves and one another to walk by the rule of it, that peace may be upon them and God's presence with them.

A psalm of David.

Psa 101:1-8

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 (v. 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, v. 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 Tim. 3:4. When David had his hands full of public affairs, yet he returned to bless his house, 2 Sa. 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 Sa. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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, Prov. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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 Sa. 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 (v. 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.