Psalms — Chapter 101

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1I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

2I 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.

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

4A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

5Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

6Mine 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.

7He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

8I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

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

2I 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.

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

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

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

6Mine 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.

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

8Morning 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.

1A psalm of David. I will sing about loyalty and justice. To you, O Lord, I will sing praises.

2I will walkin the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace.

3I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. I hate doing evil; I will have no part of it.

4I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.

5I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret. I will not tolerate anyone who has a haughty demeanor and an arrogant attitude.

6I will favor the honest people of the land and allow them to live with me. Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend me.

7Deceitful people will not live in my palace. Liars will not be welcome in my presence.

8Each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land and remove all evildoers from the city of the Lord.

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

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

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

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

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

6My 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.

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

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

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Videos
Reflection

Summary

A royal psalm of David — a king's pledge of integrity: 'I will walk within my house with a perfect heart'; he will cut off the slanderer, the proud, the deceitful, and surround himself with faithful servants.

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Royal Psalm / Psalm of Personal Commitment Attributed Author: David (superscription: "A Psalm of David") Key Themes: Integrity of leadership, personal holiness, justice in governance, choosing righteous company, rejecting wickedness, the king's moral commitments
Historical Context: Psalm 101 is David's "code of conduct" for his reign — essentially a royal manifesto of integrity. It reads like a coronation oath or a king's pledge to God about how he will govern. David makes a series of "I will" declarations covering both his private life (within his house) and public duties (governing the city of the LORD). This psalm likely dates from early in David's reign, perhaps when he established Jerusalem as capital and brought the ark there. It has been called "The Ruler's Psalm" and "The Prince's Psalm" — a model for any leader who desires to honor God in their position of authority. Augustine reportedly said he sang this psalm daily.
Structure:
  • Declaration of Praise for Mercy and Justice (v.1)
  • Personal Commitment to Integrity (vv.2-4)
  • Commitment to Justice Among Associates (vv.5-7)
  • Daily Commitment to Purge Wickedness (v.8)

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Videos

The Bible Project — Psalms Overview

Reflection

  • 1. Integrity starts at home (v.2). David's first commitment is how he walks "within my house." If your character doesn't hold up at home — where no one is watching — it won't hold up anywhere. Private life IS public qualification.
  • 2. Guard your eyes (v.3). David's ancient commitment anticipates our modern struggle perfectly. What you set before your eyes shapes your desires, your thoughts, your actions. Be intentional about what you consume.
  • 3. Choose your circle wisely (vv.5-7). A leader is only as strong as who they allow close. David committed to removing deceivers, slanderers, and the proud from his inner circle while actively seeking the faithful. Who you tolerate, you become.
  • 4. Justice must be daily (v.8). "Morning by morning" — not occasionally, not when convenient. Consistent, daily pursuit of righteousness in your sphere of influence.
  • 5. This psalm challenges every person in leadership: Will you write your own "Psalm 101"? What are YOUR "I will" commitments for your home, your work, your influence?