Psalm 101:1-6

I Will Walk with Integrity

1 I will sing of ¹steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.

2 I will ²ponder the way ³that is blameless. Oh when will you ⁴come to me? I will ⁵walk with ⁶integrity of heart within my house;

3 I will not set before my eyes anything ⁷that is worthless. I hate the work of those who ⁸fall away; it shall not cling to me.

4 ⁹A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will ¹⁰know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor ¹¹secretly I will ¹²destroy. Whoever has a ¹³haughty look and an ¹⁴arrogant heart I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in ¹⁵the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

Psalm 101:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 101

\\<>\\. The title of this psalm, in the Syriac version, is, ``for Asaph, an exhortation of David, concerning those things which are required in the ministry of the house of the Lord; and a prophecy of the praise of the conqueror, and of the perfect man in God.'' Theodoret thinks it was written by David concerning good Josiah, whom he foresaw, by a spirit of prophecy, would rise up a great reformer of the people, and whom he proposes as a pattern of perfection to others; but it was, no doubt, written by him of himself; very likely, after he was delivered out of his troubles by the death of Saul, and was come to the kingdom, since he resolves to "sing of mercy and judgment": though by the interrogation, "when wilt thou come unto me?" it looks as if he had not arrived to the height of his honour: wherefore, perhaps, this psalm was penned between his being made king over Judah, and his being made king over all the tribes; but, be it as it may, the design of it is to show his resolutions, how he would behave as a king in his court, and as a master in his family; so that it is very instructive to kings and civil magistrates, and to parents and masters of families: and as David was a type of Christ, he seems, throughout the whole, to represent him; and, indeed, there are some things in it which agree with none so well as with him; such as behaving wisely, in a perfect way, and walking in his house with a perfect heart; not suffering any evil thing to cleave unto him, and knowing none, and the like.

Cross References

• 1. 101:1 [Ex. 34:7]
• 2. 101:2 [Ps. 4:4]
• 3. 101:2 Ps. 119:1; Prov. 11:20; [Matt. 5:48]
• 4. 101:2 [Ex. 20:24; John 14:23]
• 5. 101:2 1 Kgs. 9:4
• 6. 101:2 Ps. 78:72
• 7. 101:3 Deut. 15:9
• 8. 101:3 See Ps. 40:4
• 9. 101:4 Prov. 11:20; 17:20
• 10. 101:4 [1 Cor. 5:11]
• 11. 101:5 Ps. 15:3
• 12. 101:5 ver. 8
• 13. 101:5 Ps. 18:27; 131:1; Prov. 6:17; 21:4; 30:13
• 14. 101:5 Prov. 16:5
• 15. 101:6 Ps. 119:1; Prov. 11:20; [Matt. 5:48]