The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 101
In brief
Psalm 101 is David's resolution to walk with integrity of heart within his house. He decides to set nothing wicked before his eyes, to refuse slander and pride, to look for the faithful in the land and to turn away the liar. For believers, it invites us to examine first our private life, our gaze and our company.
The chapter in 3 parts
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 arrogant 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.
Key verses
I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, Yahweh, I will sing praises.
The resolution begins with praise. David sings of God's goodness and justice before speaking of his own conduct, and it is to God that he addresses his commitment.
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.
Integrity is lived first within one's own house. The psalmist does not want to be blameless in public only, he starts with the space where no one is watching.
I will set no vile thing before my eyes. I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me.
Setting nothing wicked before his eyes: the gaze is recognized as a door. The psalmist makes a decision about what he chooses to look at.
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.
The king looks for faithful people of upright conduct to make them his collaborators. The choice of those around us matters.
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 101
What does Psalm 101 mean?
Psalm 101 is a king's commitment to walk with integrity: to reject evil, slander and pride, and to surround himself with faithful people. It does not speak of acquired perfection but of a commitment made before God. It is a mirror for every leader, parent or manager, about the consistency between private life and mission.
Who wrote Psalm 101?
The title attributes it to David. The text is written in the first person by a king who wants to govern justly, and he asks the question When will you come to me? in verse 2. Some readers see in it the early days of his reign, when he brings the ark to Jerusalem, but the text does not say so.
How do you pray Psalm 101?
Take it as an examination of conscience. Read each resolution, ask yourself what it says about your gaze, your words and your company, then ask God to help you walk in integrity at home. Notice that David commits himself before God and with the help of his grace, not by the sheer force of his will.
Articles quoting Psalm 101
World English Bible translation — public domain.