Psalm Chapter 101 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
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.
More Psalms Chapter 101 (Old Testament, King James Bible)
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.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 101:2
Verse: אֶשְׁפְּטָה בְּתָמִים דֶּרֶךְ
Transliteration: Eshp’tah b’tamim derekh
English: “I will ponder the way that is blameless; when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart.”
Focus Word: תָּמִים (Tamim)
- Root: ת-מ-מ (Tav-Mem-Mem)
- Meaning: “Blameless,” “perfect,” “wholehearted.”
- Deeper Insight: Tamim conveys moral integrity and completeness, emphasizing righteous living before God.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning / Morphology | Scholarly Notes (3 Sentences + Source) |
|---|---|---|---|
| חֶסֶד — chesed | Verse 1 — “I will sing of mercy and justice…” | “Mercy,” covenant love. | Chesed (“mercy”) expresses steadfast covenant loyalty rooted in God’s nature. It implies relational commitment not dependent on human merit. The term establishes the Psalm’s ethical and devotional framework. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| מִשְׁפָּט — mishpat | Verse 1 — “…and justice…” | “Justice,” judgment, right order. | Mishpat (“justice”) denotes God’s moral order applied to human conduct. It stands for principled governance and ethical equity. The term links divine character with righteous ruling. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Psalms |
| הַשְׂכִּיל — haskil | Verse 2 — “I will behave wisely…” | “To act wisely,” prudently. | Haskil (“to act wisely”) signifies intelligent, discerning conduct shaped by moral insight. It connects wisdom with ethical action. The verb frames the king’s aspiration toward integrity. — C. F. Keil, Biblical Commentary |
| דֶּרֶךְ — derekh | Verse 2 — “…in a perfect way.” | “Way,” path, moral course. | Derekh (“way”) conveys a settled pattern of conduct. It reflects chosen direction rather than isolated choices. The word anchors David’s pursuit of integrity. — Gesenius, Lexicon |
| תָּמִים — tamim | Verse 2 — “…a perfect way.” | “Blameless,” complete, morally whole. | Tamim (“blameless”) signifies moral wholeness without divided allegiance. It expresses integrity rather than sinlessness. The term defines the expected standard for covenant leaders. — Delitzsch, Commentary |
| לֵב — lev | Verse 2 — “…with a perfect heart.” | “Heart,” inner being. | Lev (“heart”) refers to the seat of thought, will, and moral intention. It emphasizes inward purity above outward performance. The term centers ethical sincerity as the root of righteous behavior. — Keil, Commentary |
| בְּקֶרֶב — beqerev | Verse 2 — “…within my house.” | “Within,” inner midst. | Beqerev (“within”) focuses on integrity practiced in private spheres. It highlights consistency between public and private life. The term reinforces holistic righteousness. — Gesenius, Lexicon |
| רָע — ra | Verse 3 — “I will set no wicked thing before my eyes…” | “Wicked,” harmful, morally evil. | Ra (“evil”) indicates moral corruption or destructive influence. David rejects any association with corrupt practices. The term underscores a proactive stance toward purity. — Strong, Hebrew Dictionary |
| סוּר — sur | Verse 4 — “A perverse heart shall depart from me…” | “To turn aside,” depart. | Sur (“to depart”) denotes removal or separation from something harmful. It expresses decisive moral distancing. The verb affirms David’s effort to purge corruption. — Keil, Commentary |
| דִּבָּה — dibbah | Verse 5 — “Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor…” | “Slander,” defamation, whispering. | Dibbah (“slander”) refers to destructive whispering intended to harm reputation. It conveys subtle, covert malice. The term reveals the moral seriousness of speech. — Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 101 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Scott (University of Edinburgh, 1747–1821) | Commentary on the Holy Bible | Scott sees the Psalm as a declaration of moral resolve and faithful governance in life. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Owen stresses personal integrity, showing how upright conduct reflects devotion to God. |
| George Buchanan (St Andrews / Paris, 1506–1582) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Buchanan emphasizes ethical leadership and the rejection of wickedness as central themes. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Commitment to righteousness fosters both personal holiness and community stability. |
| John Brown (Edinburgh, 1722–1787) | Self-Interpreting Bible | Brown presents the Psalm as a model for disciplined, God-centered living. |
More On This Psalm: Commentary From Biblical Scholars
| Scholar | Paraphrase of the psalm |
|---|---|
| Charles Hodge (Princeton University, 1797–1878, Commentary on the Psalms) | Hodge sees this psalm as expressing the king’s commitment to live a righteous life and reject evil. |
| John Kitto (University of London, 1804–1854, Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature) | Kitto emphasizes that the psalm teaches integrity and moral discipline for those in positions of authority. |
| Alexander Maclaren (University of Manchester, 1826–1910, Expositions of Holy Scripture) | Maclaren points out that the psalm highlights the importance of justice and faithfulness in leadership. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751, Family Expositor) | The psalm, Doddridge notes, calls for personal holiness and vigilance against wicked behavior. |
| George Adam Smith (University of Aberdeen, 1856–1942, The Book of Psalms, Commentary) | Smith interprets the psalm as encouraging leaders to uphold God’s standards and protect the faithful. |
| Scholar & Work | View |
|---|---|
| John Calvin – Commentary on the Psalms | Calvin sees the psalm as David’s pledge to rule with integrity. The king vows to purge evil from his house. Personal holiness is essential for leadership. |
| Matthew Henry – Exposition on the Psalms | Henry interprets the psalm as a model for righteous leadership. David commits to uprightness. Wickedness has no place in his administration. |
| Albert Barnes – Notes on the Psalms | Barnes views the psalm as expressing resolutions to maintain purity and justice. David refuses association with deceitful men. His commitment reflects devotion to God. |
| John Morison – Practical Exposition of the Psalms | Morison sees the psalm as the ethical foundation of godly governance. David pledges personal integrity. His rule reflects divine standards. |
| William Walford – Commentary on the Psalms | Walford interprets the psalm as a royal commitment to righteousness. Deceit and slander are rejected. God’s standards govern the palace. |
| Andrew A. Bonar – Christ and His Church in the Psalms | Bonar views the psalm spiritually as Christ’s righteous administration. Holiness governs His house. Evil cannot remain in His presence. |
| Joseph Parker – People’s Bible Notes | Parker sees the psalm as the king’s vow of purity. Character matters for leadership. God honors integrity. |
| Thomas Dale – Exposition of the Psalms | Dale interprets the psalm as a declaration of moral resolve. David commits to purity of heart and surroundings. Justice frames his reign. |
| Horatius Bonar – Psalm Meditations | Bonar views the psalm as the believer’s commitment to righteous living. Evil is excluded from fellowship. Holiness reflects devotion to God. |
| Christopher Wordsworth – Commentary on the Psalms | Wordsworth interprets the psalm as the Church aspiring to purity in conduct. God desires truth in inward parts. Leadership reflects God’s righteousness. |
Psalms Chapter 101 Devotional: Have No Relationship With The Wicked
Thought for the day: Never join with the wicked
Message:
Our bible reading today shows that God hates the wicked and the wickedness, the prayer that the psalmist prayed in verse two caught my attention:
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.
I will behave myself intelligently and perfectly; he understood that he must despise what God despises and love what God loves, and we can see him promising God that no evil will be able to stand before him and God.
The Lord swore to cut off whoever slanders his neighbour, demonstrating how much He despises wickedness. I implore you, do not join the wicked in doing evil, so that God's anger does not fall on you. Another scripture to consider:
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.
This also demonstrates what will happen to the wicked and man's wickedness; the bible mentions an untimely death for them if they do not repent; not only that, but the bible also states that the wicked shall not appear in His presence; the truth is that if you are not with God, you are with the devil; check your heart today to see if you have not been wicked against someone; repent of your ways and return to Jesus.
My Counsel
Ø Watch your thought and your way, no wicked will stand before God
Ø Never join the wicked to do evil
Psalms 101 Declaration
Father, search me, if there be iniquity in me, forgive me and help me to be holy in Jesus' name.
I refuse to join the wicked in his wickedness, I will stand for Christ, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Hope you enjoyed Psalms Chapter 101 from the King James Bible.
