THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

CI: Maintaining Effective Righteousness In An Administration

(Psalm 101:1-8)

I. Introduction

A. One of the big challenges those in oversight in human institutions face today are problem people in their administrations, folk who are unrighteous and whose efforts and attitudes undermine the administration.

B. Psalm 101:1-8 records David's efforts before the Lord to provide for an effective administration in his court that God would bless, so we view it for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. Maintaining Effective Righteousness In An Administration, Psalm 101:1-8.

A. The introductory remark of this psalm comprises the first part of the first verse in the Hebrew text (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1061), so we stay with the English Bible's numbering system.

B. Accordingly, we translate Psalm 101:1-8 (as follows):

1. "I will sing of Your loyal love and justice; to You (emph. pron.), O Jahweh, will I sing praise," Psa. 101:1.

2. "I will give attention to a blameless path -- when will You come to me? I will walk in my house with a blameless heart," Psalm 101:2.

3. "No vile plan, purpose will I set before my eyes. I hate to do deeds that apostasize, it will not cling to me," Psalm 101:3.

4. "Men with a twisted, perverse heart will be far from me; I will not know (tolerate) this evil," Psalm 101:4.

5. "I will put to silence him whoever slanders his neighbor in secret; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him (emph. pron.) I will not endure," Psalm 101:5.

6. "My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me (in my court); he whose walk is blameless, he (emph. pron.) will serve (minister for) me (king David)," Psalm 101:6.

7. "No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand conspicuously before my eyes (in my court)," Psalm 101:7.

8. "At the mornings (early and constantly, Joseph A. Alexander, The Psalms, 1975, p. 408) will I put to silence all of the wicked in the land; every worker of iniquity will I cut off from the city of Jahweh," v. 8.

C. We note important observations about this psalm (as follows):

1. In his administration that he desired God to bless, David as overseer (king) exalted God's grace (loyal love) and justice, what qualities he sought to apply in his own life and administration as king, Psalm 101:1.

2. He thus tried to walk blamelessly before the Lord in his personal life first (Psalm 101:2a) that he might enjoy God's personal fellowship (Psalm 101:2b) followed by his walking blamelessly in his own home (Psalm 101:2c). Thus, an upright administrator focuses on God's grace and justice, then seeks to apply these qualities to his personal and home life with his family.

3. After that, when it came to his royal court (administration), David sought to avoid vile plans, and apostate departures from the Lord in his personal conduct as king, Psalm 101:3.

4. This was followed by David's not tolerating people in his court who (a) were twisted or perverse in heart, who had wicked intentions that would undermine righteousness in his administration, Psalm 101:4. (b) He would not tolerate slanderers who undermined the reputations of co-workers (Psalm 101:5a) nor (c) would he tolerate proud people who were unteachable or not submissive to him or to the Lord, Psalm 101:5b. David would not tolerate (d) those who practiced deceit or who lied, Psalm 101:7. Finally, (e) he would early and constantly ("at the mornings") punish all the wicked in his realm, Psalm 101:8.

5. Conversely, David would seek to have people (a) who were faithful, reliable (Psalm 101:6a) and who had (b) a blameless, upright record of conduct (Psalm 101:6b) to minister as servants in his court.

Lesson: For God's blessing on his administration and for its own efficiency, David praised God's grace and justice, making it the model for his life and adminstration, and he sought to walk righteously in his personal and family life as precedents for functioning in his court as king. In his court, David watched that he obeyed the Lord in his own conduct as king first while then not tolerating and removing perverted, slanderous, deceitful and wicked people both early and constantly while seeking to appoint faithful, reliable and blameless people in his court.

Application: May we who lead in the administration of a human institution heed David's example in how he ran his life and court, and may we who vote for administrators over us choose those who align with David's example.