Psalms 101

Chapter context

What is happening in Psalms 101?

prayerpraiselamentkingship

Psalms 101 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book IV. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

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. 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.

Study helps

Glossary

City People v. 8: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).