“A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes. Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.” Psalm 101:4-8
Devotional Thought For The Day
Continuing and concluding our consideration of this “Monarch’s Psalm,” we find David asserting correct values and also affirming the correct goal of civil law and those responsible to impose it. He especially focuses on three grievous aspects of our sinful nature: perversity and inclination to evil; slander and deceit and lying with the goal of secretly destroying one’s neighbor by destroying his reputation; and pride, arrogance, and haughty posturing. The role of duly constituted authority toward such evil is first personal commitment to what is good and right, second, encouragement of those who “walk in the way that is blameless,” and third, rejection and punishment of those who remain committed to evildoing and wickedness. Again, he is not focused upon those who repent and return to God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness – although civil law, crime and punishment, still applies to believers, children of God. Rather, he is focused upon those who remain committed to evil, treachery, and unseemly pride and arrogance – especially those who are proud of their wickedness. These people he is committed to destroying or at the least expelling from the nation, and he will not endure their presence in his house or even before his eyes.
So, we might ask how David did in performing his obligations as a ruler and monarch over Israel. He certainly imposed some justice, a great deal of it on his enemies, but there were curious lapses of consistency when it came to himself, to his family, and to those who were close to him and fiercely loyal to him. Needless to say, these personal weaknesses caused problems – as with the case of Absalom, David’s beloved son, who took vengeance on David’s other son Amnon [upon whom David did not impose justice] and killed him, and who subsequently stole the loyalty to David of the citizens and started a rebellion and civil war in Israel. [2 Sam. 13-18] Yes, David paid bitterly for these inconsistencies – though his heart remained soft and tender with love even toward those who had turned traitor toward him and harmed him. At the end of his reign and near the end of his life, as he turned power over to Solomon, David remanded two cases of delayed justice into Solomon’s hand [1 Kings 2:1-9]. Yet, regardless of how we might judge all of these things, God spoke this about David: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” [Acts 13:22]
This does not mean that David didn’t sin, or that David was perfect in his behavior, his judgments, or his rule. It does mean that David remained repentant, and continued on in friendship with God, putting full faith and trust in God’s mercy, forgiveness, and gracious love. He generally remained quite humble, in spite of the great accomplishments God enabled him to perform. Generally, he remained quite honest and forthright in his relationship with God and also with others. This is what made him a man after God’s heart, as exhibited by his own mercy, forgiveness, and love toward others – including especially Saul. And while there were times that he perhaps failed in doing God’s will, ultimately he got it right, persevering in his life of sanctification, and remaining committed to doing what was right – as we see in his instructions to Solomon.
This is the pattern that we are to use in our own lives of faith and trust in God and devotion to Him as His servants. We are to remain in repentance and faith in God’s gracious mercy and love – His redemption and salvation accomplished for us by Jesus, His only-begotten Son. We are to remain committed to performing God’s will, to doing all that is good, right, and proper. We are to be careful and discerning in our oversight of those committed to our care – showing kindness, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love to the repentant, and not eager to punish and expel others. However, when incorrigibility and stubborn commitment to perversity, slander, lies, arrogance, and haughtiness becomes apparent, then we must take a stand and impose the judgment of God’s Word – in hope that this will perhaps recall these misguided folks back to repentance. We do so with humility and integrity, lest we also be tempted and fall. And for those outside of our authority, we humbly remand them both to God’s mercy and love, and also to His judgment. God grant that it might be said of us, that we also are people after God’s heart, who will do all of His will in our lives.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, we recognize our own weaknesses, our sin and our fallibility in judgment, and also our temptations to slander, lies, haughtiness and feigned arrogance. You have forgiven us, and cleansed away all our guilt and shame. Keep us in humble repentance, and true knowledge of Your love. By Your strong and precious love move us to greater compassion and kindness, and also greater backbone in dealing with the incorrigibly wicked. Help us to accomplish Your will in all our living. Amen.