Psalm 101: The Model Kingdom

 Excellence in Ruling

The author of this Psalm is King David. Psalm 101 is a Royal Psalm in the form of a deceleration of commitment, a solemn promise, an Ancient Near Eastern vow, or a covenant. This psalm displays the model king with a model administration. This psalm may have been used at the coronation of some of the kings of Judah. The King was to serve in the theocracy of Israel under the Word of God (Deut 17:14–20) and under Yahweh himself as a vice president under the CEO of a corporation. Many Bible students note that King David failed in the very areas he writes about in this psalm. This psalm describes the true model king and kingdom, that only Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah can and will fulfill. This will be significantly evident at His next coming and during the millennial reign of the Messiah.  David knew he was not speaking of His own characteristics in the psalm, but of the decedent promised in the Davidic covenant to rule forever on David’s throne. He was able to see beyond his own failure and sin to the righteous administration of the Messiah of Israel and David’s redeemer, Jesus of Nazareth, the eternal Son of God who became fully man about 4 B.C. at Bethlehem. 

  I. The righteous King’s Commitment to God’s Kingdom (vs. 1–3a)

     A. The King’s motive for intense loyalty is the covenant love (Hesed) and righteous                                 judgements that produce true justice by the emperor, Yahweh

     B. The major requirement of the lesser party in a covenant is loyalty to the superior party

     C. The king and the people were bound to God by covenant in Israel and to each other

     D. Justice requires the king to punish the wicked and reward the righteous

     E. Yahweh’s keeping His covenantal promises causes the king to sing and praise God

     F. The righteous King is going to follow the path of wisdom as stated in Proverbs

He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of conduct will die. (Prov 19:16 NASB)    

     G. Jesus alone was able to live a life blameless before the Moral, Civil, and Ceremonial law

Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears, but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips.  Righteousness and faithfulness will be a belt around His waist. (Isa 11:1-5 HCSB)

     H. His question shows the king’s dependence on God

     I. His life show integrity and that all those around him practice steadfast love and justice

     J. A godly leader is blameless before God and in his house. The king's house is the palace                  where the business of the kingdom is conducted. His officials are there with him.

        1. David’s fall to adultery was at the palace

        2. David’s plan to kill Uriah was at the palace

        3. He is knowledgeably writing of the Davidic king to come, Jesus

     K. The king’s oath to Yahweh is that his administration will have unreproachable integrity

     L. Loyalty to the covenant involves faith, obedience, and pursuing righteousness

     M. The king vows to have nothing to do with (the Belial thing) any wicked, evil, perverted                     person, object, or spirit. His rule’s conduct will be opposite of Satan’s

 II. The righteous King’s hatred of evil (vs. 3b–5)        

     A. The godly leader stays away from evil in any form. He has a pure mind, heart, and                    associates. 

     B. To love righteousness one must hate sin. The righteous king hates disloyalty, betrayals, and                faithlessness.

    C. The king will have to sentence the wicked rather than copy them

 Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. (1Cor 15:33 TNIV)

    D. The righteous king will silence the slanders and bring strong judgment on the proud

    E. King Jesus is concerned with heart attitudes and actions done in secret

    F. Slander, greed, pride, gossip, and false witness display the inner depravity and wicked                         hearts of men. The king vows to punish these sins fully. These sins cause the death of others

   G. “Silencing” and “not enduring” are legal acts by the king/judge

III. The righteous King’s love for God’s people (vs. 6)

     A. The king will protect the faithful, loyal, blameless, and righteous in the land 

     B. The king’s cabinet will be chosen from the faithful and blameless

     C. These are the opposite people from those in vs. 8, so these are humble, truth tellers, wise,                    honest, loyal, loving, peacemakers

     D. See Psalm 15

     E. Wise leaders surround themselves with the best and most capable men

IV. The righteous King’s detestation of evil (vs. 7)

     A. The king will maintain his integrity and not allow liar to have ruling power

     B. The choice to surround yourself with people of integrity is a choice to exclude those who                 do not obey God’s moral law

     C. Deceptive, greedy, dishonest, disloyal, promise breakers cannot be on the king’s cabinet

     D. No matter how talented or intelligent, a man lacking integrity cannot serve in a righteous                king's court (Prov 29:12)

V. The righteous King’s Commitment to Justice (vs. 8) 

     A. The King vows to administer justice every day by removing the wicked from the land

     B. Jerusalem is to be a city of righteousness, so the wicked and evildoers must be judged

     C. The city of Yahweh is to a city of righteousness, so breakers of God’s moral laws must be                 removed and their reign of terror ended

Lessons to live by:

• The king must make a serious commitment to God. How serious is your commitment?

• Integrity is more important that talent or intellect. Telling the truth about others is vital.

• Like 1 Tim 3 is a snapshot of a spiritually mature Christian man, this chapter presents a model of a godly leader, but especially the Lord Jesus the Messiah of Israel

• Truth telling and knowing when not to speak is an important virtue

• Loyalty is also a key element in the new covenant. Faith, trust, obedience, love, commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ is not optional for a real believer