Maranatha Baptist Church
Psalm 101
  • All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name

      • Matthew 5:1-5ESV

      • Matthew 5:6-9ESV

      • Matthew 5:10-12ESV

  • Crown Him With Many Crowns
  • When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

      • Psalms 101:1-3ESV

      • Psalms 101:4-6ESV

      • Psalms 101:7-8ESV

  • In case you were not with us in previous years, when we have looked at the Psalms, or if you may have forgotten, the Psalms have an interesting structure that we often taken for granted.
    So I want to give a quick bit of context for the book over all. The Book of Psalms, or the Psalter, is a song book. God has divinely inspired 150 songs to which we should sing and pray back to him.
    This book is made up of 5 books. The Psalms were written by various different people, over about 900 years. The earliest Psalms written by Moses is Psalm 90 - the latest Psalm seems to have been written about 500 years before the birth of Christ. The individual books were likely compiled by different people at different times.
    Book 1: Psalm 1-41 Book 2: Psalm 42-72 Book 3: Psalm 73-89 Book 4: Psalm 90-106 Book 5: Psalm 107-150
    If you have been here for our Summer Psalms series previously, then some of this might sound familiar to you.
    If not, then as a quick overview: the first two books are the Psalms of David, book three is the dark book filled with lament that details the splitting of the Kingdom of Israel into the Northern and Southern kingdoms, the collapse of both of those kingdoms, the destruction of the first temple, and the exile from the land.
    Today we pick up in the middle of book 4. So while book three was likely compiled during and shortly after the 70 years in Babylon. Books 4 and 5, were most likely compiled by Nehemiah and Ezra while rebuilding the wall, the temple, the city, and the people. In the rebuilding of the people, they need to instruct them in manners of worship and theology. And that is a primary function of the Psalms - even still today. Books 4 and 5, heavily respond to the questions that come out of the lament and sorrow of Book 3.
    Specifically:
    Where is God in the midst of our suffering? How will God be faithful to his promises? How will God be faithful to send a Davidic King, whose reign will never end, when there is no monarchy? What will this Kingdom look like?
    The focus of Psalm 101 is on the reign of the King, and how this reign extends over conduct, life, worship and edicts of the Messiah. In other words, what the Good King, and his Kingdom look like.
    It is easy to breeze past the superscription of the Psalms, but A PSALM OF DAVID is important here. We remember David as being the King of Israel. The man after God’s own heart. He’s remembered as Israel’s greatest king. This, alongside, the nature of the comments made in the text are how wee understand that this is not just a personal psalm, but a Kingly Psalm.
    As we read through this Psalm we see David making various assertions of what ought to occur in his kingdom. Some have suggested that this Psalm may have been written by David, before he becomes King. So as he is witnessing Saul royally screw up, he reflects on the word and promises of God and pens this Psalm. Now whether David wrote this before or during his reign as King is really of no consequence… However,
    The problem is that David ends up writing about a king better than himself.
    This is clear if you have any familiarity with David’s life. Because while he was a mostly good king - he was certainly not a perfect king.
    Some have suggested that this Psalm could have been written as an archetype for what a righteous king should look like and may have been sung at the coronation of following kings. What is clear is that at the time that book 4 of the Psalms was compiled it already had an understanding of being a Messianic Psalm.
    However, when David writes this Psalm he is speaking of how the office of the King should operate. And yet, even the best of the kings of Israel and Judah reigned in this manner. This psalm leads us to look forward to the Kingdom of Christ.
    The Psalm itself speaks of the advancement of holy living, and the punishment of evil. The first four verses speak of a King who looks a lot like the blessed man in Psalm 1. He ponders the way that is blameless. He walks with integrity. He protects what he looks at. He doesn’t set anything worthless before his eyes.
    It is in the first 4 verses that David speaks of the King’s Character.

    The King’s Character

    Now, David begins with a call to worship. Verse one speaks of singing of steadfast love and justice. He opens his psalm to demonstrate that a righteous kingdom should be filled with the holy praise of God. Psalm 101:1
    Psalm 101:1 ESV
    1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.
    He sings of God’s mercy and God’s justice. The King himself, and the Kingdom is filled with songs that proclaim the works of God. Upon meditating on the character of God - he will sing of that - and that will influence how he will reign as King.
    The Kingdom of God is shaped by the steadfast love and justice of God.
    The King should be the example for the people. So as the King of Israel would by conduct lead the people in the right and proper worship of God.
    And following that verses 2-4, we read of the conduct that the
    Yet when we look at David, Solomon, Jeroboam/Rehoboam, Josiah, Hezekiah, Uzziah, etc. we see kings who all fell short in someway or another. Even the best of them, fell short.
    So our eyes should be drawn to look at Christ. The same for the reader who is seeing this Psalm following the exile. They look at this Psalm wondering where the Messiah is.
    Where is this King that will indeed ponder the way that is blameless? Where is this truly blameless King? It’s not David who stole another man’s wife, and refused to properly punish Amnon in 2 Samuel 13, or Absalom in the same text and following.
    And verse 2 leads contains an interesting question. And interruption in the Psalm itself. I will think of what is blameless…
    In the first section of this chapter, we see of the King’s Character.
    Psalm 101:2–4 ESV
    2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; 3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
    “When will you come to me?” When will the Lord come? And he came the first time and died as a suffering servant, being crowned as King as he was crucified. And now we ask the same question with different expectation. We wait for Jesus’ return. When he will usher in his kingdom with a perfect fulfillment of what king David aspires to here.
    And this is followed up with a bit of irony. I will walk with integrity of heart within my house. And yet it was within David’s house where his greatest occurred. He was home when he saw Bathsheba. It from his home that he greatest shortcomings came from.
    And yet this also demonstrates to us the further importance of the private life of the king. But also the significance of what every Christian does when no one is watching. What happens in the privacy of one’s home doesn’t stay there for long. I’ve said before that the children are a window into the home. We see that clearly with David. It is no coincidence that the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11-12, is followed by his sons committing even more evil sins without repentance in 2 Samuel 13. If you’re not familiar with what I am referring to, I would encourage you to read those three chapters. Simply saying the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
    And unfortunately, as we read this Psalm and see these statements from David, it continues to be a sobering reminder of all his failures. But I do not want to continue to harp on how David fell short. Because certainly so did all his successors. David had 4 wives, but Solomon had 700 and 300 concubines. And as we continue through the Davidic Dynasty they don’t get much better. But even when they do - they are not perfect. But the point of this text, and this sermon are not that David is sinful man. We know that. The point is that there is a King who has done this perfectly. That is King Jesus.
    And in light The Good King’s perfect obedience. And that he has taken our place by humbling himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. He is a king who came to serve. a King who came to save.
    And we should follow his example.
    We should walk with integrity in our own home. Not to earn our salvation - but because Christ has already done that through his death and resurrection - and calls his disciples to holy living. And when he returns to full bring his kingdom this is the expectation. So we practice that holiness now.
    Verses 1-4 dealt with the King’s Character. Primarily focusing on how he acts in private. In short, character matters… especially when you are referring to a leader. And 5-8, deal with

    The King’s Command

    In these following verses we read of decrees that the king will made to ensure the purity and righteousness of the kingdom. The decrees that are discussed in verses 5-8 are a demonstration of the God-appointed purpose of government that we read in Romans 13. That the government should be a terror to bad conduct.
    This is why in verse 5, David states that slanderers ought to be destroyed, and that he will not endure the arrogant.
    Psalm 101:5 ESV
    5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
    And on the contrary verse 6 speaks of building up the faithful and the righteous
    Psalm 101:6 ESV
    6 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.
    Further, demonstrating what is prescribed in Romans 13. To be a terror to evil, and a blessing to the righteous. But this also demonstrates that the righteous ruler should be surrounded by righteous people. That the blameless should minister to the King - and Nathan’s ministering to David, by rebuking him following his sin with Bathsheba is an example of where David did this well. Because David had a righteous man in his court, he was able to confront him concerning his sin.
    And in these verses, as well as the following two we see the King’s Role as judge. This is one of the main reasons why we cannot merely make this into a to do list for us. We don’t have the authority to judge in the manner that King David aspires to… nor ultimately, the manner in which King Jesus doesn.
    Psalm 101:7–8 ESV
    7 No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes. 8 Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.
    We don’t get to destroy the evildoers from the city of the Lord.
    However, That does not mean that this text doesn’t have any application for us. Jesus is the King who is looked to in this passage. Jesus is the king who lives in perfect fulfillment of the character of the King here, but also that he will perfectly command righteous living among his people. And this is what is happening in the Kingdom of God.
    The Kingdom of God is partially realized within the church. The church is not the kingdom of God - but in the church the kingdom of God is recognized, proclaimed, and the rule of Christ is upheld and followed. We are part of the kingdom of God, but we are not all of the kingdom of God.
    The Kingdom of God is part of that already/not yet tension of Scripture. The Kingdom of God is already here, but it is not yet fully here. Meaning that the reign of Christ is not fully extended in the way that it will be one day.
    Jesus is King. But the creation still groans for its renewal. Jesus is King, he is seated on his throne. Risen and reigning. But we still long for the day when he returns to gather his people to himself, and his eternal kingdom will be unthreatened as he makes his enemies into his footstool.
    The Realized Kingdom of God will be one where never-ending praise of God will endure, justice will prevail, sin will be eradicated - and unthinkable, love of neighbor will the law of the land, and the wicked will be cut off - and unable to come into the kingdom.
    While we should be careful not to make this a checklist of what we should do or how we should act this should be how the church operates. Because Jesus is King - we should as his followers live in a manner that is in response to his reign. These are the laws of the land.
    Christianity is not that we have been saved by grace, so we can do whatever we want. Christianity is that we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, so we should live in a manner worthy of the king.
    The invitation to the Kingdom of God is not turning this text into a checklist to make God pleased. Those who enter the city of God, do so by entering through the gates.
    Those who as Revelation 22:14 states:
    Revelation 22:14 ESV
    14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
    Wash their robes in the blood of the lamb.
    Only through faith in Jesus Christ, as Lord, as the Good King to whom all of Scripture points us to - can one be granted the right to eternal life.
    The Good King that this text points us to is the one not only perfectly lived out the righteous conduct of verses 1-4, but also who willing gave up his life, by taking on the cross, and taking the place of the wicked. We each deserve the punishment of the wicked that is spoken of in verses 7 and 8. Yet King Jesus took that punishment in our place. And in exchange, he gifts those who believe in him his righteousness. We are welcomed in to the city of the Lord, though our deeds earned us being cut off - his deeds bring us salvation.
    Reflection Questions
    How does this text draw your attention to King Jesus?
    Do your actions reflect that of your king?

      • Psalm 101:1ESV

      • Psalm 101:2–4ESV

      • Psalm 101:5ESV

      • Psalm 101:6ESV

      • Psalm 101:7–8ESV

      • Revelation 22:14ESV

  • Redeemed

      • Psalm 102ESV

Maranatha Baptist Church
info@mbcglobe.org
http://www.mbcglobe.org
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