REGENTENSPIEGEL

Several weeks ago I read Psalm 101 with perhaps a little more attention than usual, since I found things that I have not noticed before. That is one of the wonders of God's Word, the more you look into it the more you see. As the verses began to come together, I realized that David was promising God that his rule, his administration if you want to bring it into our modern democratic language, was going to be founded upon a righteous ethic. Always thinking as a teacher, I immediately dubbed the Psalm "Ethics 101".  It was probably written early in the reign of David, certainly before Bathsheba, and he was zealous to be well pleasing to God. 

This Psalm is interesting historically because it became a practice to send it to the kings and princes of Europe whenever they began to fall short in the area of proper conduct. (see endnote) In fact Martin Luther, who had a very deep relationship with the princes of 16th century Germany called Psalm 101 ein Regentenspiegel "a Mirror for Rulers". 

I could not help thinking back to the beginnings of the administration now in power in Washington, D.C. Even before taking office, while plodding the campaign trail, William Jefferson Clinton did exactly the same thing as David, declaring that his administration, unlike those nasty pharisees, Bush and Reagan - (Clinton's view, not mine) - would be characterized by the highest moral standards in the history of the Republic! He also said that his appointments to office would be an Amerikanerspiegel "A Reflection of America". That joke is beyond Psalm 101 and this article. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest magistrate of all?" "It must be Snow White honey cause it sure ain't y'all“

Well, the president can take heart in one thing. David did not always conduct himself according to the lofty intentions that motivated this Psalm. He paid the price too. At least David consistently held to the objective, even if his aim was sometimes off. (Missing the mark). May our President come around at last to the place where his actions equal his words. This is very important, and David recognized that the mood of his country was signified by the moral and spiritual condition of his capital city.  To reverse the famous motto of Harry Truman, "The Buck Starts Here" the 'buck' representing revival.

Psalm 101 reads as follows in the King James Version.

            1. A Psalm of David. 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 suf-

fer. 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.

Notice:           

In verse 1 David reveals the motivation for his promises, namely the bittersweet nature of "Mercy" and "Judgment". (cf. James 2:13) God is constant in His loving-kindness, HESED in the Hebrew (see Strong's Dictionary #2617) and full of justice MISHPAT (see Strong’s Dictionary #4941) David must express these sentiments in song.

In verse 2 he will personalize his intentions first of all.  He will also apply them in the place in which it is most difficult to stand firm, in his own household. The phrase "when will You come?"  is open to debate but probably refers to David's desire to see the Ark of the Covenant returned or perhaps it is simply an expression of the cry of the heart for communion with God.  In either case he wants the light of God's presence upon his life 

In verses 3, 4, 5,  and 7 we find the declaration that those who are intent upon evil will find no welcome with this king. Many of the abuses and sins of both public and private life are listed.

In verse 6  Contrariwise, David will seek out the faithful to fill his court.

In verse 8 David will diligently, day after day, weed out the evildoers. Jerusalem, standing for the whole land, will have no place for such as cannot refrain from those things that are displeasing to God. Many years later, when king Solomon and the kings         of the divided kingdom were history,  Jeremiah the prophet by a Word from God, would restate the blueprint by which any nation may, if only they would, secure the blessings      of God. 

  At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation,
and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up,
and to pull down, and to destroy it;

If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and
concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I
will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
Jer. 18:7-10

Is America at Jer. 18:7 or 18:9? Oh how we could use some leaders who know how to face the "Mirror". There are such men out there, some are even in place as I write. Do your part by praying for your government that God would send revival. Do not forget to let the revival start with you. Remember also that "Revival means ReBible"  Start yours today.

                                                                                                            Hayden

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Ernest the Pious, Duke of Saxe-Gotha, b.1601, d.1675, relates that he sent an unfaithful

minister a copy of the 101st Psalm, and that it became a proverb in the country, when an official

had done anything wrong: He will certainly soon receive the prince's Psalm to read.