THE PINK PSALM
Psalm 101: 1-8
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A PRESBYTERIAN PSALTER - by Pastor Max A Forsythe |
Our psalm today is a royal proclamation concerning whom the King of Israel, even David, would have serve Him in his royal household. There are three times in David's life when this psalm could have been most appropriate. First, it could have been composed immediately after the death of Saul when David succeeded to the government of a part of the kingdom. The second, could have been when the whole kingdom was again united under the dominion of David. The third possibility is the removal of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.
This psalm has been given various titles according to the application of the message contained. At the family level, it has been called the Householder's Psalm. The notion here concerns the regulation of the family and servants who are to be trained in righteousness by the example of the Father. At the national level, this psalm has been called "The Mirror for Magistrates" as a means of determining who will be allowed to serve the nation's King. In this sense, Ernest the Pious who was once Duke of Saxe-Gotha, invented what we would call a pink slip which might appear in the pay check of a person let go from their position. It is recorded that on several occasions the Duke would send a hand written copy of this psalm to unfaithful employees. It even became a proverb in that area of Germany that when an official would do something wrong he must soon receive the prince's Psalm to read diligently! At the heavenly level, this psalm may celebrate the present rule of the Lord and King Jesus Christ in our very own hearts while we prepare ourselves for eventual entry into His eternal kingdom.
The psalm falls into two main parts. In the first part, King David lays down the rule of his own conduct, and in the second part declares war against faithless followers. His ambition is to have God's own city worthy of its true King, prepared for His eventual rule whenever He decides to come and dwell in it. In verse one the singer declares his purpose for his whole life. He begins by promising to praise God for both His love and His justice. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once reflected upon the terrible misery inflicted upon him by the communists for thirty years. Later in life, he was able to dismiss that misery and suffering as necessary to discipline him in righteousness and necessary to bring him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And so, as we grow into the faith we may too learn in time to give God the glory for all the pressures and sickness and turmoil that persuaded us to fall at His feet and seek forgiveness for the sins deserving of just punishment.
Like a parent's love in discipline so David praises God for both love and justice. In the following verses, two and three, David resolves to lead a life worthy of being used to praise his heavenly Father. Now we know from the biblical record that David did not always lead an exemplary blameless life! Whenever this psalm was composed we see the nature of David's heart. We see his goal, his aim to please the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. How many of us have even made this much resolve? How many of us are even committed to improving one little part of our earthly life? If we, unlike King David, a man after God's own heart, are not even willing to resolve to do well, what hope is there for improvement? Heads of Households, Employers, Ministers and Leaders alike should pray for a blameless life, and endeavor to improve their work and witness daily.
Now in verse two their appears to be an interruption. David asks "When will you come to me?" By this he desires not only divine guidance and instruction, but also the divine presence to assist him in achieving a blameless life. David, unlike many today realizes the impossibility of improving the species of man without God's help and without God's presence! Like God's people in all ages he awaits the Father's presence. Only then can he and we continue with the following resolves. David will walk in his house with blameless heart. Here we see that piety begins at home. We must practice perfection at home if we are to maintain it away from home. There are many people who appear to be most saintly out in the world, but let them return home and the family might possibly prefer the presence of the devil himself. If this be the case for any of you that is indeed shameful.
We should be aware that how we act in the quiet and comfort of our own home tells us more about the real person that we are! Is there a need for you to pray David's prayer here and to make the same resolve? We continue with verse three. Here David vows to turn his eyes away from what is shameful. He will not even look upon any vile thing. Several years ago a government commission published a book describing and showing in graphic detail the dangers of pornography. Now government publications rarely have a chance of making the best seller list. But, this particular book sold out its first printing almost overnight! You can imagine that David would not have allowed any Jerusalem press to print such a report. Sadly, very many people wanted a good excuse to see what shouldn't pollute their minds and eyes. David knew in his heart that visual fascination could soon lead to mental addiction. Thus, he would not set his eyes on any vile thing.
In the middle of this third verse we move on to the second portion of this psalm where David declares what behavior he will not tolerate in his royal court. This list is interrupted briefly in verse four by a description of those whom he will favor in his kingdom. We will save that verse for the end. Briefly we will consider the way of the wicked who have no promise of increase in David's royal city.
First, David will not tolerate unfaithfulness. Men who cannot be trusted with a little will not be trusted with much either. I once heard a story of a grocery owner who tested prospective employees by leaving a few coins on the floor that he would ask them to sweep up. He reasoned that if they were honest enough to return a handful of change, than he could trust them with the treasure of the whole store.
Second, David refused to allow perverted retainers in his house. Third, David will not tolerate tattlers like those who made up stories to tell to King Saul about himself. He knew well the destructiveness of such mischief. In fact he almost forfeited his life several times. These people will have no voice in his kingdom. Fourth, David will bar from his kingdom any whose pride has lifted them to blue blooded heights. Fifth, in verse seven David will cast out any who practice deceit and speak falsely. He will have a sense of honor in his royal house. Very many colleges and institutions once imitated David here. These organizations regularly imposed an honor code. A simple one might go like this: "I will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do". One college in Virginia was compelled to abandon such a code, because it discriminated against any who could not live up to its standards! So much for the profitability of honor in our time!
Finally, we must focus upon those whom David will honor and seek to minister to him. His eyes, just as our Lord's eyes will be on the faithful in the land. David looks for those whose faithfulness to God guarantees their fidelity to men and general reliableness. His servants should be like himself, followers of "the way of perfectness" In David's court, dignity and office would go, not to talent, or to crafty arts, or to birth, but to moral and religious qualities. Years ago I had time to read the complete session records of one church. The records went back forty years or more. The records provided an interesting history of a church, there were cases of discipline, causes of division and argument. In one chapter so to speak there appeared one faithful elder whose faithfulness and Christian charity shined like silver through the awe struck words of the Clerk of Session. After five years, there appeared a page of memorial to this particular man the likes of I have never seen in any other Session Minutes. This dear Saint had departed this life and gone home and the Session of the Church missed him terribly. These are the kind of men that David sought to serve him. These are the type of Christian that Jesus seeks to serve him today.
In that particular church there was another person that I knew of. A saintly little lady who had sat at the feet of this one elder at the turn of this century. She faithfully served her congregation for seventy-five years! She was not rich, she did not take a prominent position, but when she died we wondered, who would pray for that congregation and that community with the fervor and intensity that glorified God for those many many years! Great in the memory of God's people were these two saints. Great in God's Kingdom will they be honored at our King's return. It is servants like these that David desires. So is the desire of Jesus Christ.
We come to the last verse of our psalm this morning. Here David resolves to weed his kingdom every morning by putting to silence the wicked of the land. If you have or have had a garden you well know the need to weed regularly. If you don't, very soon your garden will be polluted with weeds and there will be very little increase in the amount of usable food. In the same way God tests his people to see if they be faithful or unfaithful. His eyes will be on the faithful, but the evildoer will be cut off! As Jesus looks over His Kingdom today, what will he find in your heart of hearts. What will he find in your mind's eye. Are you faithful in your daily duties, in your business relationships, in your obligations to the Kingdom of Christ? Then He will someday say "Well done, my good and faithful servant". If not, you have the warning in this psalm of what you should not be doing. If you think that is the case, then like David you need to be praying "When will you come to me" O God? We must realize that we cannot go to Him. David anticipated the Gospel and He waited for God to come to Him. Here in this psalm he resolved to lead a blameless life. Yet, we know that he failed in all respects. Still, God came to him and called him to be near to His Heart. If He has not yet done so, may the Lord our God call you through the power of His Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Resources Used: |
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MacLaren, Alexander. |
The Psalms. | |
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Spurgeon, C.H. |
The Treasury of David. | |
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The Holy Bible, New International Version. International Bible Society (1973, 1978, 1984) | ||
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Psm 101a |
30 July 89 & 19 July 98 | |