Psalm 101

What’s Happening?

Psalm 101 expresses King David’s desire to uproot all evil from the kingdom of Israel. Only once all the land is filled with people who love God alone and obey his laws will Israel become the place of love and justice God has chosen it to be (Psalm 101:6). Zealous for an evil-free kingdom, David first commits to be evil-free himself (Psalm 101:2). He resolves to love and worship God alone and never serve idols (Psalm 101:1, 3). He also resolves to lead the royal family according to God’s laws. David will stop any injustice he finds among those who rule alongside him and ensure his descendants follow God’s laws as well (Psalm 101:7). Outside his own house, David commits to have a zero tolerance policy for evil in any crevice of his domain. He promises that not even pride or secretly whispered gossip will escape his judgment (Psalm 101:5). David is adamant. His kingdom will have nothing to do with evil and everything to do with love for one’s neighbor and justice against God’s enemies (Psalm 101:4). Soon, David hopes that, through his actions, the only people in his kingdom will be citizens like him: faithful, willing to obey God’s laws, and zealous to judge evil (Psalm 101:6, 8). And once this campaign against evil is complete, God’s people will finally rest in God’s love and justice forever. 

Where is the Gospel?

David was passionate about purging evil from every corner of his kingdom. But truly succeeding would have meant getting rid of everyone in Israel, even himself. No one keeps God’s laws perfectly. David’s zeal for an evil-free kingdom would have left it utterly empty. But David’s descendant, Jesus, came to establish God’s Kingdom of love and justice and to fill it with faithful citizens.

Unlike David or his people, Jesus kept God’s law perfectly (1 John 3:5). His heart loved and served God. He harbored no hidden pride. He never whispered slander. And when Jesus announced that God’s Kingdom of love and justice was finally beginning, he didn’t punish lawbreakers; he befriended and ate with them. Instead of treating their evil like a judge, he treated their evil like a doctor treats an illness (Luke 5:29-32). But those in power were unwilling to join Jesus’ campaign against evil in this way. Instead, they saw him as a threat. They preferred their unjust kingdom, where they could keep their privileged positions by exploiting the poor, serving idols, and killing those who got in the way (Mark 11:15-18). So Jesus’ zeal for justice and his intolerance of evil cost him his life. But Jesus rose from the dead and sat on a throne in heaven. In his resurrection, Jesus destroyed the evil and injustice that killed him, he uprooted the power of death, and he demonstrated that his kingdom of love and justice would last forever (Colossians 2:15). One of Jesus’ first decrees as King was to send his Spirit to everyone who desires to be in his Kingdom (Acts 1:8). By his Spirit, the evil and injustice that resides in our hearts is purged. And by God’s Spirit, we become people of love and justice who will live in God’s Kingdom forever (Galatians 5:22-25). 

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who will purge evil from his kingdom. And may you see Jesus as the one who cleanses us from all evil so we can live in his kingdom forever.