Faith 101

When I consider my goals and what I ask God for daily, it is a way of looking for my marching orders, my instructions for who He wants me to be. Most of the time I ask to be just like Jesus. Lately, and more frequently, I ask to love like Him. 

This morning I opened my trusty study Bible to this, Psalm 101. It made me grin because it felt like a back to the basics beginning point, and ending point too: Fatih 101. King David did a whole bunch of sinning, and yet his heart was forlorn and penitent when chastened. My hope is that I am always correctible, that my heart cannot contain sin without it being disturbing to the point of confession, followed by turning away from what is vile to God. 

The first part of the Psalm is about King David's intentions to be a man of integrity before the LORD. His motives in his home are to walk wisely, perfectly, and again, with a perfect heart. He is committing his ways and heart to wholesome godliness. 

1 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

In this second half of the Psalm, King David speaks of the company he will NOT, and WILL keep. He describes the heart of the wicked, those that deviate from the will of God; their actions are worthless and useless. Slanderous neighbours with proud hearts are to be rejected. He commits here to clearing any such persons from his life. He welcomes those that are faithful, and they were permitted to dwell with him, walking perfectly too! These would be his servants; he employed them. To be the trusted servant of a good King meant many blessings!

Will NOT

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 slanderers his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer

WILL

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

In this last section, we see his intolerance toward the deceitful, the tellers of lies. He will not let them tarry, or stay in his sight. More importantly, he will not employ them! Financially rewarding deceitful people is sinful. When we look at King David's commitment to having a perfect heart, filled with innocence before God, it is incongruent for him to be surrounded by people that display an opposing nature to the Truth. Keeping in mind always, God cannot lie, nor condone the words and actions of liars. The King is so attuned to the will of God that he is inclined to destroying the wicked in the land from the city of the LORD

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 in the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD

Foreshadowing

The beauty in this psalm is the foreshadowing of the perfect man/God. King David is an archetype, an early echo of what God calls His children to become. The call on the hearts of those that are sons and daughters of the living God, is to be Christlike. While King David lied, committed murder, made massive sexual, familial and ego driven errors as King, he had a contrite heart and wanted to be perfect before God. 

Isn't this you and me, dear one? Haven't we been liars, cheats, ego maniacs and wicked before God, only to weep at His feet and beg for mercy, and even His judgment too, because we trust in Him and His perfect ways? 

Bountiful benefits

I am so relieved, that I get to be me! When I consider how much He has forgiven, and how very grateful I am to be called His daughter, with all the bountiful benefits of dwelling in His presence, I want to sing of His mercy and judgment too, just like King David did! King David was an earthly King, hand picked by God. He stands out in history as one of God's most beloved humans, despite his many blunders and failings. 

He knew he was made of dust. He knew the real King ... and the real King wants us to purify our hearts, our minds, and live holy consecrated lives unto Him, even while the world spins with the wicked believing they will have their way. 

King David echoes what the King of Judgment will do to those that do not abide in Him ... listen for the echo, it is for ears that are attuned to the will of God