Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Psalm 101

Known as the “Householder’s Psalm” this song of David was likely composed when David was either about to become the king, after the death of Saul, or when he had united the kingdom. It could have been composed later, when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. But whenever it was created, the tone and spirit of the psalm is the same … David is inspired to rid his house and the kingdom he controls of the poison of sin and of those around him who commit sin.

He sets a high standard for his home, and if we were to adopt David’s standard for how we conduct ourselves in our own homes and communities, we would be very hard pressed not to compromise on any of the rules set forth. Look what David claims he will do!

In Verse 1 he promises to sing to the Lord of his love and justice, to sing his praises. I think, “I can do that!” Then in Verse 2 he kicks it into high gear:

“I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me?”

Wow! Not only is he promising a life of no sin; in the same breath he is calling on God to visit him. It seems to me like he is setting up a contract – If I behave in this way, God, you will surely visit me personally, but when? Sounds very arrogant to me. So much for ‘blameless’… ! 

David goes on to promise a “blameless heart” as he manages his house. He tells God he has no use for those who are “vile”, “faithless” or “perverse of heart.” He promises nothing to do with “what is evil.” He says he will keep far from him any such people.

“Whoever slanders their neighbour in secret, I will put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.”

Just so we are assured that there are at least some servants and family left in David’s house who never gossip or have any kind of ego, he describes the kind of people with which he prefers to surround himself. He will seek them out and they will fill his home.

“My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.”

He also promises to cast out from his presence every liar and those who “practice deceit”. And he finishes with a political promise that seems impossible to keep, even in a time when the king’s word was as good as law. 

“Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.”

If these promises seem impossible for David, in his role as king, how can we apply them on a smaller scale to our own homes and expect to keep them? The truth is we can’t do it alone. They are very much like the Ten Commandments in that sense. They represent the high standard we want to live and we believe we can live … but only with God’s help.

No household then or now is free of gossip, ego trips and sinful motives. But while David’s response was to cast away those who demonstrated that behaviour, we have an alternative solution. We have the forgiveness of God, bought for us by Jesus. And because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have the opportunity to mend relationships, and try again to make what God created whole. 

Perhaps that is one reason why Psalm is excluded from the lectionary. On the one hand, it illustrates David’s hopes to live as God would have him live, hopes that we fully share. But on the other hand, it outlines David’s response to being surrounded by sin – cast evil-doers far from his presence.

For the Householder nowadays there is a much better way …

Peter Mansell All Saints Day, 2014