Staying On Course

Having identified four qualities to cultivate, David’s spiritual manifesto in Psalm 101 continues with several declarations, each intended to keep him on course in pursuit of his divine purpose. David no longer looks within, he looks around. He considers the people of his kingdom and declares his predetermined response to various types of individual.

Honesty and Purity

Psalm 101 names four great qualities a believer must possess in order to discern his or her divine purpose. Without these four virtues to clarify one’s vision, confusion abounds. After describing honor and integrity in verses 1 and 2, the song continues with two more godly qualities: honesty and purity. Honesty. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. (101:3)

Honor and Integrity

I once heard the president of a seminary express his concern over the school by saying, “I fear we may be turning out graduates with a great number of beliefs but not enough conviction.” Conviction gives beliefs a backbone. David wasn’t satisfied with a set of theological truths floating around in his head; he pinned them down to concrete convictions.

A Life of Purpose

Some people seem to drift aimlessly through life, headed in no specific direction. Without clearly defined objectives, it is not surprising that many adopt a lifestyle that lacks definition and purpose. I know a few folks who sort of take life as it comes; no big deal. Reminds me of the time I had been invited to a college campus to speak. On my way to the meeting hall, I met a fellow who was obviously apathetic.

Because of Who God Is

Having called the whole world to join him in song, the psalmist declares the reason God deserves universal thanksgiving and praise. His rationale for worldwide celebration is based on three facts concerning the Lord’s character. Reasons for the Commands. Fact 1: He is good. Psalm 100:3 told us “He is God,” the one and only Creator and Sovereign of the universe; this final verse 5 tells us “He is good.”

Cultivate Relationship with God

Psalm 100 is an extended command to worship the Lord, giving specific instructions to follow. The first three commands in 100:1–2 are directly related to cultivating a spirit of joy. The next four call for our response to the Lord’s identity and character. We’ll examine the first two of these commands. Know that the LORD Himself is God (100:3).At first glance, this seems like an odd command.

Choose Joy

Psalm 100 wastes no time with preliminaries. Rather than try to convince the reader to praise the Lord for His goodness and our many blessings, the composer issues three commands in the first two verses. The Commands. Shout joyfully to the LORD (100:1). This is quite a beginning! The Hebrew gets straight to the point. In fact, the term “joyfully” doesn’t appear in the Hebrew.

Abundance without Gratitude

While we have experienced financial ups and downs in the last century—some of them significant—we nevertheless benefit from an unprecedented level of abundance. Never in human history have so many people lived in the kind of comfort and security we enjoy today. And American culture leads the world in luxury. Many families have a driveway full of cars, a house full of modern appliances—many dedicated to entertainment

A Tactical Advantage

Having predicted your success in battle against the attacks of the devil (Psalm 91:5–10), this Psalm continues with several commitments from the Lord. He has promised to give you a tactical advantage, which the songwriter enumerates in the final verses. Assistance against Evil. God has promised to send angelic assistance when we face attacks from supernatural realms.

Claiming Refuge in God

In Psalm 91:1–4, the songwriter has acknowledged the Lord as his refuge when under attack by the forces of evil. Now in 91:5–10, he sizes up his enemy and calculates his (and our) chances of surviving the battle. (Spoiler alert: we stand a 100 percent chance of victory.) Attitude toward Evil. The majority of the song is written in the second person singular, as if composed especially for one person.

Tag Archives: Psalms