# 295 A journey through the Psalms. Psalm 101.   Just “an ideal” or not?

A key word in this remarkable psalm is “blameless”. It occurs three times in verses 2 and 6 as follows:

² I will be careful to lead a blameless life…

 I will conduct the affairs of my house
    with a blameless heart…

⁶ 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.

Or as the Passion Translation puts verse 2:

I’m trying my best to walk in the way of integrity.

Wilcock suggests the meaning of blameless here “denotes a person of robust integrity.” He continues, “For the King this means (as Kidner puts it) a ‘concern for a clean administration, honest from the top down’.

What a wonderful ideal – in our homes, in our schools, in our businesses, in our churches and in our governments. But is it possible?

Sadly, if we have read our Bible’s, the authors of the stories of the kings of Israel are brutally honest concerning these rulers. Even David, who started so well, eventually caved in to temptation and failed to walk in the way of integrity. He and many others who followed him failed to live up to the high standards set out in Psalm 101 and this impacted not only their own personal lives but also their public office and the people they were meant to be an example too.

But Wilcock gives us hope when he writes:

“But the failures of the Davidic kings were no proof that the ideal was unattainable. Rather, they pointed ahead to a future king, a Son of David yet to be born, of whom it would truly be said ‘He has done everything well,’ and who one day would judge not Israel only, but the world, with justice.”  (# 5)

We are reminded of this truth every Christmas as we read the words of the Angel Gabriel to Mary:

“Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. ³¹ You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. ³² He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit.”  (Luke 1:30-33 TPT)

All this being prophesied by Isaiah 750 years before the birth of Jesus when he wrote:

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.                      (Isaiah 9: 6-7 NIV)

Wilcock then concludes:

“The concern for righteousness in the community is the great burden of Psalm 101. It is a righteousness that must direct not only the life of the people but also the hearts of its leaders… We all need forgiveness for having failed in our concern for one another’s righteousness, and still more for having let our own standards slip in private, where no-one but God was aware of it.

The ideal stands. The Lord can wipe the slate clean today, and the challenge is renewed [until Jesus returns again as King!]” (# 5)   

²⁰ He [Jesus] who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21)