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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CI.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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David was certainly the penman of this psalm, and it has in it the
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genuine spirit of the man after God's own heart; it is a solemn vow
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which he made to God when he took upon him the charge of a family and
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of the kingdom. Whether it was penned when he entered upon the
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government, immediately after the death of Saul (as some think), or
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when he began to reign over all Israel, and brought up the ark to the
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city of David (as others think), is not material; it is an excellent
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plan or model for the good government of a court, or the keeping up of
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virtue and piety, and, by that means, good order, in it: but it is
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applicable to private families; it is the householder's psalm. It
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instructs all that are in any sphere of power, whether larger or
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narrower, to use their power so as to make it a terror to evil-doers,
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but a praise to those that do well. Here is,
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I. The general scope of David's vow,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. The particulars of it, that he would detest and discountenance all
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manner of wickedness
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:3-5,7,8">ver. 3-5, 7, 8</A>)
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and that he would favour and encourage such as were virtuous,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:6">ver. 6</A>.
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Some think this may fitly be accommodated to Christ, the Son of David,
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who governs his church, the city of the Lord, by these rules, and who
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loves righteousness and hates wickedness. In singing this psalm
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families, both governors and governed, should teach, and admonish, and
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engage themselves and one another to walk by the rule of it, that peace
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may be upon them and God's presence with them.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps101_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps101_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Mercy and Judgment; David's Pious Resolution.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A psalm of David.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto
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thee, O L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, will I sing.
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2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt
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thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect
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heart.
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3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work
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of them that turn aside; <I>it</I> shall not cleave to me.
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4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a
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wicked <I>person.</I>
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5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off:
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him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
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6 Mine eyes <I>shall be</I> upon the faithful of the land, that they
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may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall
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serve me.
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7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he
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that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
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8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may
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cut off all wicked doers from the city of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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David here cuts out to himself and others a pattern both of a good
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magistrate and a good master of a family; and, if these were careful to
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discharge the duty of their place, it would contribute very much to a
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universal reformation. Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. The chosen subject of the psalm
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>):
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<I>I will sing of mercy and judgment,</I> that is,</P>
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<P>
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1. Of God's mercy and judgment, and then it looks back upon the
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dispensations of Providence concerning David since he was first
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anointed to be king, during which time he had met with many a rebuke
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and much hardship on the one hand, and yet, on the other hand, had had
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many wonderful deliverances wrought for him and favours bestowed upon
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him; of these he will sing unto God. Note,
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(1.) God's providences concerning his people are commonly
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mixed--<I>mercy and judgment;</I> God has set the one over-against the
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other, and appointed them April-days, showers and sunshine. It was so
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with David and his family; when there was mercy in the return of the
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ark there was judgment in the death of Uzza.
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(2.) When God in his providence exercises us with a mixture of mercy
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and judgment it is our duty to sing, and sing unto him, both of the one
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and of the other; we must be suitably affected with both, and make
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suitable acknowledgments to God for both. The Chaldee-paraphrase of
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this is observable: <I>If thou bestowest mercy upon me,</I> or <I>If
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thou bring any judgment upon me, before thee, O Lord! will I sing my
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hymns for all.</I> Whatever our outward condition is, whether joyful or
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sorrowful, still we must give glory to God, and sing praises to him;
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neither the laughter of a prosperous condition nor the tears of an
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afflicted condition must put us out of tune for sacred songs. Or,</P>
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<P>
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2. It may be understood of David's mercy and judgment; he would, in
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this psalm, promise to be merciful, and just, or wise, for judgment is
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often put for discretion. To do justly and love mercy is the sum of our
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duty; these he would covenant to make conscience of in that place and
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relation to which God had called him and this in consideration of the
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various providences of God that had occurred to him. Family-mercies and
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family-afflictions are both of them calls to family-religion. David put
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his vow into a song or psalm, that he might the better keep it in his
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own mind and frequently repeat it, and that it might the better be
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communicated to others and preserved in his family, for a pattern to
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his sons and successors.</P>
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<P>
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II. The general resolution David took up to conduct himself carefully
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and conscientiously in his court,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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We have here,</P>
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<P>
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1. A good purpose concerning his conversation--concerning his
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conversation in general (how he would behave himself in every thing; he
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would live by rule, and not at large, not walk at all adventures; he
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would, though a king, by a solemn covenant bind himself to his good
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behaviour), and concerning his conversation in his family particularly,
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not only how he would walk when he appeared in public, when he sat in
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the throne, but how he would <I>walk within his house,</I> where he was
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more out of the eye of the world, but where he still saw himself under
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the eye of God. It is not enough to put on our religion when we go
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abroad and appear before men; but we must govern ourselves by it in our
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families. Those that are in public stations are not thereby excused
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from care in governing their families; nay, rather, they are more
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concerned to set a good example of <I>ruling their own houses well,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+3:4">1 Tim. iii. 4</A>.
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When David had his hands full of public affairs, yet he returned to
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bless his house,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+6:20">2 Sam. vi. 20</A>.
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He resolves,
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(1.) To act conscientiously and with integrity, to <I>walk in a perfect
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way,</I> in the way of God's commandments; that is <I>a perfect
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way,</I> for <I>the law of the Lord is perfect.</I> This he will walk
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in <I>with a perfect heart,</I> with all sincerity, not dissembling
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either with God or men. When we make the word of God our rule, and are
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ruled by it, the glory of God our end, and aim at it, then we walk
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<I>in a perfect way with a perfect heart.</I>
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(2.) To act considerately and with discretion: <I>I will behave myself
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wisely; I will understand</I> or <I>instruct myself</I> in a perfect
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way, so some. I will walk circumspectly. Note, We must all resolve to
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walk by the rules of Christian prudence in the ways of Christian piety.
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We must never turn aside out of the perfect way, under pretence of
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<I>behaving ourselves wisely;</I> but, while we keep to the good way,
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we must be <I>wise as serpents.</I></P>
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<P>
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2. A good prayer: <I>O when wilt thou come unto me?</I> Note, It is a
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desirable thing, when a man has a house of his own, to have God come to
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him and dwell with him in it; and those may expect God's presence that
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walk with <I>a perfect heart</I> in <I>a perfect way.</I> If we compare
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the account which the historian gives of David
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+18:14">1 Sam. xviii. 14</A>),
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we shall find how exactly it answers his purpose and prayer, and that
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neither was in vain. David, as he purposed, <I>behaved himself wisely
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in all his ways; and,</I> as he prayed, <I>the Lord was with
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him.</I></P>
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<P>
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III. His particular resolution to practise no evil himself
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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"<I>I will set no wicked thing before my eyes;</I> I will not design
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nor aim at any thing but what is for the glory of God and the public
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welfare." He will never have it in his eye to enrich himself by
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impoverishing his subjects, or enlarge his own prerogative by
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encroaching on their property. In all our worldly business we must see
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that what we set our eyes upon be right and good and not any forbidden
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fruit, and that we never seek that which we cannot have without sin. It
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is the character of a good man that he shuts his eyes from seeing evil,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+33:15">Isa. xxxiii. 15</A>.
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"Nay, I <I>hate the work of those that turn aside</I> from the paths of
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equity
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+31:7">Job xxxi. 7</A>),
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not only I avoid it, but I abhor it; <I>it shall not cleave to me.</I>
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If any blot of injustice should come on my hands, it shall be washed
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off quickly."</P>
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<P>
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IV. His further resolution not to keep bad servants, nor to employ
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those about him that were vicious. He will not countenance them, nor
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show them any favour, lest thereby he should harden them in their
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wickedness, and encourage others to do like them. He will not converse
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with them himself, nor admit them into the company of his other
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servants, lest they should spread the infection of sin in his family.
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He will not confide in them, nor put them in power under him; for those
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who hated to be reformed would certainly hinder every thing that is
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good. When he comes to mention particulars he does not mention
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drunkards, adulterers, murderers or blasphemers; such gross sinners as
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these he was in no danger of admitting into his house, nor did he need
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to covenant particularly against having fellowship with them; but he
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mentions those whose sins were less scandalous, but no less dangerous,
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and in reference to whom he needed to stand upon his guard with caution
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and to behave himself wisely. He will have nothing to do,
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1. With spiteful malicious people, who are ill-natured, and will bear a
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grudge a great while, and care not what mischief they do to those they
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have a pique against
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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"<I>A froward heart</I> (one that delights to be cross and perverse)
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<I>shall depart from me,</I> as not fit for society, the bond of which
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is love. <I>I will not know,</I>" that is, "I will have no acquaintance
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or conversation, if I can help it, with such <I>a wicked person;</I>
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for a little of the leaven of malice and wickedness will leaven the
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whole lump."
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2. With slanderers, and those who take a pleasure in wounding their
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neighbour's reputation secretly
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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"<I>Whoso privily slanders his neighbour,</I> either raises or spreads
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false stories, to the prejudice of his good name, <I>him will I cut
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off</I> from my family and court." Many endeavour to raise themselves
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into the favour of princes by unjust representations of persons and
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things, which they think will please their prince. <I>If a ruler
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hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+29:12">Prov. xxix. 12</A>.
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But David will not only not hearken to them, but will prevent the
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preferment of those that hope thus to curry favour with him: he will
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punish not only him that falsely accuses another in open court, but him
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that privily slanders another. I wish David had remembered this vow in
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the case of Mephibosheth and Ziba.
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3. With haughty, conceited, ambitious people; none do more mischief in
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a family, in a court, in a church, for <I>only by pride comes
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contention:</I> "Therefore him <I>that has a high look and a proud
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heart will I not suffer;</I> I will have no patience with those that
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are still grasping at all preferments, for it is certain that they do
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not aim at doing good, but only at aggrandizing themselves and their
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families." God resists the proud, and so will David.
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4. With false deceitful people, that scruple not to tell lies, or
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commit frauds
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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"<I>He that worketh deceit,</I> though he may insinuate himself into my
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family, yet, as soon as he is discovered, <I>shall not dwell within my
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house.</I>" Some great men know how to serve their own purposes by such
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as are skilful to deceive, and they are fit tools for them to work by;
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but David will make use of no such persons as agents for him: <I>He
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that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight,</I> but shall be expelled
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the house with indignation. Herein David was <I>a man after God's own
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heart,</I> for a proud look and a lying tongue are things which God
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hates; and he was also a type of Christ, who will, in the great day,
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banish from his presence <I>all that love and make a lie,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+22:15">Rev. xxii. 15</A>.</P>
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<P>
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V. His resolution to put those in trust under him that were honest and
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good
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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<I>My eyes shall be upon the faithful in the land.</I> In choosing his
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servants and ministers of state he kept to the land of Israel and would
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not employ foreigners; none shall be preferred but true-born
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Israelites, and those such as were Israelites indeed, the <I>faithful
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in the land;</I> for even in that land there were those that were
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unfaithful. These faithful ones his eyes shall be upon, to discover
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them and find them out; for they were modest, did not crowd into the
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city to court preferment, but lived retired in the land, in the
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country, out of the way of it. Those are commonly most fit for places
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of honour and trust that are least fond of them; and therefore wise
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princes will spy out such in their recesses and privacies, and take
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them to dwell with them and act under them. <I>He that walks in a
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perfect way,</I> that makes conscience of what he says and does,
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<I>shall serve me.</I> The kingdom must be searched for honest men to
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make courtiers of; and, if any man is better than another, he must be
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preferred. This was a good resolution of David's; but either he did not
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keep to it or else his judgment was imposed upon when he made
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Ahithophel his right hand. It should be the care and endeavour of all
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masters of families, for their own sakes and their children's, to take
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such servants into their families as they have reason to hope fear God.
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The Son of David has his eyes upon <I>the faithful in the land;</I> his
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secret is with them, and they <I>shall dwell with him.</I> Saul chose
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servants for their goodliness
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+8:16">1 Sam. viii. 16</A>),
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but David for their goodness.</P>
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<P>
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VI. His resolution to extend his zeal to the reformation of the city
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and country, as well as of the court
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+101:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>):
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"<I>I will early destroy all the wicked of the land,</I> all that are
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discovered and convicted; the law shall have its course against them."
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He would do his utmost to <I>destroy all the wicked,</I> so that there
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might be none left that were notoriously wicked. He would do it early;
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he would lose no time and spare no pains; he would be forward and
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zealous in promoting the reformation of manners and suppression of
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vice; and those must rise betimes that will do anything to purpose in
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the work. That which he aimed at was not only the securing of his own
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government and the peace of the country, but the honour of God in the
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purity of his church, <I>That I may cut off all wicked doers from the
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city of the Lord.</I> Not Jerusalem only, but the whole land, was the
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<I>city of the Lord;</I> so is the gospel-church. It is the interest of
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the <I>city of the Lord</I> to be purged from <I>wicked doers,</I> who
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both blemish it and weaken it; and it is therefore the duty of all to
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do what they can, in their places, towards so good a work, and to be
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zealously affected in it. The day is coming when the Son of David shall
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cut off all wicked doers from the new Jerusalem, for there shall not
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enter into it any that do iniquity.</P>
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