David's Resolutions
Book of Psalms • Sermon • Submitted
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Possible Background: “David had but recently ascended the throne. The abuses and confusions of Saul’s last troubled years had to be reformed. The new king felt that he was God’s viceroy; [a ruler exercising authority in a colony on behalf of a sovereign.] and here declares what he will strive to make his monarchy – a copy of God’s.”
David had time to consider what kind of king he would become.
Samuel anointed David in his youth, really as a prophecy of his calling and destiny 1 Sam 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
After Saul’s death he was anointed king over the tribe of Judah at Hebron 2 Samuel 2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.
Seven years later he was anointed king over all the tribes of Israel 2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.
Wonderful Psalm for young people to consider together!
In Europe the psalm came to be known as the ‘prince’s psalm,’ owing to the concern for the proper conduct of a Christian magistrate, prince, or king.” (Willem VanGemeren)
Martin Luther wrote 80 pages of commentary on this Psalm believing it gave great instruction on how Christians should behave in a world with a broken government.
Spurgeon tells the story of Duke of Saxe-Gotha sending an unfaithful minister a copy of the 101st Psalm, and that it became a proverb in the country when an official had done anything wrong, he would certainly soon receive the prince’s Psalm to read.
Resolutions are appropriate in the Christian life.
Resolutions are appropriate in the Christian life.
Main Thought: If we do not plan and resolve to live the godly life, it is unlikely that we will.
Jonathan Edwards 70 resolutions written at the age of 19 and read weekly.
Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Eph. 6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; “knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.”
Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.
Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
Biblical Examples
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; Why then should I think upon a maid?
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
A Psalm of David.
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.
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 slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
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.
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 of the land; That I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.
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Main Thought: If we do not plan and resolve to live the godly life, it is unlikely that we will.
The first four verses pertain to David and his own character.
The first four verses pertain to David and his own character.
1. I will sing of your mercy & justice
1. I will sing of your mercy & justice
1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
Mercy & Justice belong together. The two go together; mercy can only be properly understood in light of justice. When justice pronounces its righteous penalty, mercy may grant relief.
Singing speaks of knowing something on a deep, heart level.
2. I will behave wisely by living in integrity.
2. I will behave wisely by living in integrity.
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.
As David came into a position of greater power, it was all the more important that he focus on personal godliness and behave wisely in a perfect way.
When David came to royal power, he didn’t say:
· “Now I can live the good life.” He said, I will behave myself wisely.
· “I’ll have the biggest party ever.” He said, I will behave myself wisely.
· “I’ll show them all how important I am.” He said, I will behave myself wisely.
· “I’ll punish my enemies and show my power.” He said, I will behave myself wisely.
When wilt thou come to me?
When wilt thou come to me?
David understood the principle later stated in 1 John 1:6-7 “6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Walk in integrity in our own home
Walk in integrity in our own home
“It is easier for most men to walk with a perfect heart in the Church, or even in the world, than in their own families. How many are as meek as lambs among others, when at home they are wasps or tigers!” (Clarke)
3. I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
3. I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
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.
Worthless is such a strong word
Worthless is such a strong word
The term here — worthless — is a compound. Literally: without + profit = worthless.
We are heirs of eternal, glorious wealth, so our lust for any worthless thing is an offense to God
Evil things are worthless things because they do not profit us.
We must regain the ability to decide what we set before our eyes.
We must regain the ability to decide what we set before our eyes.
“man’s almost infinite appetite for distraction”
Attention is the skill of withdrawing from everything, to focus on some things,
We’re not simply creatures of our environment; we are creatures shaped by the selective input we choose to focus on in our environment.
Was David a hypocrite in this regard?
Was David a hypocrite in this regard?
It isn’t hypocrisy to have a standard that you can’t completely meet. Hypocrisy is when you have one standard for yourself and a higher standard for others.
Our prayer
Our prayer
Negative
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; And quicken thou me in thy way.
Postive
Only in the pleasures of our heavenly Father do we have hope, as his children, to turn our eyes and our hearts from worthless things, and to refocus our attention on eternal things.
33 HE. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; And I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; For therein do I delight.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, And not to covetousness.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; And quicken thou me in thy way.
38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, Who is devoted to thy fear.
39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: For thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: Quicken me in thy righteousness.
Charles Spurgeon said, “It is the tendency of things that are gazed at to get through the eyes into the mind and the heart.”
The last four verses pertain to the kinds of people that he is going to surround himself with, and what he plans to do among the people of the land.
The last four verses pertain to the kinds of people that he is going to surround himself with, and what he plans to do among the people of the land.
4. I will not work or walk with wicked people.
4. I will not work or walk with wicked people.
4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Knowing a wicked person
Knowing a wicked person
David wants to remove ungodly people from his counsel.
1 Corinthians 15:33 “33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
Does this contradict Jesus eating with sinners?
Always perplexed by the chair analogy “easier for a friend to pull you down then you pull them up”
Sin has a sticky quality about it. Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”
Rooted in a shallow view of friendship. This leads to the nest resolution. [Prayed for a friend as a teenager and God provided]
5. I will favor the faithful.
5. I will favor the faithful.
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.
Very simply: The next step David takes is to surround himself with people who are godly.
Faithful of the land,
Faithful of the land,
When David looked for leaders, he looked for the faithful of the land.
We are told to also look for the faithful. 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
He shall serve me
He shall serve me
Perhaps David spoke this as he came to the throne, vowing to find the right people to appoint to his government.
Already said they would “dwell with him” he is speaking of those who will serve around him and with him.
6. I pledge to promote justice.
6. I pledge to promote justice.
Psalm 101:8 (KJV 1900)
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; That I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.
Strong statement
Not meaning a morning purge of everyone evil in the land but through, consistent justice
“The commitment to excellence implies a difference in administration from the manner in which kings ruled in the ancient Near East. The godly king affirms that his loyalty is to Yahweh and not to the ways of this world.” (VanGemeren)
What does David not want among those God has given him oversight.
What or who is wicked Psalm 101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
Slanderers
High Look - A haughty look: “Pride will sit and show itself in the eyes as soon as anywhere.” (Trapp)
Proud hearts
From the city of the Lord.
From the city of the Lord.
Resolutions are good, but our dependence is not upon our resolutions or upon ourselves, but upon the grace of God himself.
David, though he resolves to live a certain way, and though he fails to live a certain way, when he fails he does not plead that he tried to live a certain way. He pleads God's grace and God's mercy.
Psalm 51:1-4 “1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.”
David did not believe his resolutions earned merit with God. He knew he needed mercy and kindness.