David's Resolution

Ps.101 It is an excellent plan or model for the good government of a church, or the keeping up of virtue and piety, and, by that means, good order, in it: but it is applicable to private families; it is the householder's psalm. One should teach, and admonish, and engage themselves and one another to walk by the rule of it that peace may be upon them and
G-d's presence with them.
[1] I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.
I will praise thee, O L-rd, for Thy mercy and justice, which Thou hast so eminently discovered in the government of the world, and of Thy people; and I will make it my care to copy Thee herein.
When G-d in His providence exercises us with a mixture of mercy and judgment it is our duty to sing, and sing unto Him, both of the one and of the other; we must be suitably affected with both, and make suitable acknowledgments to G-d for both.
Whatever our outward condition is, whether joyful or sorrowful, still we must give glory to G-d, and sing praises to Him; neither the laughter of a prosperous condition nor the tears of an afflicted condition must put us out of tune for sacred songs.
[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.
G-d's Law prescribes a perfect way of life; in this perfect way, David has professed to walk, and David must act wisely in order to walk in it. “I can neither walk in this way, nor grow wise unto salvation, unless Thou come unto me by thy grace and Spirit; for without Thee I can do nothing.”
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! The man who, in the midst of family provocations, maintains a Christian character, being meek, gentle, and long-suffering to his wife, his children, has got a perfect heart, and adorns the doctrine of G-d his Savior in all things.
[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.
“I will undertake no unjust wars; will enter into no sinful alliances; and what would lead me away from righteousness and truth, I will never set before my eyes.”
It is the character of a good man that he shuts his eyes from seeing evil, Isaiah 33:15. "Nay, I hate the work of those that turn aside from the paths of equity (Job 31:7), not only I avoid it, but I abhor it; it shall not cleave to me. If any blot of injustice should come on my hands, it shall be washed off quickly."
David’s further resolution was not to keep bad servants, nor to employ those about him that were vicious. David will not countenance them, nor show them any favor, lest thereby he should harden them in their wickedness, and encourage others to do like them. David will not converse with them himself, nor admit them into the company of his other employees, lest they should spread the infection of sin in his family. He will not confide in them, nor put them in power under him; for those who hated to be reformed would certainly hinder every thing that is good.
[4] A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Rash and headstrong men shall not be employed by David.
“I will give no countenance to sinners of any kind; and whatever is evil shall be an object of my abhorrence. A froward heart (one that delights to be cross and perverse) shall depart from me, as not fit for society, the bond of which is love. I will not know," that is, "I will have no acquaintance or conversation, if I can help it, with such a wicked person; for a little of the leaven of malice and wickedness will leaven the whole lump.
I will give no countenance to sinners of any kind; and whatever is evil shall be an object of my abhorrence.”
[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.
With slanderers, and those who take a pleasure in wounding their neighbor’s reputation secretly: All flatterers and time-servers, and those who by insinuations and false accusations endeavor to supplant the upright, that they may obtain their offices for themselves or their dependants, will David consider as enemies to the state, and will abominate, and expel them from his court.
He who slanders ruins both himself and him who hear him; and him who are slandered, for this is often the case; the innocent are ruined by detraction.
With haughty, conceited, ambitious people, none do more mischief in a family, in a court, in a church, for only by pride comes contention. “Therefore him that has a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer; I will have no patience with those that are still grasping at all preferment’s, who sticks at nothing to gain it; and one who behaves himself haughtily and insolently in his office. It is certain that they do not aim at doing well, but only at aggrandizing themselves and their families." G-d resists the proud, and so will David.
He that tells lies shall not tarry in David’s sight, but shall be expelled the house with indignation. Herein David was a man after G-d's own heart, for a proud look and a lying tongue are things which G-d hates; and he was also a type of Messiah, who will, in the great day, banish from his presence all that love and make a lie, Revelation 22:15.
[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.
These faithful ones his eyes shall be upon, to discover them and find them out; for they were modest, lived retired in the land, in the country, out of the way of it. He that walks in a perfect way, that makes conscience of what he says and does, shall serve David.
[7] He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
This was a good resolution of David's; but either he did not keep to it or else his judgment was imposed upon when he made Ahithophel his right hand. It should be the care and endeavor of all masters of families, for their own sakes and their children's, to take such servants into their families as they have reason to hope fear G-d.
[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.
“All that are discovered and convicted; the Law shall have its course against them." He would do his utmost to destroy all the wicked, so that there might be none left that were notoriously wicked.
That which Davie aimed at was not only the securing of his own government and the peace of the country, but the honor of G-d in the purity of his church, “That I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the L-rd.” Not Jerusalem only, but the whole land, was the city of the L-rd; so is the believer’s church. It is the interest of the city of the L-rd to be purged from wicked doers, who both blemish it and weaken it; and it is therefore the duty of all to do what they can, in their places, towards so good a work, and to be zealously affected in it.
In reference to the Church: The city, the seat of government, the place of G-d's altars, must be kept pure. There must be a thorough, a radical reform. No corruption or abuse, either in things political, domestic, or religious, shall be tolerated. All must be holy, as he who has called us is holy. This was a reformation according to G-d's word; not according to the caprice of the multitude.