Daily Devotion of Psalm 101

Daily Nugget:
“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.” Psalm 101:2

Successful people often reveal how they obtained so many achievements and victories. David did just that in Psalm 101. He accomplished what he did,not only because of his wealth or powerful position. David attained so much because he behaved himself “wisely in a perfect way” (vs. 2).

In this Scripture, “perfect” was not referring to sinlessness. “Perfect” in this context means “moral, upright, sincere, undefiled.” The leader of Israel tried his best, although he did fall several times, to live the way that was pleasing to the Lord.

David revealed several ways he kept from falling even more than he did.

• He protected his eyes from seeing the wrong things (vs. 3). He may not have had the amount of pornographic temptation that waits to snag wandering eyes today, but he had to divert his vision to not see things that would also lure him into sin. If David had television in his day, there would have been many programs he would not have watched.
  “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: …” (vs. 3)
• He avoided those that were lazy and did not work (vs. 3).
  “… I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” (vs. 3) 
• He would not allow himself to be self-willed and unreasonable (“froward” — vs. 4).
• He avoided those doing wickedness (vs. 4).
• He kept from those that talked ill of other people (vs. 5).
• He kept from those lifted up in pride (vs. 5).
• He surrounded himself with others that also worked or also tried to live the “perfect way.” (vs. 6)
• He kept his distance from deceivers (vs. 7).
• He avoided liars (vs. 7).
• He did all he could to stomp out wickedness in the lands he controlled (vs. 8).

Although this Psalm was written over 3,000 years ago, every single behavior that David did to protect himself from falling into sin would help people today. Temptations surround every single one of us. We will also be inclined to sin if we will not separate ourselves from those destroyers of our testimony and joy. Avoid the wrong influences, or you too will succumb to sinful behaviors and evil influences.

Today’s Thought: 
“The reason the world is not seeing Jesus is that Christian people are not filled with Jesus. They are satisfied with attending meetings weekly, reading the Bible occasionally, and praying sometimes. It is an awful thing for me to see people who profess to be Christian that are lifeless, powerless, and in a place where their lives are so parallel to unbelievers lives that it is difficult to tell which place they are in, whether in the flesh or in the Spirit.” — Smith Wigglesworth

Words to Understand:
Froward: self-willed, unreasonable
High look: being prideful, arrogant, thinking oneself better than others
Slandereth: giving a false, hurtful report on another person, falsely defaming another

Today’s Reading:
Psalm 101
1 A Psalm of David. 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.