Psalms 101 (KJV)

Chapter Text

101:1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

101:2 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.

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.

101:4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

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.

101:6 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.

101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

101:8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "mercy", "sing", "judgment", "thee", "lord", "behave", and "myself". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "mercy", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local KJV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "faith" and "mercy" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "faith" and "mercy" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.