Living Wisely: Lessons from Psalm 101:2

Psalm 101:2 NKJV

I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

“I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way.” To be holy is to be wise; a perfect way is a wise way. David’s resolve was excellent, but his practice did not fully tally with it. Alas! he was not always wise or perfect, but it was well that it was in his heart. A king had need be both sage and pure, and, if he be not so in intent, when he comes to the throne, his after conduct will be a sad example to his people. He who does not even resolve to do well is likely to do very ill. Householders, employers, and especially ministers, should pray for both wisdom and holiness, for they will need them both.

“O when wilt thou come unto me?”—an ejaculation, but not an interruption. He feels the need not merely of divine help, but also of the divine presence, that so he may be instructed, and sanctified, and made fit for the discharge of his high vocation. David longed for a more special and effectual visitation from the Lord before he began his reign. If God be with us we shall neither err in judgment nor transgress in character; his presence brings us both wisdom and holiness; away from God we are away from safety. Good men are so sensible of infirmity that they cry for help from God, so full of prayer that they cry at all seasons, so intense in their desires that they cry with sighs and groanings which cannot be uttered, saying, “O when wilt thou come unto me?”

“I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” Piety must begin at home. Our first duties are those within our own abode. We must have a perfect heart at home, or we cannot keep a perfect way abroad. Notice that these words are a part of a song, and that there is no music like the harmony of a gracious life, no psalm so sweet as the daily practice of holiness. Reader, how fares it with your family? Do you sing in the choir and sin in the chamber Are you a saint abroad and a devil at home? For shame! What we are at home, that we are indeed. He cannot be a good king whose palace is the haunt of vice, nor he a true saint whose habitation is a scene of strife, nor he a faithful minister whose household dreads his appearance at the fireside. (Spurgeon)

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I will behave wisely in a perfect way: David’s longing for the LORD was connected to his desire to live a wise and holy life (perfect way). He determined that his reign would be marked by integrity and godliness.

i. 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. Power often exposes the flaws of character, if it does not actually help create them. (Guzik)

ii. “He begins with himself. He will bring his own character and conduct into conformity with the way and will of Jehovah to Whom he offers his praise. Then he will govern according to the same standards.” (Morgan)

iii. When David came to royal power, he didn’t say:

· “Now I can live the good life.” He said, I will behave wisely.

· “I’ll have the biggest party ever.” He said, I will behave wisely.

· “I’ll show them all how important I am.” He said, I will behave wisely.

· “I’ll punish my enemies and show my power.” He said, I will behave wisely. (Guzik)

When will You come to me? David understood that under the Old Covenant blessing, including the experience of God’s presence, was connected to obedience (Deuteronomy 28). (Guzik)

i. David understood the principle later stated in 1 John 1:6-7 in connection with the New Covenant: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (Guzik)

I will walk within my house with a perfect heart: David’s righteous life had to be real in his conduct within his own house before it could be lived in the courts of his kingdom This was a standard that David only imperfectly lived, much to his own hurt. (Guzik)

i. Within my house: “I will begin the intended reformation at myself, and then set things to rights in my family.” (Trapp)

ii. “No man is able to make the city in which he dwells anything like the city of God who does not know how to behave himself in his own house…. The first thing for every public man to do who would serve his city for God is to see to it that his private life is ordered aright before Him.” (Morgan)

iii. “This is the hardest place to walk in perfectly. It seems easier to walk perfectly among strangers than in one’s own house. But you may rest assured that a man is really no better than he is to his own. You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says.” (Meyer)

iv. “Understand that in the home life God is educating and training you for the greatest victories. There you are learning the deepest lessons in sanctification. You need not run to conventions, sermons, and holiness meetings; if you would resolve to walk in your house with a perfect heart, you would discover how far from perfect you are, and how you are the least of His saints.” (Meyer)

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O when wilt thou come unto me? – Perhaps this would be better rendered, “When thou dost come unto me;” that is, When then dost visit me and my dwelling, thou shalt find that these are the principles which regulate and govern me in my house. The idea is that God would come to visit his habitation, and inspect his conduct; and that whenever this should occur, however often it might be, or however unexpectedly he might come, he should “always” find these principles governing him in his family. A man should so live that “whenever” God comes into his dwelling, or when anyone comes, or however narrow and searching may be the inspection, these principles shall be found to regulate his conduct.

With a perfect heart – Always aiming to do exactly that which is right: in my general conduct; in the rules by which I live; in my treatment of all under my charge and in my employ. The great principles of “right,” in everything – in the smallest matters – shall guide and govern me. (Barnes)

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I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way, &e.] So David did before he came to the throne, which made Saul fear him, and the people love him, 1 Samuel 18:14 and so he resolved to do, and did afterwards; and thus it becomes all good men, in every station of life, to do: and then do they behave wisely, when they walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time; when they make the perfect law of liberty, the word of God, the rule of their faith; take Christ for their pattern and example, and the Spirit for their guide; when they walk as becomes the Gospel of Christ; seek the glory of God, and the good of others; behave inoffensively to all, and live as pilgrims and strangers here; attending closely to their duty, walking in all the commandments of the Lord blameless: and yet it is certain that no man lives without sin, or does or can behave himself wisely in so “perfect a way” and manner as to have no fault in him; wherefore this seems most applicable to Christ, who, as it was prophesied he should, so he did “deal prudently,” or behave wisely, Isaiah 52:13, where the same word is used as here; and this is true of Christ throughout the whole of his life; in his infancy, when but twelve years of age; in his public ministry, in his conduct towards all men; in his answers to the ensnaring questions of his enemies; in his behaviour at his apprehension, arraignment, condemnation and crucifixion; and this to perfection, so as that the least fault could not be found in him: (Gill)

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The general resolution David took up to conduct himself carefully and conscientiously in his court, v. 2. We have here,

1. A good purpose concerning his conversation-concerning his conversation in general (how he would behave himself in everything; he would live by rule, and not at large, not walk at all adventures; he would, though a king, by a solemn covenant, bind himself to his good behavior), and concerning his conversation in his family particularly, not only how he would walk when he appeared in public when he sat in the throne, but how he would walk within his house, where he was more out of the eye of the world, but where he still saw himself under the eye of God. It is not enough to put on our religion when we go abroad and appear before men, but we must govern ourselves by it in our families. Those that are in public stations are not thereby excused from care in governing their families; nay, rather, they are more concerned to set a good example of ruling their own houses well, 1 Tim. 3:4. When David had his hands full of public affairs, yet he returned to bless his house, 2 Sa. 6:20. He resolves,
- (1.) To act conscientiously and with integrity, to walk in a perfect way, in the way of God’s commandments; that is a perfect way, for the law of the Lord is perfect. This he will walk in with a perfect heart, with all sincerity, not dissembling either with God or men. When we make the word of God our rule and are ruled by it, the glory of God our end, and aim at it, then we walk in a perfect way with a perfect heart.
- (2.) To act considerately and with discretion: I will behave myself wisely; I will understand or instruct myself in a perfect way, so some. I will walk circumspectly. Note, We must all resolve to walk by the rules of Christian prudence in the ways of Christian piety. We must never turn aside out of the perfect way, under pretense of behaving ourselves wisely; but, while we keep to the good way, we must be wise as serpents.
2. A good prayer: O when wilt thou come unto me? Note, It is a desirable thing, when a man has a house of his own, to have God come to him and dwell with him in it; and those may expect God’s presence that walk with a perfect heart in a perfect way. If we compare the account which the historian gives of David (1 Sa. 18:14), we shall find how exactly it answers his purpose and prayer, and that neither was in vain. David, as he purposed, behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and, as he prayed, the Lord was with him. (Henry)

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When wilt thou come unto me? — 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.

I will walk within my house — 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, and his servants, has got a perfect heart, and adorns the doctrine of God his Savior in all things.

The original is very emphatic; אתהלך ethhallech, “I will set myself to walk,” I will make it a determined point thus to walk. I will bear and forbear with children, servants, c., not speaking rashly, nor giving way to bad tempers. Through various motives, a man will behave with propriety and decorum among others but none of these motives operate in his own house, where he feels himself master, and consequently under no restraint. (Clarke)

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Geneva Bible 1560

Psalms 101:2

2 I will do wisely in the perfite waie (b) til thou comest to me: I will walk in the uprightness of mine heart in the middes of mine house.

b Though as yet you defer to place me in the kingly dignity, yet will I give myself to wisdom and uprightness being a private man.

1 Kings 8:57-58, 60-61 NKJV

57 May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us,

58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.

60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.

61 Let your heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”