Psalm 101 - A Song of Personal Integrity

David's private vow to walk blamelessly and keep evil out of his house.

Psalms 101: David's Vow of Personal Integrity

After the communal thanksgiving of Psalms 100, Psalm 101 turns personal, with David vowing 'I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way' and 'walk within my house with a perfect heart.'


A Psalm of David. I will sing of mercy and justice; unto Thee, O HaShem, will I sing praises.

I will give heed unto the way of integrity; oh when wilt Thou come unto me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.

I will set no base thing before mine eyes; I hate the doing of things crooked; it shall not cleave unto me.

A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil thing.

Whoso slandereth his neighbour in secret, him will I destroy; whoso is haughty of eye and proud of heart, him will I not suffer.

Mine eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a way of integrity, he shall minister unto me.

He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house; he that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes.

Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land; to cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of HaShem.

His resolve to 'set no wicked thing before mine eyes' parallels the prayer in <a href="/bible/jps/psalms/chapter-119/37">Psalms 119:37</a> to turn the eyes from vanity. The psalm's closing vow to cut off wicked doers from the city of the LORD gives way to the raw lament of <a href="/bible/jps/psalms/chapter-102">Psalms 102</a>.