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Psalm 101:5 Personal standards of a godly leader - Day 285

Good evening friends,

Writing this on 6/27 after listening to Jonathan's sermon on true and false children of God and how our attitude toward the Bible is a barometer for our relationship with the Lord. I especially concur with the thought that it takes time to grow in the Word.  If this is the first time you have read through the Bible, don't be discouraged by not finishing in a year.  Hang in there and God will bless you for your diligence.

Blessings,

Jeff 

Many psalms speak of God's holiness, but this is David's personal commitment to integrity. This verse extends the standard to those around David.

Let us meditate and inquire about this verse.

What does it say?

How would David know about those who secretly slander their neighbor?  I think this is more a warning that no private slander stays that way very long.  Eventually the slanderer puts his words into action or someone who heard that words reports them to others.  Spurgeon says that David knew the pain of such slander and did not want anyone else to suffer what he had.

Besides David's experience, why does he reject the secret slanderer?  Here we are  back to the ten commandments.  Ninth is You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. David is firmly rooted in the law of the Lord as Psalm 1 makes evident.   

The haughty look and the arrogant heart on the other hand are pretty much on public display.  It appears that there really is nothing new under the sun.  David despised this characteristic in his day.  Yet in much of public life today this is seen as a virtue across the political spectrum.

What are David's plans for such people?  Destruction and not enduring them.  

How does this relate to other scripture?

Are there examples in scripture of slander being acceptable? As mentioned, 9th prohibits.  Proverbs has much to say about talebearers and whisperers.

Are haughty looks and an arrogant heart ever a positive attribute?  Think of Herod's speech where his listener's say "the voice of a god"  He was eaten by worms and died.

How does it apply?

David had the power and authority to impose this standard on government and society associated with the nation of Israel, God's chosen people.  Ideally, civil government would reject these traits.  But the church is where these standards truly apply.  We must be different from the world in standards of behavior and attitude.

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