Although Psalms 99–100 have unknown authors, Psalm 101 was written by David. Early in his reign, he recorded the standards of conduct he wanted to follow. God can be praised and trusted by believers in Him because God is holy, good, and perfect. All believers should be motivated to honorable conduct because of our precious, intimate, growing relationship with the God of all!

What standards of conduct are we following and committing to each morning as we surrender all to the One who saved us because of His unfailing love for us?

Psalm 101, The Message

Of David. A psalm.

^1-8 My theme song is God’s love and justice,
    and I’m singing it right to you, God.
I’m finding my way down the road of right living,
    but how long before you show up?
I’m doing the very best I can,
    and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.
I refuse to take a second look
    at corrupting people and degrading things.
I reject made-in-Canaan gods,
    stay clear of contamination.
The crooked in heart keep their distance;
    I refuse to shake hands with those who plan evil.
I put a gag on the gossip
    who bad-mouths his neighbor;
I can’t stand
    arrogance.

But I have my eye on salt-of-the-earth people—
    they’re the ones I want working with me;
Men and women on the straight and narrow—
    these are the ones I want at my side.
But no one who traffics in lies
    gets a job with me; I have no patience with liars.
I’ve rounded up all the wicked like cattle
    and herded them right out of the country.
I purged God’s city
    of all who make a business of evil.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

All of us reading this right now probably have not been called and anointed by God to be king like David. We certainly do not have the authority over a nation; but we do have all authority from God in heaven to tell everyone who does have full authority over all He has created.  In fact, we are commanded and commission to go and tell the Good News of salvation from God, in Jesus Name, with His authority, as Christ’s ambassadors!  God’s Word proves His promises.

The Great Commission

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”—Jesus, Matthew 28:16-20

We Are God’s Ambassadors

Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”—Paul, 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

So, we ask ourselves the question again given what we know to be true:  What standards of conduct are we following and committing to each morning as we surrender all to the One who saved us because of His unfailing love for us?

Psalm 101’s theme song begins with our hearts, for the heart of leadership is the leader’s devotion and commitment to the Lord. This disciplined devotion results in a life lived blamelessly to the glory of the Lord. David was determined to be that kind of leader, and he opened the psalm with “I will” and repeated this promise eight more times. He made it clear that there must be no separation between the leader’s personal life and his or her official life, the private and the public. David wanted his reign to be characterized by love and justice, for this is the way God rules the world (89:14; Is. 16:5).  We must choose leaders who believe in God, listen to God, trust and obey God.  To do that wisely; we must believe, listen, surrender, trust and obey ourselves!

What is our “I will…”? Pray, listen the God’s Holy Spirit speak to us today.

Lord,

I’m yours.  I’m listening. Guide me in all I think, say, and do. I surrender my will to yours.

In Jesus Name, Amen