PSALM 101 2

Psalm 101: 4,5 I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. NLT

Notice the severity of these verses. King David is taking a stand for righteousness. Just like things are today, evil was everywhere, but David would have none of it. David knew that there are things that God does not tolerate.

God hates hearts that are filled with hate. There are many reasons why this is so. Perverse hearts are far from the Lord. They have wandered so far away from the Lord that Satan has filled their hearts and minds with evil. There is no limit to how perverse one can become when God is forsaken. The righteous and the perverse mix like water and oil. It’s best to not hang around evil. If you don’t, it can suck you into it if you let down your guard.

David took at stand against those who slander others. We are to build others up, not tear them down. It somehow makes us feel superior to others when we tear them down. We believe the lie that we are more important than others, that we are superior to them. However, we are told clearly in the Scriptures that we ought not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We are taught that everyone is equal in God’s sight, that all the labels we use to make ourselves different than others are lies we tell ourselves.

David goes on to say that he will not put up with those who are conceited and prideful. There is no room in the righteous for conceit. There are many who are stuck on themselves. They puff themselves up. They focus on personal achievements. They want others to put them on pedestal and honor them. Such attitudes are clearly spoken against by God’s Word. Paul tells us if we must boast, boast in what Christ as done, not what we have done. Pride is soul destructive. It always brings us down. A humble spirit is what God honors.

Not only did David take a stand against the perverse heart, God does too. “I will have nothing to do with it.” God will simply wipe His hands from the perverse in heart. They are left to wallow in the cesspool of sin to fend for themselves.

David says in verse seven that deceivers and liars won’t be allowed to serve Him or even be in his presence. The same thing holds true for God. Such people will never be allowed to be near to God. Such people can never serve the Lord. No matter what they may do that seems to be good, it all is for nothing in God’s eyes.

God is concerned about how you think and live. He knows the price that one must pay for rejecting Him. He knows the impact evil has on one’s life, both now and forever. He does not want anyone to die in their sins and will do all He can to convince them that they need Him, but He will not do it for them. He gives us the freedom to accept or reject Him, and He will honor the choice we make.