He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord. (Psalm 101:7-8)
In the words of one Jewish commentator, this psalm represents the royal charter upon which David established his monarchy. His rule was one that placed a premium upon justice and truth, and consequently, the king expected the people under his jurisdiction to abide by these lofty standards. So adamant was he on this issue, that anyone who practiced wickedness and deceit was subject to being “cut off” from the people. This was particularly enforced when it came to the holy city of Jerusalem, thereby affirming a pattern for the standards that will be present in the New Jerusalem. Of that city it is written, “There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27).
There are some commentaries that believe the words in these verses speak of the world to come and the standards of holiness that will be enforced by the Son of David, the Messiah. No doubt, David envisioned a society whose people would continually be true to justice and holiness, but in reality, we know that wasn’t always the case. David himself fell into the trap of seduction, attempted to deceive others and, for a season, engaged in wicked practices. Still, he realized that a holy God required a holy people to walk upright before Him in this life if they hoped to stand before Him blameless in the world to come.
If we are God’s children, then we should strive to uphold and exhibit the attributes and characteristics of our Heavenly Father. In that vein of thought, it stands to reason that we should not allow those who work deceit and spread lies to be established in our midst — such behavior undermines the purposes of God. Not only that, but those who practice such are not the children of God but of the devil who is, as Messiah said, the “father of lies” (John 8:44). In short, as the people of God it behooves us to create an environment that is conducive to holiness, and at the same time, detrimental to wickedness.
The Spirit of God within us should be so evident that wickedness is immediately exposed and, with God’s help, removed from our life and the lives of those in our sphere of influence. This is how it will be in the New Jerusalem without exception. That said, let us employ the righteous standards of holiness in our homes and fellowships, today, that the Presence of God may rest upon us now.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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