Psalms 101 · Verse 1

Psalms 101:1

A Psalm of David. I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
Psalms 101:1, King James Version

Psalms 101:1 in other translations

BSBA Psalm of David. I will sing of Your loving devotion and justice; to You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
WEBA Psalm by David. I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, LORD, I will sing praises.
ASVA Psalm of David. I will sing of lovingkindness and justice: Unto thee, O Jehovah, will I sing praises.
YLTA Psalm of David. Kindness and judgment I sing, To Thee, O Jehovah, I sing praise.
DARBYA Psalm of David. I will sing of loving-kindness and judgment: unto thee, Jehovah, will I sing psalms.
BBEI will make a song of mercy and righteousness; to you, O Lord, will I make melody.
WebsterA Psalm of David. I will sing of mercy and judgment: to thee, O LORD, will I sing.

What does Psalms 101:1 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The subject proposed, mercy and judgment, Psa 101:1. The psalmist's resolution in respect to his private conduct, Psa 101:2. He will put away evil, inward and outward, Psa 101:3. No evil person shall stand in his presence, Psa 101:4; nor any slanderer of his neighbor, Psa 101:4, Psa 101:5. He will encourage the faithful and upright, Psa 101:6; but the deceitful, the liars, and the profligate, he will cast out of the city of God, Psa 101:7, Psa 101:8. The Hebrew and all the Versions attribute this Psalm to David. It shows us the resolutions he formed when he came to the throne; and it is a perfect model according to which a wise prince should regulate his conduct and his government. Verse 1 I will sing of mercy and judgment - David might say, Adverse and prosperous providences have been of the utmost use to my soul; therefore, I will thank God for both. Or, as he was probably now called to the government of all the tribes, he might make a resolution that he would show חסד chesed, incessant benevolence, to the upright; and משפט mishpat, the execution of judgment, to the wicked; and would make the conduct of God the model of his own.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
David's vow and profession of godliness. --In this psalm we have David declaring how he intended to regulate his household, and to govern his kingdom, that he might stop wickedness, and encourage godliness. It is also applicable to private families, and is the householder's psalm. It teaches all that have any power, whether more or less, to use it so as to be a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well. The chosen subject of the psalm is God's mercy and judgment. The Lord's providences concerning his people are commonly mixed; mercy and judgment. God has set the one over against the other, both to do good, like showers and sunshine. When, in his providence, he exercises us with the mixture of mercy and judgment, we must make suitable acknowledgments to him for both. Family mercies and family afflictions are both calls to family religion. Those who are in public stations are not thereby excused from care in governing their families; they are the more concerned to set a good example of ruling their own houses well. Whenever a man has a house of his own, let him seek to have God to dwell with him; and those may expect his presence, who walk with a perfect heart, in a perfect way. David resolves to practise no evil himself. He further resolves not to keep bad servants, nor to employ those about him that are wicked. He will not admit them into his family, lest they spread the infection of sin. A froward heart, one that delights to be cross and perverse, is not fit for society, the bond of which is Christian love. Nor will he countenance slanderers, those who take pleasure in wounding their neighbour's reputation. Also, God resists the proud, and false, deceitful people, who scruple not to tell lies, or commit frauds. Let every one be zealous and diligent to reform his own heart and ways, and to do this early; ever mindful of that future, most awful morning, when the King of righteousness shall cut off all wicked doers from the heavenly Jerusalem.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 101:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

חֶֽסֶד\־che.sed-covenant loyaltyH2617
וּמִשְׁפָּ֥טu.mish.Patand justiceH4941
אָשִׁ֑ירָה'a.Shi.rahI will singH7891
לְךָ֖le.Khato you
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehO YahwehH3068
אֲזַמֵּֽרָה\׃'a.za.Me.rahI will sing praisesH2167

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 101:1

  • Psalms 89:1

    Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

  • Psalms 71:22-23

    I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

  • Revelation 19:1-3

    And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

  • Psalms 145:7

    They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

  • Psalms 51:14

    Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

  • Romans 9:15-18

    For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

  • Revelation 15:3-4

    And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

  • Psalms 136:10-22

    To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: …

  • Psalms 97:8

    Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.

  • Psalms 103:6-8

    The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

  • Romans 11:22

    Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

  • Romans 9:22-23

    What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David makes a vow and profession of godliness.

I will sing.
89:1; 97:8; 103:6-8; 136:10-22; Ro 9:15-18,22,23; 11:22; Re 15:3,4
Re 19:1-3
unto thee.
71:22,23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 101:1

    A Psalm of David. I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.

  • Psalms 101:2

    I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Read all of Psalms 101

Psalms 101:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Salmo de David. MISERICORDIA y juicio cantaré: á ti cantaré yo, oh Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Psaume de David. Je chanterai la bonté et le jugement; à toi, ô Éternel, je psalmodierai.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Von Güte und Recht will ich singen; dir, Jehova, will ich Psalmen singen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Oratio pauperis, cum anxius fuerit, et in conspectu Domini effuderit precem suam.