Psalms 101:5

Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. -How the king will act in his public capacity. He will not endure slander or pride. He will take only the faithful to dwell with him as servants, and will banish the deceitful from his presence and will cut off the wicked doers. Verse 5. WHOSO PRIVILY SLANDERETH HIS NEIGHBOUR, HIM WILL I CUT OFF. David knew by bitter experience in Saul's days, the cruel effects of slander. In the same Hebrew occurs. HIM THAT HATH AN HIGH LOOK AND A PROUD HEART WILL NOT I SUFFER - (.) Pride and slander go together; because the depreciating of others is with a view to exalt self. Verse 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the...

5_Whoso slandereth his neighbor _(130) _in secret, him will I destroy. _In this verse he speaks more distinctly of the duty of a king who is armed with the sword, for the purpose of restraining evil-doers. Detraction, pride, and vices of every description, are justly offensive to all good men; but all men have not the power or right to cut off the proud or detractors, because they are not invested with public authority, and consequently have their hands bound. It is of importance to attend to this distinction, that the children of God may keep themselves within the bounds of moderation, and that none may pass beyond the province of his own calling. It is certain, that so long as David lived merely in the rank of a private member of society, he never dared to attempt any such thing. But after being placed on the royal throne, he received a sword from the hand of God, which he employed in...

Verse Psalms 101:5. _WHOSO PRIVILY SLANDERETH HIS NEIGHBOUR_] All flatterers and time-servers, and those who by insinuations and false accusations endeavour to supplant the upright, that they may obtain their offices for themselves or their dependants, will I consider as enemies to the state, I will abominate, and expel them from my court. The Chaldee gives a remarkable meaning to the Hebrew, מלשני בסתר רעהו _melasheni bassether reehu_, which we translate, _Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour_, and which it renders thus, דמשתעי לישן תליתי על חבריה _demishtaey lishan telitai al chabreyah_: "He who speaks with the _triple tongue_ against his neighbour." That is, the tongue by which he slays _three_ persons, viz., 1. The _man_ whom he slanders; 2. _Him_ to whom he _communicates_ the slander; and, 3. Him

WHOSO PRIVILY SLANDERETH HIS NEIGHBOUR - literally, “One who speaks concerning his neighbor in secret.” If a man has any good to say of another, he will be likely to say it openly; if he has any evil to say, it will be likely to be said in secret. Hence, to speak in secret of anyone comes to mean the same thing as to slander him. HIM WILL I CUT OFF - That is, I will cut him off from me; I will not employ him. He would not have one in his house, or in his service, who did injustice to the character of others; who stabbed their reputation in the dark. This was alike indicative of the personal character of the author of the psalm, and of his purpose as the head of a family. It is hardly necessary to say that no one should employ another who is in the habit of slandering his neighbor. HIM THAT HATH AN HIGH LOOK - That is proud - as a proud man commonly carries his

EXPOSITION Tins psalm describes the rightful conduct and proper principles of action of an Israelite king. It is regarded by some as a portrait of an ideal ruler, dramatically put into his mouth; by others, as an actual address to God by a real ruler, making profession of his intentions, and asking God to aid him (Psalms 101:2). The "title" of the psalm, both in the Hebrew and the Septuagint, which ascribes it to David, favours the latter view. Ewald and De Wette, who maintain the Davidical authorship, note the simplicity, depth, and concentration of the thought as wholly worthy of the reputed writer. Metrically, the psalm divides itself into two stanzas, each of four verses. In the first stanza (Psalms 101:1) the writer declares the principles on which he intends to act in his priv

WHOSO PRIVILY SLANDERETH HIS NEIGHBOUR, HIM WILL I CUT OFF,.... That raises and spreads a false report of him; that insinuates evil things of him; that brings false charges and accusations against him, in a private manner, when he has no opportunity to defend himself: such an one David threatens to cut off from his presence, as Kimchi interprets it; from all communion and conversation with him; and yet he listened to the slanders of Ziba against Mephibosheth: but Christ, who knows the hearts and the secret actions of men, will reject and cut off all persons of such a character: the Targum is, "he that speaketh with a triple tongue against his neighbour, him will I destroy, and he shall be smitten with the leprosy:'' a slandering tongue is called a triple tongue with the Jews m, because, as they say, it kills three persons; him that carries the slander, him that receives it, and him of...

Psalms 101:1. The last Psalm was a Hymn of Thanksgiving, this one is a Psalm of Thanksgiving. I suppose it to have been written by David just when he assumed the throne, when he was about to become king over all Israel and Judah. Its title is, «A Psalm of David.» This is what he said to himself, Psalms 101:1. _I will sing_ That is right, David. In the one hundredth Psalm, he had exhorted other people to sing, now, in the hundred and first, he declares what he will himself do: «I will sing» Psalms 101:1. _Of mercy and judgment:_ It is a mingled theme; there are the treble and the bass notes: «mercy and judgment.» There are some dear friends who, if they sing at all wil

PSALM 101-106 Psalms 101 The Righteous King Speaketh _ 1. The character of the King (Psalms 101:1)_ 2. His righteous demands of His subjects (Psalms 101:4) A Psalm of David. He speaks as king concerning himself and those in his kingdom. But it is evident that once more he speaks as a prophet concerning the true King, the Son, whom God had promised through him, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is a King of perfect righteousness, which David was not. This true King is in complete fellowship with Jehovah, for He is one with Him. He will not tolerate evil in His kingdom of righteousness. The proud and wicked are not suffered by Him. He will destroy early (morning by morning) the wicked out of

CI. THE IDEAL RULER. The main purport is clear. The ideal ruler is faithful to the high standard which he sets before himself (Psalms 101:2_ b_ - Psalms 101:4). He requires (Psalms 101:5) the same strict observance from others. The crux of the Ps. is 1, 2_ a_. Mercy and judgment, unless another meaning is suggested by the context, would refer to the Divine mercy and justice, but of this the Psalmist makes no mention. The question, moreover, When wilt thou come unto me? is puzzling. The ruler seems to have no special difficulty or distress such as the question implies. Perhaps the introduction belonged to another Ps. and was prefixed to the didactic poem which follows in order to fit the Ps. for liturgical use.

CUT OFF. destroy. See Psalms 101:8. PROUD HEART. broad of heart: i.e. large and blatant. Compare Proverbs 21:4; Proverbs 21:28; Proverbs 21:25....