Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

101:5-8 The King Will Destroy the Wicked and Favor the Faithful. The king should promote faithfulness among the people, and this includes protecting the weaker members from those who would do them harm. The king can carry this out in a judicial way against those who break specific laws: when someone slanders his neighbor secretly (cf. Lev. 19:16; this is an attack on the neighbor's life), the king can destroy the wrongdoer (Ps. 101:5; cf. also v. 8) by pronouncing sentence against him. There are situations in which the king does not have legal punishment to give, as when someone shows disdain for the covenant and for its people (e.g., a haughty look and an arrogant heart; practices deceit); and yet the faithful king will not endure such people (v. 5; i.e., he will not pretend that such people are pleasing, cf. Isa. 1:13), nor will they dwell in his house (Ps. 101:7; i.e., he will not count them as intimate friends). At the same time, the ideal king will look with favor on the faithful in the land (v. 6): they may dwell with him (contrast v. 7), and he will rely on them to minister to him (see note on v. 6). Under this kind of leadership, the city of the Lord can be a happy and holy place, a blessing to the world.