A Better King
It’s hard to escape the political headlines these days. Politicians are running for both the White House and Congress while a judge is seeking confirmation to the Supreme Court. Decisions abound, and though the country is fractured in many ways, most people seem to truly desire leaders who will govern well for the good of this country.
However, history and experience have proved time and again that though some officials do better than others, every political leader disappoints. It’s a fact. We live in a fallen world, and we’re misplacing our trust if we think any leader can be a model of perfect character or a solver of all society’s ills. The sad reality is that many Christians put too much emotional investment in political outcomes. I’ve certainly been guilty of this.
In writing Psalm 101, King David seeks to provide a vision for the ideal monarch of Israel—the kind of political leadership that a nation thrives under. Can you imagine if political leaders in our day exhibited the following characteristics?
The king delights in what is good. We often hear a lot of political lip service to love and justice… this king sings about them from a genuine heart making music to the Lord (v. 1)!
The king walks in integrity. Instead of thinking primarily about retaining power at any cost, this king “will ponder the way that is blameless.” Instead of functioning one way in front of cameras and another way behind closed doors, this king “will walk with integrity of heart” within his house (v. 2). There’s no need to distinguish the morality of his policies from that of his personal life because both are characterized by integrity.
The king executes justice. He doesn’t just talk about justice and merely virtue signal to win votes; he does justice. In the face of genuine evil, he destroys those who seek to harm others with slander, and he will not endure haughtiness or arrogance (v. 5). He will destroy all the wicked in the land, and they will no longer be in the city of the LORD (v. 8). This king does not stand idly by while the innocent and vulnerable among his people suffer. He acts impartially with justice, preserving the land and protecting those who are his.
The king dwells with the faithful. Politicians often surround themselves with influential people from whom they receive political donations and with whom they can exchange political favors. However, David writes, “I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me,” (v. 6). David says that it is the one who is blameless who will serve him. Can you imagine if all politicians surrounded themselves with people of integrity?
The reality is none of us can read this chapter and think that we would deserve to be in the presence of the ideal king described here. Who among us has not slandered another, or hasn’t been haughty or arrogant, or hasn’t practiced deceit or uttered lies? Absolutely none of us deserve the kind of leader described here.
In fact, our sins deserve his justice. When David writes, “Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD,” every one of us who claims Christ knows what it is to be separated from him because of our rebellion against him. We have all rejected his reign and chosen toxic and sinful leadership instead. We don’t deserve to dwell with God.
And yet, Psalm 101 points to a greater King, one who would come in the line of David and fulfill the Davidic Covenant: the Messiah, King Jesus. This King came to this earth and truly delighted in what was good. He alone walked in perfect integrity, fulfilling all the Law’s demands. And then, at the right time, he went to the cross, and the justice of God was satisfied against his people’s sins as the wrath of God was poured out upon Jesus. After this death, Jesus rose from the dead and will never die again.
He ascended into heaven and is coming back again, not to occupy the White House for a certain term limit, but to dwell with his people, the ransomed and redeemed, for all eternity. Praise the Lord! We who know him are not saved because ultimately we voted for him, but because he elected us and gave us saving faith as a gift. What grace; what love!