Chapter One Hundred

In the psalm, David depicts the image of his future reign, the ideal of his kingship, with the portrayal of a painfully yearning mood, from waiting “when will You, O Lord, come to me?” (Ps 100:2) The content of the psalm is consistent with the circumstances of David’s bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It is known that the death of Uzzah, who touched the Ark without proper reverence, saddened David, who did not dare to bring it further. The Ark was placed in the house of Obed-Edom. In the death of Uzzah, David saw an indication that he was not worthy of God’s mercy, that the Lord cannot come to Jerusalem at this time, probably due to some moral impurity of the latter. Therefore, David in the psalm makes a vow before God to take care of the purification of Jerusalem, to make it a place worthy for the dwelling of the all-holy Being.

Psalm 100:1. I will sing of mercy and judgment; to You, O Lord, I will sing. David promises to sing the Divine mercies, His judgment, that is, the righteousness that is given in His law. Since the entire content of the psalm represents an exposition of the general foundations of David’s future transformative activity, the expression “mercy and judgment” will mean: I, O Lord, will take care of the purification and elevation of the inner, moral side (“mercy”) of the life of Jerusalem, as well as of the enlightenment of the people in the commandments of the law and of bringing their life into harmony with the directions of Your will. In a less logical, but not contradictory connection with the entire content of the psalm, there will be also this understanding: I will make the people know and teach them attachment to You by revealing to them those many benefits (“mercy”) that You have poured upon them throughout their entire life, so that thereby to incline them to follow Your commandments (“I will sing judgment”).

Psalm 100:2. I will consider the path of integrity: “When will You come to me?” I will walk in the integrity of my heart in the midst of my house. “I will consider the path of integrity” – I will take care to make my deeds pure, to find out when I will be worthy to receive the Ark of the Covenant (“When will You come to me?”). I will take care (past tense used instead of future) about the path of integrity not only in the sense of watching my thoughts and feelings, but also in regard to my deeds as both a private person and a ruler of the people.

Psalm 100:3. I will not set before my eyes anything wicked; I hate deeds of transgression: they will not cling to me. Everything wicked I will hate (“I will not set before my eyes” – I will not admire or imitate), as well as wicked people.

Psalm 100:4. A perverse heart will be removed from me; I will not know evil. Psalm 100:5. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor I will put to silence; I will not tolerate the proud eye and the arrogant heart. “A perverse heart will be removed from me” – a proud heart will not be in me; there will be no acts prompted by personal, willful desire, but I will humbly follow the directions of Your will; I will purify the city from slanderers and not enter into close relations with people who despise others and are insatiably ambitious, that is, David promises to elevate and draw near to himself only the worthy.

Psalm 100:6. My eyes are on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; the one who walks in the way of integrity will serve me. Psalm 100:7. The one who practices deceit shall not dwell in my house; the one who speaks lies shall not remain before my eyes. Psalm 100:8. Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off from the city of the Lord all those who commit iniquity. All David’s goodwill will be toward those who believe in God, are pious (“faithful of the land”), are pure in deeds (“who walks in the way of integrity”). “The one who speaks lies shall not remain before my eyes” – will not be just, will not be encouraged and rewarded by me. “Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land” – with possible and full swiftness (“morning”) and persistently will I take care of purifying the city from all lawbreakers. This prayer of David concludes the psalms of the first hour. Here, in addition to Psalms 5 and 8, the Church provides man with general directions for guidance in his activities at the coming day.