Psalm 101:3-4 (NIV)
I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil.
Neil Postman of NYU was quoted in US News And World Report as saying:
“What television does is to bring the whole culture out of the closet, because programs need a constant supply of novel information. In its quest for new and sensational ventures to hold its audience, TV must tap every existing taboo in the culture: homosexuality, incest, divorce, promiscuity, corruption, adultery, and terrible displays of violence and sadism.” Television mogul Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, said to a group of broadcasters from around the world, “Your delegates to the United Nations are not as important as the people in this room [broadcasters]. We are the ones that determine what the people’s attitudes are. It’s in our hands.” Sobering observations, indeed, but are they a little over-the-top?
No, they are not.
Psalm 101 was clearly written by David, as it obviously reflects in eight powerful verses the thoughts of a man after God’s own heart. And while there is certainly liberty in the life of a follower of Christ, it helps to remember the exhortation of the Apostle Paul when he said, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12). In this context, he was referring to the misapplication of Christian liberty to sexual ethics, and he echoed these words again in chapter ten with respect to food choices, which was a big deal for first century Jews. Paul did not mean that a Christian has liberty to sin, of course, but that a Christian has liberty when it comes to things that are more a matter of maturity than law. Can a Christian have a glass of wine with dinner? Should a Christian watch an R-rated movie? A violent movie? A movie with some sexual content? What about cussing? For Christian women, is it ok to show a little cleavage? Wear a bikini?
The list goes on and on.
In general, Psalm 101 is calling us to a life of both inward and outward purity. David deals with his own actions as well as commenting on the actions of others—which requires some righteous judging, by the way (Jn. 7:24). In our main verses for today, David is calling us to guard our eyes as well as our allegiances. “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile” is an interesting and nuanced statement. Vile is simply defined as anything that is morally despicable or abhorrent, and the Bible defines those terms in book after book and chapter after chapter. When you encounter vile things, are you repulsed or attracted? Do you look away or settle in? Curious or captivated? One can see a vile thing in a movie, tv show, or on a website and have either a right reaction or a wrong reaction. Do you ever turn away from a sexually explicit scene? Does your heart grieve when you see a senseless act of violence, abuse, or injustice on the screen? Should you expose yourself to anything with this type of content in the first place?
These are some questions every Christian should wrestle with, regularly. I most certainly don’t do that enough. I hope you do.
Additionally, David makes a commitment to disassociate from people who are not seeking after what is good and right and noble. He doesn’t even want to be in the same room, let alone have any kind of relationship with them. This does not violate our mandate to make disciples and share the Gospel with the lost whenever possible (Mt. 28), but it does call into question who we choose to associate with…who we spend our time with. Do you have some friends that consistently pull you in the wrong direction? A group of people that add darkness to your life rather than light? A friend that tempts you towards the ungodly…the vile? David is telling you to have nothing to do with them. Pray for them, certainly, and share the gospel, but don’t give them anything else. Have nothing to do with what is evil (v. 4).
We are always being influenced, especially now that smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of our lives, and our ancient brother and friend, King David, is calling out to us…exhorting us…warning us. Will we listen?
