Psalm 101: Unsettling

The psalmist begins with a lovely sentiment: he'll sing of mercy and justice.  But by the end, he talks of taking down the wicked in the land.  His passion and zeal are impressive, inspiring, and, honestly, a little bit unsettling.  During Lent, though, we are meant to be unsettled.  It's easy to find reasons to not do the right thing, to turn away when wrongs are being committed.  In this season of the church year, we are called to ask what is keeping us from following God's path and to then chart a new course.  Doing so may upend our expectations, but it will bring us to where we need to be.

1 I will sing of mercy and justice; *
to you, O LORD, will I sing praises.
2 I will strive to follow a blameless course;
oh, when will you come to me? *
I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.
3 I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; *
I hate the doers of evil deeds;
they shall not remain with me.
4 A crooked heart shall be far from me; *
I will not know evil.
5 Those who in secret slander their neighbors I will destroy; *
those who have a haughty look and a proud heart I cannot abide.
6 My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, *
and only those who lead a blameless life shall be my servants.
7 Those who act deceitfully shall not dwell in my house, *
and those who tell lies shall not continue in my sight.
8 I will soon destroy all the wicked in the land, *
that I may root out all evildoers from the city of the LORD.

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