Psalm 101
Words: The Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, 1887 ed.
Note: This page also has a Common Metre version of this psalm.
(76 76) 1 Of mercy and of judgment,
O Lord, I'll sing to thee.
In wisdom and uprightness
Shall my behavior be.
2 O when wilt thou, Jehovah,
To me in kindness come?
With heart sincere and perfect
I'll walk within my home.
3 No work of sin I'll suffer
Before my eyes to be:
I hate the work of sinners,
It shall not cleave to me.
4 The man whose heart is froward,
Shall from my presence go.
None who in sin takes pleasure
Will I consent to know.
5 The tongue of secret slander
Shall from my sight depart;
High looks I will not suffer,
Nor yet the haughty heart.
6 My eyes shall seek the faithful,
That they may dwell with me;
The man who walks uprightly,
He shall my servant be.
7 No man of works deceitful
Within my house shall dwell;
Nor in my sight shall tarry
The man who lies doth tell.
8 I'll everywhere on sinners
Inflict a swift reward;
To free from evil-doers
The city of the Lord.
Note: This version is the same as the Scottish Psalter of 1650. Remember that the Presbyterian Psalm Singing heritage goes back to that Psalter and before, so no doubt the congregations were already familiar with this version and might have missed it if it had not been included. There are many other examples like this in the 1887 Presbyterian Psalter.
1 I mercy will and judgment sing,
Lord, I will sing to thee.
With wisdom in a perfect way
Shall my behavior be.
2 O when, in kindness unto me,
Wilt thou be pleased to come.;
I with a perfect heart will walk
Within my house at home.
3 I will endure no wicked thing
Before mine eyes to be;
I hate their work that turn aside,
It shall not cleave to me.
4 A stubborn and a forward heart
Depart quite from me shall;
A person giv'n to wickedness
I will not know at all.
5 I'll cut him off that slandereth
His neighbor privily:
The haughty heart I will not bear,
Nor him whose looks are high.
6 Upon the faithful of the land
Mine eyes shall be, that they
May dwell with me; he shall me serve
Who walks in perfect way.
7 Who of deceit a worker is
In my house shall not dwell;
Nor in my presence shall remain
The man that lies doth tell.
8 Yea, all the wicked of the land
I early will destroy;
And from God's city cut them off'
That work iniquity.
