Psalm 101

Of David. A Psalm.
1   I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
    to you, O LORD, I will sing.
2   I will study the way that is blameless.
    When shall I attain it?
I will walk with integrity of heart
    within my house;
3   I will not set before my eyes
    anything that is base.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
    it shall not cling to me.
4   Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;
    I will know nothing of evil.
5      One who secretly slanders a neighbor
    I will destroy.
  A haughty look and an arrogant heart
    I will not tolerate.
6      I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
    so that they may live with me;
  whoever walks in the way that is blameless
    shall minister to me.
7      No one who practices deceit
    shall remain in my house;
  no one who utters lies
    shall continue in my presence.
8      Morning by morning I will destroy
    all the wicked in the land,
  cutting off all evildoers
    from the city of the LORD.

Daily Prayer (based on Psalm 101:3)

O Lord, how hard it is to say that "I will not set before my eyes anything that is base." It seems almost impossible to live in today's world without encountering empty, vain, and evil images. And, if truth be told, they can grab my attention. Though I can easily convince myself not to look at obviously evil images, what about the empty ones? I can plop down before the television and drink in mindlessness. I can inundate my soul with commercials that lure me into vain spending. I can look with lust upon the latest electronic devices that promise a better life. Forgive me, Lord, for all the times I focus my eyes, and, indeed, my heart, on that which is vain, on that which takes me away from You and Your kingdom.

Postscript

Matthew 6:22-23

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

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Except for the Scripture text, all material of The Daily Psalm Copyright © 2006 by Mark D. Roberts

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The Scripture text used in The Daily Psalm is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved