Martin Luther wrote: “At the courts of princes there are few Josephs or Naamans, but many Ahithophels and Zibas.”
At first glance, Psalm 101 could be a psalm of commitment for anyone, but the heading lets us know it is a psalm of David, and that gives it added weight in a special arena, that of the political world. As a political leader, David is vowing a standard of ethics everyone should follow, but especially those who rule.
I’m writing this in an election year, at what seems to be the end of a great financial storm of several years. Whether it is really over remains to be seen. Congress is so divided it cannot seem to get anything done. Words like “bi-partisan” and “compromise” along with “work together” are bandied about, but it’s only lip service. Back room deals are often the order of the day. While we believe a democracy is the best form of government, we should realize that democracies are made up of people who want power, not necessarily people who are qualified for it.
In an election season, who, really, should we look to and vote for?
David provides an answer in this Psalm. The person with that moral commitment should be the one to make our laws, to enforce them, and to lead our nation. Let’s find these people! Better yet, let’s be these people.