Man, I love the Psalms. There is so much good stuff there, everyday in the Psalms. And the thing I like about the Psalms is that sometimes they are just weird.

They will say things and you think – wait, what?  Did I just read that? What did that just say?

Did that Psalm just say that he hated someone? Wait, didn’t Jesus say to love everyone? And that Psalm said he hated that guy?

What?

Listen to what I read in Psalm 101 this morning:

I will be careful to live a blameless life—
when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
in my own home.
I will refuse to look at
anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
I will have nothing to do with them.

The Psalmist, we think David, said that he will hate those that deal crookedly.  He will have nothing to do with them.

Well, that’s a little strong, huh?

Why would David say that? Why would that be in the Bible? What is it talking about?

David is talking about this. He wants to live a life of integrity. He wants to live a life dedicated to God.  He wants to live a life where he follows God with all that he is. He chooses to do that.

And he will allow nothing to get in his way.  He chooses to follow God. And anything that will distract him from that choice, he wants nothing to do with. He wants a singular dedication to God above all else. And anything that pulls him away from God, he wants no part of.

Anything.

He chooses God above all else.

Nothing in life compares to God. Nothing.

And so to “hate” those things and even people that pull him away is this – he is saying that he chooses God above all else in his life.

Today, what about us? Do we choose God above everything? Do we make Him first in our lives?  Is He our primary love? Does He come first?

That’s where life is found.  David says he will set no worthless thing before.  He will choose to chase after God.

Today, how about each of us. What will we choose to do?