I will sing of your love and justice, 

Lord. 

I will praise you with songs.

I will be careful to live a blameless life...

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.

I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. 

I will not endure conceit and pride.

I will search for faithful people to be my companions.

Psalms 101:1,2,3,5,6 NLT

I can't imagine this song being sung in church as we experience it, but maybe the practices of our faith together need to be stretched a bit...I can imagine us repeating this together and together examining and sharing what it means in our world to sing of God's love, and God's justice.

What does living a life of integrity in my own home look like?

What are the "I will" statements that we want to live by?

And what are the "I will not" statements where we need to place our boundaries? The Psalmist here places boundaries around what he or she looks at, the things allowed in, and around people who are unhealthy, toxic to them. 

If you need permission to have boundaries in your life, it's here in this song. 

If you need a reminder that our practices are important, then it's here in this song, the "I will not", and the "I will" of our practices. They're not magic formulas or set in stone, but the things we choose not to do, and the things we choose to do, that lead towards thriving and flourishing.

#psalms

#psalm101

#Iwillnot

#Iwill

#boundaries

#shalom