Psalms 101:5 · Bible study
Psalms 101:5 Commentary: Slander, Pride, and the King's Vow
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegesis of Psalm 101:5: Should David's vow to 'destroy' slanderers be taken literally? Synthesizes commentaries, Hebrew grammar, and royal context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David vows to exclude from his court anyone who secretly slanders or who is visibly proud; the verb “cut off” denotes removal from royal presence and service, not necessarily capital punishment.
- Key words: מְלָשְׁנִי (H3960, “slanderer,” Poel participle of לָשַׁן, to use the tongue maliciously); גְּבַהּ־עֵינַיִם (H1364 + H5869, “high of eyes,” signifying arrogance); רְחַב לֵבָב (H7342 + H3824, “wide of heart,” meaning insatiable ambition).
- Main debate: Whether “cut off” (H6789) implies literal capital punishment (cf. v.8) or exclusion from the king’s circle; most commentators favor the latter in v.5.
- Theological theme: God’s king must mirror God’s character, justice and mercy (v.1) require zero tolerance for secret sin and visible pride in the ruler’s household.
- Best use: A model for leaders (civil, church, family) to create environments where integrity, not slander or arrogance, defines community life.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.
WEB World English Bible 2000
I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won’t tolerate one who is arrogant and conceited.
KJV King James Version 1769
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I destroy: Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Whoso slandereth in secret his neighbour, Him I cut off, The high of eyes and proud of heart, him I endure not.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Whoso secretly slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy; him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Al que solapadamente infama á su prójimo, yo le cortaré; no sufriré al de ojos altaneros, y de corazón vanidoso.
Destruirei ao que fala mal de seu próximo as escondidas, e não tolerarei ao que tem olhos cobiçosos e coração arrogante.
Celui qui calomnie en secret son prochain, je l’ anéantirai;
Der seinen Nächsten heimlich verleumdet, den vertilge ich; ich mag den nicht, der stolze Gebärde und hohen Mut hat.
Die zijn naaste in het heimelijke achterklapt; dien zal ik verdelgen; die hoog van ogen is, en trots van hart, die zal ik niet vermogen.
Io sterminerò chi sparla in segreto del suo prossimo; e chi ha l’occhio altero ed il cuor gonfio non lo sopporterò.
Tego, który potajemnie obmawia bliźniego swego, wytnę; oczów wyniosłych, i serca nadętego nie będę mógł cierpieć.
сердце мое поражено, и иссохло, как трава, так что я забываю есть хлеб мой;
在暗中 讒謗 他鄰居的，我必將他 滅絕；眼目 高傲、心 裡驕縱的，我必不 容 他。
I will put to death anyone who says evil of his neighbour secretly; the man with a high look and a heart of pride is disgusting to me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 101:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across Protestant traditions agree that Psalm 101:5 expresses the king’s resolve to exclude slanderers and the proud from his presence and service. Barnes states the Hebrew him will I cut off means “I will cut him off from me; I will not employ him.” Gill similarly interprets “cut off from his presence,” noting that David “cannot bear him in my presence and company.” Clarke adds that David “will expel them from my court” as enemies of the state. The Hebrew verb אַצְמִית (ʾaṣmît, from H6789) can mean “destroy” or “cut off,” but in this royal context it functions as a decree of banishment rather than an immediate death sentence. The parallel clause “I will not suffer” (לֹא אוּכָל, loʾ ʾûḵāl, literally “I cannot [endure]”) reinforces the idea of personal and administrative intolerance. While the final verse (v.8) uses stronger language about destroying the wicked, v.5 itself is understood as a commitment to remove from one’s circle those who secretly harm others and those who are arrogantly proud.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal royal decree of capital punishment: The verb 'cut off' (H6789) is used in v.8 for destroying the wicked; the strong language and royal context suggest judicial execution for serious offenses.
- Exclusion from court and household: Barnes, Gill, and Clarke interpret 'cut off' as removal from presence/employment, noting the parallel 'I cannot endure' implies personal and administrative intolerance, not necessarily death.
What is clear: The psalmist commits to taking decisive action against secret slander and visible pride, refusing to allow such people within his sphere of influence.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literal destruction vs. exclusion from court | The verb 'cut off' (H6789) signals a decisive, non-negotiable response to slander and pride. | Some (e.g., Cambridge Bible, linking v.5b with v.8) read it as a judicial decree that could mean death; others (Barnes, Gill, Clarke) emphasize removal from royal presence and employment. |
| Applicability for today | Christians are called to oppose slander and pride in their own lives and communities. | Some traditions apply David’s policy literally to church discipline (cutting off unrepentant slanderers), while others see it as a principle of leadership integrity that must be balanced with forgiveness and restoration. |
| The role of government | Psalm 101 describes an ideal theocratic ruler who upholds justice. | Reformed traditions often apply this to civil magistrates; others focus on its application to church leaders and personal conduct, not state power. |
| The meaning of 'proud heart' (רְחַב לֵבָב) | The phrase indicates an enlarged, insatiable heart, ambitious and self-exalting. | Some (e.g., Gill) emphasize greed for wealth and status; others (Barnes) emphasize general arrogance and swollen self-importance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 101 is a royal psalm, traditionally attributed to David as he prepared to govern Israel. The superscription “A Psalm of David” and the surrounding context (vv.1, 4, 6, 8) reveal a king pledging to administer justice and holiness in his household and throughout the land. Keil & Delitzsch connect it to the period when the Ark was housed at Obed-Edom’s home (2 Samuel 6). David, awed by God’s holiness after Uzzah’s death, longs for the Ark to come to Jerusalem and vows to make his own house and kingdom a fit place for God’s presence.
Culturally, a king’s court was the center of patronage and influence. Slander (מְלָשְׁנִי, “one who slanders”) behind someone’s back damaged reputations and disrupted trust. A “high look and a proud heart” (גְּבַהּ־עֵינַיִם וּרְחַב לֵבָב) described not just internal pride but its visible expression, haughty eyes and an “enlarged” heart, meaning expansive ambition and insatiable desire. Such attitudes undermined the justice and mercy David sings of in v.1. The term “cut off” (H6789) was used elsewhere for divine judgment (Psalm 101:8) and for exclusion from the covenant community. David’s vow thus operates on two levels: as a practical policy for his administration and as a theological declaration that God’s king will mirror God’s own hatred of evil.
Later tradition, reported by Luther and others, called this psalm “the prince’s psalm” or “mirror of rulers” (Lange, Keil). Duke Ernest the Pious of Saxe-Gotha once sent a copy to an unfaithful minister, and the verse became a standard for court conduct. This historical use underscores the psalm’s enduring link between godly leadership and the rejection of hidden sin.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants for Psalm 101:5. The Masoretic Text is stable. Translations differ in rendering the Hebrew verbs: the KJV, ASV, and Darby use “cut off”/“destroy”; the WEB and BSB use “silence”/“put to silence.” These reflect interpretive choices, not textual uncertainty. The verb אַצְמִית (H6789) consistently means “to cut off, destroy, exterminate,” and the choice of “silence” in the WEB captures the practical outcome of removal from influence.
Reception History
Psalm 101 has been read as a model for Christian rulers and heads of households since the early church. Luther called it a “mirror of rulers” (Lange, Keil & Delitzsch). Duke Ernest the Pious of Saxe-Gotha sent a copy to an unfaithful minister, and the verse became proverbial: “he will certainly soon have to read the Prince’s Psalm” (Keil). The Chaldee Targum gave the slanderer the vivid image of a “triple tongue” that kills three persons, a view cited by Clarke and echoed by Jerome, who said the slanderer “ruins both himself and him who hears him.” In medieval Christian tradition, the psalm was often sung or recited as a confession of intent for those in authority. Modern use has extended the verse to church leadership and personal relationships, with the principle of zero tolerance for secret slander and pride guiding those who seek to build godly communities.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The sin of secret slander. The Hebrew melašnei basseter (“who secretly slanders”) points to the cowardice and poison of the triple tongue (cf. Clarke’s reference to the Chaldee Targum: it kills three persons, the slandered, the hearer, and the speaker). David will not allow such people near him.
- The outward sign of inward pride. “High eyes and a wide heart”, the visible posture of arrogance and the insatiable ambition that drives it. This is not merely an attitude but a pattern the king will not tolerate in his service.
- The ruler’s resolve to protect community. David’s “I will cut off” and “I cannot endure” become a model for leaders today: to create spaces where slander and pride are not given a platform.
Five-point outline
- The king’s vow: a promise to govern with integrity (v.1, 2)
- Personal purity: rejecting vile things and evil companions (v.3, 4)
- Court policy: purging slanderers (v.5a)
- Court policy: refusing the proud (v.5b)
- Positive counterpart: rewarding the faithful (v.6, 8)
Illustration hooks
- Gossip in a small group. One person habitually shares “prayer requests” that are actually slanderous. How does a group protect its health without being harsh? David’s policy is zero tolerance for secret slander.
- The inflated resume. A leader exaggerates achievements. Pride shows in small things. The psalm calls for screening out those whose “heart is wide”, always wanting more credit than they deserve.
- Church board meetings. When decisions are made based on unverified rumors rather than open communication, the community suffers. David’s vow models a leader who insists on truth and transparency.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean we should cut off relationships with anyone who gossips or is proud? How does grace apply?
- Is the “cutting off” here about punishment or about preserving the integrity of a community? Can a person repent and be restored?
- How does this royal vow connect to Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness and restoration (Matthew 18)? Is David’s approach too harsh for the new covenant?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 101:5 is part of David’s pledge to lead with integrity. The verse confronts two common sins: secret slander and visible pride. As you discuss, consider how this ancient king’s policy might shape your own community, in church, workplace, or family.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 101 as a whole. What kind of leader is David promising to be? How does v.5 fit into that overall picture?
- The Hebrew verb for “slander” (לָשַׁן, lašan) is related to “tongue.” The Chaldee paraphrase called it a “triple tongue” that kills three people. What three people are wounded by slander? Have you seen this happen?
- “High eyes and a wide heart”, what does this phrase describe about a person’s character? Why would a ruler especially need to guard against such people?
- Some commentators (Barnes, Gill) say David’s “cut off” means removal from his presence and service, not literal execution. How does that reading affect your understanding of the verse?
- Is there a place for “cutting off” someone who slanders or is proud in our own lives? What does that look like practically (e.g., refusing to gossip, not promoting a proud person)?
- How does Jesus’ own example, welcoming sinners but also speaking against pride and false witness, inform our application of this Old Testament vow?
- What is one step you could take this week to reflect the king’s commitment to truth and humility in your own relationships?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:16 | “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. |
| Exodus 23:1 | “You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness. |
| Leviticus 19:16 | “‘You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people. “‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh. |
| I Samuel 2:3 | “Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed. |
| Job 40:11 | Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low. |
| Job 40:12 | Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place. |
| Psalms 10:2 | In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise. |
| Psalms 10:4 | The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Chaldee paraphrase's striking image of the "triple tongue" in slander. The slanderer wounds three persons at once: the victim, the listener, and himself. This shows how seriously God views secret slander, which Clarke says deserves to be cut off.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that speaking about someone in secret amounts to slander, since good things are said openly. He reads the high look as pride that swells a person up. The psalmist's purpose is to cut off such slanderers and the proud from his household, refusing to tolerate or employ them.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees David writing this psalm before he actually ruled, as a personal vow and preparation for kingship. When David sings of mercy and judgment, he is solemnly declaring his commitment to be a just and upright ruler. Calvin rejects the view that this is simply praise for how God dispenses both kindness and punishment.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary stresses that the king will actively cut off or destroy those with a "high look," the visible token of a proud heart. He will not tolerate falsehood, pride, or injustice, but will purposefully fill his court with loyal, faithful ministers.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva commentator stresses that God responds with destruction to those who secretly slander their neighbor. He also notes that God cannot tolerate anyone who displays pride through a haughty look and arrogant heart, showing His active judgment against both hidden malice and open arrogance.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that David threatened to cut off slanderers yet himself listened to Ziba's false report against Mephibosheth. By contrast, Christ knows every secret and will truly reject such people. Gill also notes the Jewish tradition of a "triple tongue" that kills three persons and the ancient rendering that says of the proud, "with him I will not eat."
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that slanderers and the haughty are especially harmful to society, so the psalmist declares he will disown them. The incomplete "but" signals a contrast is coming, though the excerpt stops short of stating it.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch tie this psalm to the time when David left the Ark at Obed-Edom's house and cried out, "When wilt Thou come to me?" They see it as David's vow to walk in holiness and justice, longing for God's presence to dwell in Jerusalem as his royal city.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads this psalm as a theocratic king's vow to use royal power for God's glory, not just personal piety. The opening praise of mercy and judgment celebrates God's attributes, not human virtues. David resolves to purify his court, household, and the city itself, making Jerusalem visibly holy in both worship and moral conduct.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry sees David's choice to sing of both mercy and judgment as reflecting the mixed nature of God's providence in every believer's life. For Henry, the psalm presents David as a pattern for rulers and householders, acknowledging that God's dealings are a blend of hardship and favour, and both deserve praise.