A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Psalm 101:4 moves from the eyes and works of verse 3 to the heart and the person himself. David has resolved not to set wickedness before his eyes, not to approve the works of those who turn aside, and not to let evil cleave to him. Now he refuses the inward source from which such conduct grows: a froward heart. He also refuses approving fellowship with the wicked person who lives from such a heart. This is a king’s vow before God concerning the character he will tolerate near himself and his rule. Holiness must judge both conduct and settled character.
“A froward heart.” Scripture itself explains frowardness. “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord” (Proverbs 6:14). Again, “They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 11:20). Proverbs describes the same men as those “Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:” (Proverbs 2:15). A froward heart is therefore inwardly crooked, resistant to truth, disposed toward mischief, and unwilling to walk straight before God. David is not rejecting ordinary weakness or one clumsy failure. He is rejecting settled perverseness.
The heart matters because conduct proceeds from it. Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” (Matthew 15:19). A ruler who deals only with outward acts while ignoring proven wicked character will continually suffer the fruit of the same corrupt source. Polished manners, flattering speech, talent, usefulness, or public respectability do not straighten a crooked heart. Scripture judges the root as well as the fruit.
Frowardness is especially dangerous near authority because it works by whispering, influence, division, and manipulation. “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends” (Proverbs 16:28). Such a man can poison a household, court, church, or business without open rebellion at first. He bends truth, feeds suspicion, carries grievances, and divides relationships. David therefore refuses to treat frowardness as a harmless personality difference. What God calls crooked must not become trusted counsel.
“Shall depart from me.” David resolves on separation. He does not say the froward heart may remain nearby so long as it is useful, talented, loyal to him personally, or discreet about its evil. It shall depart. David expressed the same rule elsewhere: “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked” (Psalm 26:4-5). Fellowship is never neutral when it gives wicked character access, influence, trust, or protection.
This is not impulsive rejection. Scripture requires righteous judgment and patience with weakness. But once crooked character is established, continued intimacy becomes compromise. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Proverbs 22:24-25). Companionship teaches. David therefore protects both himself and those under him by refusing close association with corrupt influence.
The wording also makes the duty personal. David himself will not preserve a favorite exception because of family tie, old friendship, wealth, talent, or usefulness. If the heart is demonstrably froward, advantage does not make it righteous. A ruler under God must be willing to lose a useful man rather than purchase convenience with compromise. “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right” (Proverbs 16:8).
“I will not know.” David cannot mean he will possess no information about wicked men. A king must know enough about evil to judge it. “Know” here concerns favorable regard, acceptance, or close relation. Scripture uses the word this way when Jehovah says to Israel, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2), though He obviously knew every nation existed. David therefore refuses to make a wicked man one of his trusted, approved companions.
This principle belongs directly to righteous government. “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (Proverbs 25:5). Men near the ruler shape information, counsel, appointments, judgments, and attitudes. Access becomes influence. David will not treat closeness to wickedness as harmless because the wicked man is useful or agreeable. The throne is strengthened when corrupt influence is removed, not accommodated.
“A wicked person.” Scripture names persons as wicked. David does not reduce the issue to bad ideas floating apart from the men who love and practice them. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth” (Psalm 11:5). Character is revealed by what a man continually loves, practices, defends, and refuses to forsake. David will not grant intimate standing to a man whose settled course is wicked simply because softer language would be socially easier.
This does not mean saints refuse all contact with sinners. Paul expressly says that would require going out of the world (I Corinthians 5:9-10). The issue is approving fellowship and trusted companionship. Paul wrote that professing brethren living in gross wickedness were not to be kept in company, even to the extent of ordinary table fellowship (I Corinthians 5:11). Charity does not require Christians to pretend wicked character is safe company.
Jesus Christ kept perfectly what David vowed. John records, “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,” (John 2:24). He received sinners who came in need, yet He never entrusted Himself indiscriminately or approved wickedness. He warned hypocritical religious leaders plainly, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33). His mercy toward sinners never required Him to call wicked character safe.
The connection to David’s words is exact at final judgment. David says, “I will not know a wicked person.” Christ says, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23). His knowledge of them is complete, but His words deny approving relation and acceptance. The righteous Son over His house will not fellowship with settled workers of iniquity.
Do not keep a froward heart near you because it is useful, familiar, influential, or flattering. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33). Judge character by Scripture, refuse approving fellowship with settled wickedness, and keep your closest company fit for a house that belongs under the rule of God.
A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Psalm 101:4 moves from the eyes and works of verse 3 to the heart and the person himself. David has resolved not to set wickedness before his eyes, not to approve the works of those who turn aside, and not to let evil cleave to him. Now he refuses the inward source from which such conduct grows: a froward heart. He also refuses approving fellowship with the wicked person who lives from such a heart. This is a king’s vow before God concerning the character he will tolerate near himself and his rule. Holiness must judge both conduct and settled character.
“A froward heart.” Scripture itself explains frowardness. “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord” (Proverbs 6:14). Again, “They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 11:20). Proverbs describes the same men as those “Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:” (Proverbs 2:15). A froward heart is therefore inwardly crooked, resistant to truth, disposed toward mischief, and unwilling to walk straight before God. David is not rejecting ordinary weakness or one clumsy failure. He is rejecting settled perverseness.
The heart matters because conduct proceeds from it. Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” (Matthew 15:19). A ruler who deals only with outward acts while ignoring proven wicked character will continually suffer the fruit of the same corrupt source. Polished manners, flattering speech, talent, usefulness, or public respectability do not straighten a crooked heart. Scripture judges the root as well as the fruit.
Frowardness is especially dangerous near authority because it works by whispering, influence, division, and manipulation. “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends” (Proverbs 16:28). Such a man can poison a household, court, church, or business without open rebellion at first. He bends truth, feeds suspicion, carries grievances, and divides relationships. David therefore refuses to treat frowardness as a harmless personality difference. What God calls crooked must not become trusted counsel.
“Shall depart from me.” David resolves on separation. He does not say the froward heart may remain nearby so long as it is useful, talented, loyal to him personally, or discreet about its evil. It shall depart. David expressed the same rule elsewhere: “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked” (Psalm 26:4-5). Fellowship is never neutral when it gives wicked character access, influence, trust, or protection.
This is not impulsive rejection. Scripture requires righteous judgment and patience with weakness. But once crooked character is established, continued intimacy becomes compromise. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Proverbs 22:24-25). Companionship teaches. David therefore protects both himself and those under him by refusing close association with corrupt influence.
The wording also makes the duty personal. David himself will not preserve a favorite exception because of family tie, old friendship, wealth, talent, or usefulness. If the heart is demonstrably froward, advantage does not make it righteous. A ruler under God must be willing to lose a useful man rather than purchase convenience with compromise. “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right” (Proverbs 16:8).
“I will not know.” David cannot mean he will possess no information about wicked men. A king must know enough about evil to judge it. “Know” here concerns favorable regard, acceptance, or close relation. Scripture uses the word this way when Jehovah says to Israel, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2), though He obviously knew every nation existed. David therefore refuses to make a wicked man one of his trusted, approved companions.
This principle belongs directly to righteous government. “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (Proverbs 25:5). Men near the ruler shape information, counsel, appointments, judgments, and attitudes. Access becomes influence. David will not treat closeness to wickedness as harmless because the wicked man is useful or agreeable. The throne is strengthened when corrupt influence is removed, not accommodated.
“A wicked person.” Scripture names persons as wicked. David does not reduce the issue to bad ideas floating apart from the men who love and practice them. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth” (Psalm 11:5). Character is revealed by what a man continually loves, practices, defends, and refuses to forsake. David will not grant intimate standing to a man whose settled course is wicked simply because softer language would be socially easier.
This does not mean saints refuse all contact with sinners. Paul expressly says that would require going out of the world (I Corinthians 5:9-10). The issue is approving fellowship and trusted companionship. Paul wrote that professing brethren living in gross wickedness were not to be kept in company, even to the extent of ordinary table fellowship (I Corinthians 5:11). Charity does not require Christians to pretend wicked character is safe company.
Jesus Christ kept perfectly what David vowed. John records, “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,” (John 2:24). He received sinners who came in need, yet He never entrusted Himself indiscriminately or approved wickedness. He warned hypocritical religious leaders plainly, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33). His mercy toward sinners never required Him to call wicked character safe.
The connection to David’s words is exact at final judgment. David says, “I will not know a wicked person.” Christ says, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23). His knowledge of them is complete, but His words deny approving relation and acceptance. The righteous Son over His house will not fellowship with settled workers of iniquity.
Do not keep a froward heart near you because it is useful, familiar, influential, or flattering. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33). Judge character by Scripture, refuse approving fellowship with settled wickedness, and keep your closest company fit for a house that belongs under the rule of God.