“No liar will live in my palace; no hypocrite will remain in my presence.” – Psalm 101:7, Good News Bible

As a leader, David sought to establish a kingdom where righteousness and integrity were prioritized, which included opposing those who acted hypocritically.

One of the biggest challenges that leaders can face is that of subordinates or team members who deliberately tell lies and act hypocritically. 

They make promises they have no intention of keeping. 

Hypocrisy causes division as self-seekers align with different factions or play sides, saying one thing to the leader and another to their colleagues.

This behavior can create disharmony and confusion within the team and jeopardise the team’s overall goals and objectives.

Also, hypocritical followers might publicly praise the leaderbutcriticize or gossip about them in private, leading to loss of trust and an erosion of the leader’s reputation.

As the old proverb says; “Better to be known as a sinner than a hypocrite!”

David knew that God hates hypocrites and that to succeed as a leader of Go’s people, he had to distance himself from those who act hypocritically so as to maintain integrity in the face of duplicity.

In Psalm 5:6, he says, “You destroy those who tell lies; the bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest.”

In Psalm 26:4-5, he declares, “I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.”

During the time when he fled from King Saul, David encountered deceit and betrayal from various people.

When he found out that Doeg the Edomite, a high-ranking official in King Saul’s palace, had betrayed him by informing Saul about his visit to Ahimelech, he expressed deep sorrow and rebuke over this betrayal (see 1 Samuel 22:9-23).

Later, David wrote Psalm 52 as a rebuke to Doeg’s betrayal. “You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!” (Psalm 52:3-4).

Doeg’s treacherous and murderous action against the 85 innocent priests is generally believed to have been the ultimate nail that spelt the end of Saul’s reign. (See 1 Samuel 22:18-19).

“Better to be known as a sinner than a hypocrite!”

David showed zero tolerance for liars and hypocrites.

For instance, when a young Amalekite affiliated to Saul came to David claiming to have killed Saul (of course hoping to gain David’s favor), David punished the young man after he sensed that he told a fabricated the story of how he had finished off David’s archenemy (see 2 Samuel 1:1-16).

This action shows David’s adherence to principles and his refusal to reward deceit, even when it could have benefited him.

David’s overall approach to hypocrisy emphasizes his desire for a life of integrity, a disdain for double standards, and an expectation that God would ultimately judge those who act with hypocrisy.

In the New Testament, our Lord Jesus publicly rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocritic behaviour. “Woe unto you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” He charged.

1 John 4:20 says;”Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

Like David showed, successful leaders are those that show zero tolerance for liars and hypocrites!