THY RIGHTEOUSNESS

Five times the psalmist makes reference to “thy righteousness”, vv. 2, 15, 16, 19, 24. His plea is for deliverance “in thy righteousness”, which is “very high”. He will make mention of it; his mouth will show it forth, nay, more, he will talk of it all the day long. This psalm is the utterance of a faith which has proved the goodness of God in a life of many trials, and trusts to experience it to the end.

In the midst of danger, he put his trust in God, v. 1. So he prayed for deliverance, v. 2. “In thy righteousness” comes emphatically at the beginning of the sentence in Hebrew. He loves to dwell on the thought of the righteousness of God, who must be true to His promise, and who cannot desert His servant. The psalmist is impressed by the elevation of that righteousness, v. 19; it reaches unto the height of heaven. Who can reach the summit of God’s faithful dealings, of His righteous acts? The Lord is incomparable for power and goodness; we take note, and can humbly adore. Past mercies become the ground of hope for deliverance in the present. His mouth will unceasingly declare “thy righteousness”, the attribute on which all hope of salvation depends.

Salvation is coupled with righteousness inasmuch as one is the outward and visible manifestation of the other. God’s salvation stands to His righteousness in the same relation as the effect does to the cause. God has pledged Himself to save those who put their trust in Him, and as a righteous God He cannot deny Himself. The demonstrations of divine righteousness and salvation are in themselves endless, and hence the matter for praise that they offer is inexhaustible. The psalmist will declare those things which cannot be counted up, v. 15; God’s mercies are an inexhaustible theme. His righteousness and His salvation are infinitely above all man’s power to calculate or to repeat. The effect on the psalmist was to resolve that his lips would never cease to give due praise: “all the day”. He will mention “thy righteousness … thine alone”, v. 16, not his own, nor that of any other creature. He has been a lifelong disciple in the school of God; he delights to declare His marvellous works, v. 17. Indeed, lips and tongue, song and speech, shall conspire together to praise God, vv. 23, 24.