Who Are the Righteous Talked about All through the Psalms?

The Lord Watches Over and Guides the Righteous

We meet “the congregation of the righteous” and are promised that the Lord “is aware of the best way of the righteous” proper firstly of the Psalter (Ps. 1:5–6). However who’re they? We’ll by no means make associates with the Psalms, not to mention start to take pleasure in and acceptable them in our devotions, till we all know. They seem repeatedly, particularly in e book 1 (Pss. 1–41), usually in distinction to “the depraved.”¹ The aim of this essay is to discover (1) who they’re and (2) how their righteousness is related with the righteousness of Christ.

So many guarantees are connected to those folks. Not solely does the covenant Lord watch over their approach and information their steps (Ps. 1:6), he blesses and protects them (Ps. 5:12), he’s with them and terrifies their enemies (Ps. 14:5), he surrounds them with steadfast love (Ps. 32:10–11), he watches them along with his eyes and listens for his or her cries along with his ears (Ps. 34:15–17), he upholds them (Ps 37:17), and he provides them the brand new creation, which is the success of the promised land (Ps. 37:29), in order that they are going to flourish in his presence without end (Ps. 92:12–13). These folks—and you will need to do not forget that these had been actual flesh-and-blood folks—are showered with blessing. It issues deeply to know who they’re, not least so that you just and I can be certain we belong amongst them, inherit their guarantees, and sing their psalms.

Two massive and intently associated issues increase their heads. First, we battle to know what to make of it when psalmists declare to be righteous, generally in fairly robust phrases. For instance, the prayer “Choose me, O Lord, in response to my righteousness / and in response to the integrity that’s in me” (Ps. 7:8) reasonably alarms us. What if the Lord did choose me in response to my righteousness? He would discover it severely wanting. Dare I pray this?

Second, we have now to grapple with the obvious contradiction that the psalmists who declare to own righteousness additionally admit that it’s inconceivable to be righteous earlier than God (e.g., “Enter not into judgment along with your servant, / for nobody residing is righteous earlier than you,” Ps. 143:2). How can each be true on the similar time? How can I possess righteousness if I’ve no righteousness?

There’s a easy, superficially engaging, and but deeply problematic “resolution.” That is to conclude that claims to righteousness within the Psalms are literally professions of self-righteousness that anticipate the later self-righteousness of the Pharisees so roundly condemned by the Lord Jesus (e.g., Luke 18:9–14).²

This reply is unsatisfactory, first, as a result of it supposes that among the phrases of the psalmists are flawed expressions of a sinful angle. Many do suppose this to be the case, as additionally with the prayers for the punishment of the depraved (the so-called however misnamed “imprecations”).³ However we have now no warrant to suppose that the Psalms comprise a mix of reality and error (in contrast to the speeches of Job’s three comforters, of whom God explicitly tells us that their phrases usually are not totally reliable, Job 42:7).

This “resolution” can also be unsatisfactory as a result of it doesn’t replicate the portrayal of the righteous within the Psalms themselves. Whereas it could be attainable to “learn again” New Testomony expositions of righteousness, particularly within the apostle Paul, I focus right here on increase an image from the Psalms themselves. I do that underneath seven heads, earlier than contemplating how these folks examine with these accounted righteous by grace underneath the brand new covenant.

The subheadings that observe are based mostly on a reasonably complete examine of the phrase teams “righteous” and “righteousness” within the Psalms. There are greater than 120 verses by which a number of of those phrases happen, in fifty-nine completely different psalms. A full examine would think about every of those in context.

The questions we’re asking are “Who’re these folks?” and “What are their longings, their pleasures, their hopes, and their fears?”

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As we think about them, it’s price remembering {that a} phrase examine of “righteous” or “righteousness”⁴ misses the parallel descriptions by which these persons are sometimes called “upright” or “upright of coronary heart,” that means straightforwardly ethical of their lives (e.g., Pss. 11:7; 32:10, 11; 33:1; 36:10; 37:37; 94:15; 97:11); as “innocent,” having integrity, the other of hypocrisy (e.g., Pss. 15:2; 18:25; 37:18, 37; 64:4; 101:2, 6; 119:1); and, on one event, as “the residing” (Ps. 69:28), since they reside within the sight of God. These are all the identical folks, whose prayers and praises are expressed within the Psalms and whose contours are there delineated.

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The Righteous: Their Delight

On the coronary heart of the query lies the center of the righteous. In what, or in whom, do they most deeply delight? Had they been incipient Pharisees, the reply would have been, for every one, “I enjoyment of myself. I thank God that I’m who I’m. I reward myself. And I would like others to reward me.”

That the reward and delight of the righteous is concentrated intensely on the covenant Lord provides maybe the clearest indication that they belong to this covenant Lord by grace. Repeatedly we’re advised that their pleasure and exultation are discovered within the Lord (e.g., Pss. 33:1; 64:10; 68:3; 97:12). It’s the covenant Lord who energizes them and delights their hearts.

The Righteous: Their Need

Intently tied to the delight of the righteous is the query of their want, their hope, their longing, their aspiration. What do they hope for? The reply, which follows essentially, logically, and experientially from their delight, is that they want to see the face of the covenant Lord God. Nothing is extra treasured to them than to have the face (the non-public, beneficent presence) of the Lord turned towards them, each on this life (partially) and in eternity (in full). This can be a most treasured promise (e.g., Ps. 11:7). To not have it’s the most painful expertise on earth (e.g., Pss. 13:1–2; 88:14). Him they search (Pss. 24:6; 27:8–9), and for him they thirst (e.g., Pss. 42:1–2; 143:6–7). Removed from being happy in themselves and with themselves, their want is passionately and intensely directed upward to the Lord.

The Righteous: Their Repentance

The third aspect of the righteous to which I need to draw our consideration is of a reasonably completely different variety: their penitence. Removed from being self-confident, the really righteous particular person is aware of deeply his or her personal sinfulness and pressing want of repentance. As Christoph Barth notes, “It’s the righteous who confess their unrighteousness earlier than God; solely the godless man refuses to do that, as a result of he regards himself as righteous.”⁵

We see this most clearly in Psalm 32, by which David celebrates and tells the story of how he rediscovers the blessing of confession of sin, repentance, and forgiveness. On the finish of the psalm, he exhorts all who stroll this manner of repentance, “Be glad within the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous” (Ps. 32:11). This “congregation of the righteous” (Ps. 1:5) consists of women and men who’ve realized, and proceed to study, the need and the blessing of confession and repentance. Right here in anticipation we see the tax collector, reasonably than the Pharisee, of Jesus’s parable (Luke 18:9–14). We see this spirit once more firstly of Psalm 143, by which David leads those that haven’t any pure righteousness (Ps. 143:2) in pleading for covenant mercy (Ps. 143:1), that God in his righteousness will reply him, and them, with steadfast love (Ps. 143:8).

Psalms with out Christ are like regulation with out gospel.

The Righteous: Their Refuge

The fourth aspect is probably the one that the majority clearly signifies the presence of religion or belief. It asks and solutions the query “Whither or to whom do the righteous flee when underneath stress or risk?”

Repeatedly, we hear and see the righteous fleeing to the covenant Lord as their refuge, the one secure place within the face of the assaults of their enemies and finally within the face of the righteous judgment of God. To him they cry for assist in troubles, and he delivers them (Ps. 34:15, 17, 19, 21). They commit their strategy to him, belief in him, assured that he’ll convey into the open the righteousness (or vindication) that he’ll give them (e.g., Ps. 37:5–6). For him they wait and hope (e.g., Ps. 37:7), for he “is their stronghold within the time of bother” (Ps. 37:39). They solid their burden on him, trusting that “he won’t ever allow / the righteous to be moved” (Ps. 55:22). Repeatedly they take refuge in him (e.g., Ps. 64:10). One of many psalms the place we see this most intensely is Psalm 71 (e.g., Ps. 71:2–3, 15–16, 19, 24).

The Righteous: Their Life

A sketch of the righteous within the Psalms can be woefully incomplete if it didn’t point out their seen life. I’ve intentionally held dialogue of this theme till now as a result of their life is the fruit, not the basis, of their existence as believers within the covenant God. It could be a mistake to start with a consideration of their lives of proper residing. However, their lives are inseparable from their identification and intently tied to their blessing and assurance. The covenant Lord doesn’t give to his King and folks a righteousness of standing merely that they might take pleasure in it whereas persevering with to reside evil lives, for he “is righteous” and “loves righteous deeds” (Ps. 11:7; cf. Ps. 33:5). It is extremely clear (e.g., in Pss. 15; 24) that genuine righteousness of life is the required marker of the real Messiah and of his folks. Jesus is the success of Psalms 15 and Psalm 24, as he’s of all of the descriptions of human righteousness within the Psalms.

Those that are really righteous—by advantage of being members of the covenant folks underneath the King, their covenant head—and who’re genuinely righteous—as a result of they belief the covenant guarantees (fulfilled in Christ)—will reside upright, innocent, and righteous lives. Maybe the clearest exposition of this reality within the Psalms is in Psalm 111 and Psalm 112. Psalm 111 celebrates the righteousness of the covenant Lord. Then Psalm 112 (with shut echoes) declares a blessing on those that exhibit those self same qualities within the generosity (cf. Ps. 37:21) and righteousness of their lives.6 These folks act and communicate (cf. Ps. 37:30) in ways in which exhibit the fruit of their hearts of religion. Paul will later name this “the obedience of religion” (e.g., Rom. 1:5; 16:26), and the letter of James will expound it forcefully.

Conclusion: Righteousness within the Psalms and New Covenant Righteousness

If we ask, “Are the righteous within the Psalms the identical as those that are righteous by grace alone by means of religion alone underneath the brand new covenant?” the reply have to be “Sure and no.” Overwhelmingly, the reply is “Sure!” We who’re new covenant believers, belonging to Christ, share with them their enjoyment of God, their want to see the face of God, their penitence, their fleeing to God for refuge from each troubles and judgment, their assurance of forgiveness due to their covenant head, and the outworking of their religion in righteousness of life, and we additionally expertise the presence in our world, as in theirs, of hostility to Christ and his folks (cf. John 15:18–16:4).

However there’s, I believe, one vital distinction between these righteous previous covenant believers and believers in Christ underneath the brand new covenant. It’s this: underneath the brand new covenant we take pleasure in a deeper assurance and the riches of a definitively cleansed conscience, and it is a blessing recognized solely in anticipation and shadow underneath the previous covenant (see Heb. 8–10).⁶

So after we come throughout the righteous within the Psalms, as we do in additional than a 3rd of the Psalms, we acknowledge in them individuals who trusted within the Christ to come back. By believing and residing within the obedience of religion within the covenant guarantees, they believed implicitly within the Christ who would fulfill these guarantees. They didn’t know as clearly as we do the fullness of that magnificent Christ or the grandeur of these gospel guarantees. However that apart, we acknowledge in them folks very like us at present in Christ. This transforms the best way we learn the Psalms.

The dynamic of regulation and gospel is a vital a part of the substructure of my studying of the Psalms. Psalms with out Christ are like regulation with out gospel. Solely Christ renders the Psalms a supply of gospel-shaped consolation, gospel-shaped prayers, and gospel-shaped praises.

This text is customized from The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary (Quantity 1, Introduction: Christ and the Psalms) by Christopher Ash.

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