"You are righteous, Yahweh, Your Judgements are upright.
You have commanded your statutes in righteousness. They are fully trustworthy.
My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore my words.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
I am small and despised. I don't forget your precepts.
Your Righteousness is and everlasting righteousness. Your law is truth.
Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me. Your commandments are my delight.
Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live."
Psalm 119:137-144
Ask any builder working on any kind of structural project and the majority of the people should tell you that before a single post goes up, the foundation of the building goes in first. Then you can build up and out and any which way you want to go. I love that God's word continues to model this formula for success. In the last post, I mentioned how if the windows to the soul are taking in sights that are pure and good, the things that come out will be pure as well. What the psalmist is saying with this stanza, Tzaddi, is that a person cannot be righteous, if they eyes and they mouth are not pure and blameless Jesus describes this beautifully when he says, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will love one and hate the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24 NIV) In order for a man to take on the mantle of humility and righteousness, he must be vigilant of what he allows his eyes to see, what his ears to hear and his mouth to speak. Righteousness is also not something to be praised and revered. Imagine your scrolling on your various social media platform and you see a video of someone giving to the poor. Although the act itself is good, if it is only done for the likes and hearts it will undoubtedly receive, that is not righteousness, but pride. David understood what it meant to be humble before God, because he witnessed the result of a prideful heart. Whenever David did things to show off his power, God always came in and showed him the greatness of his "strength" and David then had to admit his sin so that God's peace could return to the people.
Our actions carry more power than we might ever realize while on this earth. Should we not try with everything in us to be good and pure simply because God says it is right, not because the world will see it. May we go every day, operating like a shadow in the night, doing things for the people around like a year-round Santa Claus that only lives to give. Never to receive a pat on the back for "helping the less fortunate", but being a person who has nothing to offer but our lives, not allowing pride to create a false sense of "holy righteousness".
"Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what you do in secret, will reward you." - Matthew 6:1-4
Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Journey through the Psalms.
