Psalmists Bragging On Righteousness

[Reformed Roman]

I'm on lunch but for the sake of time I won't list examples until later,

But psalmists often appeal to their own righteousness. They boast in keeping God's laws, and staying away from sin. Then they ask for God's blessing based upon their works. I have a hard time with these texts when I come across them. They admit many times in the Psalms that nobody is righteous but then they list their deeds and claim righteousness, without any mention of Christ, all you hear about is their works.

I want to rightly divide the word of truth. Even the psalmists themselves say none are righteous in many Psalms. So knowing the truth of that, and knowing Christ is our righteousness, how can we properly interpret all of these boasts in the Psalms?

I get if they just claimed to be righteous, but many times they follow it up by listing their good deeds, as a base for God to hear them.

I'll shoot examples in later tonight but feel free to post some yourself and discuss

 

[VictorBravo]

It is helpful to think of the Psalmist as speaking for Christ. They are his words when he speaks of his righteousness.

Luke 24:44: And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

 

[Dearly Bought]

It is helpful to think of the Psalmist as speaking for Christ. They are his words when he speaks of his righteousness.

Luke 24:44: And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Indeed.

"For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me."
(Hebrews 2:11-13)

 

[Contra_Mundum]

David, especially, speaks in his capacity as the typical head of the body. Ideally, he represents Christ, and he represents the obedient Israel, the party to the covenant which really does do the law of God, as the nation swore in Sinai, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do," Ex. 19:8, 24:7. Christ Jesus keeps the law perfectly, where even the greatest type was a horrible failure. He also so thoroughly identifies with his sinful people, that he takes up our confessions also.

But in a personal capacity, the Psalmist also includes a fuller conception of this idea of righteousness than one restricted to exact and meritorious obedience. There is a comparative and covenant righteousness which he does not blush to assert; over against those ungodly (whether Gentile or even from among the people) whose concern for the Lord's righteousness--his righteous standard--is basically nonexistent.

And there is the righteousness of mercy, of forgiveness; an imputed righteousness, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity.... Be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous, and shout for joy all you upright in heart!" Ps.32vv1&11.

In other words, from the standpoint of God's gracious provision contained in the law itself, it is possible to be righteous in God's sight; but only because there has been a prior sacrifice provided for sinners and acknowledged by them, in order that they might stand before him--not in themselves, but on account of the sacrificial provision which God has made available to them.

Thus, wherever an ideal or typological righteousness is superseded in interest by the personal consideration, we might just as well substitute the term "forgiven." Read "righteous" in Ps.32:11 in light of God's grace, "10 ...He who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice you forgiven, and shout for joy all you upright in heart!"

I think such a substitution of terms: while "forgiven" is not to be treated like a synonym for "righteousness," it is so necessarily correlate, that when the original term is considered, the latter must also be as a matter of course.

 

[timmopussycat]

Thank you very much Bruce. I am very grateful that you observed that the covenant believer's righteousness is also in play here as I have a logic issue: while I affirm that the Psalms do testify of Christ, I have trouble with the notion that the only subject in the Psalms is Christ. While Christ in Luke 24:44 made it clear that the Psalms spoke of him, he did not claim that they spoke of him only.

 

[Peairtach]

There is a clear distinction made between the wicked and the righteous/the just and the unjust/the justified and the unjustified in the Psalms, and I suppose that is as much between the just in the covenant and the wicked in the covenant, as it is between the just in the covenant and the wicked outside the covenant. All this contradicts erroneous theories such as "the Federal Vision".

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Hear, hear to these comments on the Psalms being of Christ and his righteousness, including his righteousness imputed to David (and us). Great comments, so helpful. Coming to understand this in more depth this year has opened up the Psalms as never before. Zach, you can google "Christ in the Psalms" and related searches and find some helpful things online. I've blogged a little on it and have some quotes and links at singingofthechurch.blogspot.com (just a place I'm parking some thoughts and resources). Much joy to you as you consider these things.

 

[Rom]

And when I bring these words to my lips as I sing them in praise as I sing through the Psalter - I am always reminded that my righteousness is Christ's righteousness credited to me. To me, of all people! How can I not boast of His righteousness as I sing? How can I not be full of joy understanding that the righteousness I have is His? How much better is that righteousness than anything paltry works of "righteousness" that I could ever have done. It is magnificent, it is spotless, it is to be boasted of, as it is Christ's own.

Jeremiah 23:6 - In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS


Psalm 4:1 - Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

Yes, the Psalms are all about Christ's righteousness - and where it really hits home to me as I sing of that won righteousness on my behalf is that this righteousness, by the grace of God, is counted as my own.

Who would presume upon themselves to invent such a doctrine, unless the Scriptures taught it!

 

[Reformed Roman]

I appreciate all the posts. I think definitely it depends on the context at times. Your posts are all very helpful

How would you explain this passage:

Psalm 24:4-5 ESV

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

I notice two things. One is that the basis of his blessings seems to be his works, and also it SEEMS to be the same basis He's using for His righteousness.

In this specific passage how would you interpret it?

I understand most of what your saying would apply, but this was in my devotional today so I think using a specific example is helpful

 

[Dearly Bought]

I appreciate all the posts. I think definitely it depends on the context at times. Your posts are all very helpful

How would you explain this passage:

Psalm 24:4-5 ESV

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

I notice two things. One is that the basis of his blessings seems to be his works, and also it SEEMS to be the same basis He's using for His righteousness.

In this specific passage how would you interpret it?

I understand most of what your saying would apply, but this was in my devotional today so I think using a specific example is helpful

As others have noted, we start with our right standing before God on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ, but this is not the only righteousness given by Christ. There is an imperfect imparted righteousness given to those who are united with Christ so that they begin a new obedience in this life, a righteousness which is brought to full fruition when we are glorified. The presence of faith kindled in their hearts is the root from which proceed good works as the fruit or manifestation of true saving union to the Savior.

Judicially, we approach God on the grounds of the perfect righteousness of another. This forensic declaration is always inseparably connected to a renovative work in the soul which identifies those who have received this verdict. The disciples of Christ do not have a righteousness in them which may serve as the ground of blessing. However, they will have a righteousness greater than that of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20), one that proceeds from a sincere heart of faith, that will identify them as the recipients of grace and which God graciously rewards in Christ ("according to" rather than "on account of" works).

"..the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him, not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreprovable in God’s sight;but that he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections."
(WCF 16.6)

 

[Cymro]

There is only One who has clean hands and a pure heart, and only One who has ascended
into the Hill of the Lord in His own righteousness, and His name be praised world without
end.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

V1.. "A Psalm of David..."

David had some understanding and awareness that he was occupying a typological role, a prophetic role, in the future arrival of Messiah. He's not some fellow, bumping along, just looking out for himself and getting by as best he can.

Even if he might have been almost totally ignorant of his type-of-Christ position (which I won't concede); he was still cognizant of his covenant-headship over the nation in terms of the Mosaic administration. As goes the head, so goes the body. The various mediatorial positions in Israel were magnified in outrageous importance, relative to the standing of ordinary individuals. And these few men were copiously anointed with Holy Spirit for the conduct of their office; while ordinary OT believers possessed only relatively mustard-seed sized droplets. Truly, the latter day "pouring out" of the Pentecostal shower was tremendous, for sharing the Spirit's immeasurable potency.

So David recognizes that he is being "of clean hands" and "pure heart" on behalf of the entire population, a staggering responsibility, and not one that a man with David's sensibilities would be casually wearing. It stands to reason, therefore, that he speaks in Ps.24 out of a ceremonially ideal (clean) stance relative to himself, and wrote the words down believing in his heart that he was a forgiven man, and thus suitably righteous in heart (not merely in ceremony). And I believe he was aware that these were prophetic words also, words that only his Lord (Ps.110:1) would be able to say with no twinge of conscience.

Really, when one thinks about this specialized mediatoral position and the duties demanded of it--this need for the man on the throne to be preternaturally devoted to God, a Nazirite in heart, and more than a Nazirite--it makes the awful public sin that David fell into (noted in 1Ki.15:5) even more devastating. The adulterous and murderous Son of God, Ps.2:7 (minus all divinity), was nothing but a poseur, whose evil heart threatened to plunge the whole nation over the precipice. We know that it was a real threat, both because Absalom's rebellion was promised (not in so many words) as a result, which coming tore the nation apart; and because another sin by David also visited additional evil upon the whole nation, see 2Sam.24. God healed the head, and he healed the body, but he exacted a corporal penalty in the process.

And still, after his gracious restoration, David had times when he needed to again take up the mantle of the ideal King of Israel, to sing the words of Ps.24 on behalf of and instead of the (sinful) people. And so, it becomes obvious that the true Singer of Ps.24 can be none other than a Greater Son, one whose conscience was never burdened by the deep awareness he could not actually hope to stand the scrutiny of those words, if his heart were laid bare.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

I'm with Cymro for sure on Psalm 24:4-5. The Psalm asks a question, "who"- and the answer was then and is now, only One, The Lord Jesus Christ, who alone was able to ascend the hill and "stand in his holy place" through his perfect keeping of the Law as a man. Verse 7 goes on to ask "who" once again- "Who is this king of glory?" Christ is both the Righteous Man and the victorious Lord of the Psalms (and the whole Bible). This isn't taught much in our day, certainly not as it should be.

 

[Dearly Bought]

In reference to Psalm 24:3-4,

Just as it would be wrong to suggest that this psalm is true only of God’s people, and not preeminently of God’s Son, so it would be incorrect to suggest that it is true only of Jesus and nobody else. The only reason this psalm can be referred to God’s people is because of Christ’s pure heart and his perfect and perpetual obedience on their behalf. We are allowed to enter, first, because we have been clothed with the imputed righteousness of Christ and thus are accepted in God’s sight. But when we read passages such as this in light of our union with Christ, rather than with the idea that the doctrine of justification is the only or governing hermeneutical principle, we are surely not incorrect to understand this psalm as a call to worship for those who are not only accepted but also renewed in Christ. Ministers should use this psalm to exhort their people that if they want to worship God, they must do so with "clean hands and a pure heart" (see also 1 Tim. 1:5; James 4:8). After all, in the Beatitudes, Jesus blesses "the pure in heart" and promises that they will see God (Matt. 5:8) John Calvin's comments on these verses are noteworthy: "But David here treats of those who may lawfully enter into God's sanctuary."
(Mark Jones, Antinomianism, p. 41)

And again,

The inside Christian joins internal purity to external, Ps 24:4, "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." Matt 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
(Thomas Boston, "The Christian Described, The Hypocrite Detected," Works, Vol. 9, p. 348)

 

[Reformed Roman]

Thank you all. It's very refreshing to see. I also went back and searched through previous posts. I'm amazed that many of you are even kind enough to answer the same question again. I know David was not righteous on his own. Furthermore inseveral Psalms he talks about man's unrighteousness. But I really wanted some depth to my beliefs. I appreciate all of you

 

[whirlingmerc]

It's a use of language. Someone who was walking in integrity although impefect may be termed righteous as a possible use of language although in need of forgiveness
In Psalm 70-71 near his life's end David still describes himself before God as 'poor' Walking with God means contunually turning away from evil even in yourself and continually repenting.

Psalm 119 for example describes walking in the covenant, emphasising intent to follow in the beginning but at the end says for God to seek him because he strayed like a lost sheep
The last two stanzas of Psalm 119 sound almost Roman 7 like. Its a relentless plea to God to help him keep God's word, a relentless dependens in need, a relentless reliance

 

[AlexanderHenderson1647]

Something of great note here is that Almighty God delights to allow us to claim righteousness which He has wrought in us as our OWN. And, He is delighted to reward us for that as if we had manufactured it ourselves. While no oath is made that each act of righteousness has a reward in this life, it is a delight that He gives us righteousness (springing from the imputed righteousness of Christ) and is pleased at times to reward it. David and Solomon both bemoan the fact that, at times, the wicked prevail and prosper when the righteousness suffer (PS.37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. and Ecc. 7:15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.) But, the saint never ultimately ascribes glory or merit to himself. The very saint in heaven puts the crowns that the Lord has gifted him at Christ's feet, Rev. 4:10 "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne..."