FREEDOM AND JOY

Psalm 36:7 (AFR '83 translation): "Your righteousness reaches to the highest mountains, your justice as deep as the depths of the sea. You care for both man and beast, O Lord."

We do not need to view God's righteousness as a threat. As believers, we should actually rejoice in His righteousness. He ensures justice, which means He helps those who are wronged. He is especially called the God of widows and orphans because they suffered great injustice in the Old Testament. He brings justice to them by providing for them and caring for them. The concept of "righteousness" is mostly used in relation to God, but it also applies to human relationships. It is related to fairness. Righteousness is a term that is often misunderstood. It is a legal term associated with what is right in a specific relationship. This means that there is no single definition of righteousness. For every relationship, the experience or essence of it is different. For God, there is one definition of righteousness, and the Word is clear about our relationship with God and how God's righteousness serves as a guideline to protect our relationship with Him from being mediocre.

When it comes to people towards one another, what is right is determined by the nature of the relationship. Therefore, righteousness, that which is right, varies from relationship to relationship. It is a well-known expression that God demands righteousness; this means He requires that the relationship between Him and us be right. This is a serious matter. When we think of God in the same breath as righteousness, we must always keep in mind that God has given us His Word as a guideline, and He expects us to live according to it. This also relates to the holiness of God. God does not tolerate injustice; He hates sin. Righteousness between Him and us is established when we love Him and serve Him with gratitude and obedience. The problem is that we do not always do as He expects of us. Therefore, we stand under God's judgment—which is also a legal term. That is why we sometimes feel that God's righteousness is a threat to us. However, in Scripture, God's righteousness is used in the same breath as His love and faithfulness, as seen in Psalm 36:6&7 and Psalm 101:1. "I will sing of your faithful love and your righteousness; I will sing a song to your honor, O Lord."

Assignment:

Read Psalm 36 in its entirety. Write a list of all the times He has acted for your justification, and rejoice with the psalmist about it.