Payback
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. Psalm 18:20-21 NASB
According to my righteousness – Who among us could make a claim like David’s? Who would dare to suggest that he is righteous and has been rewarded accordingly? If you grew up under the influence of Augustine and Luther, you might find David’s claim arrogant rather than factual. It might seem to you that no one is actually justified in claiming to be righteous and that everyone actually deserves punishment rather than reward. Doesn’t Paul say as much in Romans: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”? What makes David think he stands on holy ground?
David uses the Hebrew word tsadeq. This word is basically about conformity to a standard, in this case, the standard of God’s law. David asserts that he has not violated God’s ways nor departed from devotion to God. But we might find this surprising. We know that David’s life story includes significant ethical trespasses. We know that God brought punishment as a result of these infractions. Is the claim in this psalm simply a statement from David before he fell into sin? Would he have revised this song at a later date?
TWOT comments on tsadeq. “It should be emphasized that in Israel’s law the judge was not considering a man’s innocence with regard to breaking a human law, but a man’s righteousness in regard to God’s law. Today a man may transgress a statute but be innocent before God. In the ot law, to be innocent and to be righteous were one and the same.”[1] For David to claim righteousness, he must believe that he is innocent of transgression. And when he wrote this song of praise, he obviously thought he was. But things change. Life isn’t settled in the long run. It is determined one day at a time—and one day David would write, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:3-4a). Today we may justifiably proclaim our innocence. Tomorrow we may on our faces pleading for forgiveness. Tsadeq doesn’t change. The norm is still the norm, but our relationship to the law of the Lord depends on our actions this day.
Where does this leave us? Are we victims of our own foibles? Does our relationship with YHVH fluctuate with each choice, each act of obedience or disobedience? Are we riding the constant seesaw of ethical conformity? Fortunately, no. YHVH is faithful even when we are not. His constancy toward us does not vary. We may struggle with righteousness but He does not. His chastisements are not subject to disgruntled reprisals. They are reminders that He still loves, still cares, still desires the best for us. God’s relationship with us does not depend on our relationship with Him. Even in our sin, He loves us.
But it would be a mistake to think that because He is consistent our actions do not have consequence. Salvation is the unusual connection between the consistent and unwavering faithfulness of YHVH and the fluctuating efforts of His children. The goal of human involvement never varies. “Be holy as I am holy.” But the path is often interrupted by detours, each one a roadblock to true human being. God gives us time to recover. That task He will not perform for us. Somehow we must work out this great salvation as if our lives depended on it. And somehow He is at work in that process insuring that we will succeed in our penitence.
Then we may say with David, the younger, “He has dealt with me according to my righteousness.”
Topical Index: righteousness, tsadeq, salvation, Psalm 18:20-21, Psalm 51:3-4a
[1] Stigers, H. G. (1999). 1879 צָדֵק. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.
A NOTE ON NEW MATERIAL
During 2015 I recorded a lot of new material in various speaking engagement in the USA and South Africa. Most of these lectures are not yet available on the web site simply because I am short on time and talent (my talent, not yours). I hope that during the first quarter of 2016 these crucial lectures will be posted, so please be patient. Some of you heard some of these in-person, but most of you haven’t heard them. As they are posted, I will send out a note attached to Today’s Word to let you know.
Skip
The constant DAILY struggle, the unanswered question: is this thing happening to me as punishment, as a reward, or is it because stuff happens and my job is to be faithful in the midst of the storm?
Me TOO! my answer? “Yes”.
True repentance is a heart change. All sin is rebellion, but it is the deliberate sin – the defiant sin – that hardens the heart. It is the heart that has to change before the actions are going to be efficacious. This is why Paul writes in his paean to love that even though the actions are all correct, if they are not coming from a heart that has submitted to Love, they are still “nothing”. Here is where I have to sit up and pay attention. If I believe righteousness is up to me, I am going to provide the source of impetus to perform it, but my reasons (what I am choosing to believe in that place, which is what provides the power to perform) are all polluted by self. If I believe that my actions are to be an extension of His will, then I am going to submit self to Him in each place and admit that I do not know.
I was reflecting this morning that I do not, simply do not, know what love is. Even with the great Law in front of my face, I still don’t know. Even with all the suffering in my life from a lack of the stuff, I still do not know. If Love does not act however it pleases in me, I am still going to get it wrong. I look at the Law, I repent for all that I can see, but for me to get it right in my next breath, I am going to have to employ the faith that allows me to let go (my way, will and understanding) and let Him have His (the mind of Christ for His Body) in me.
According to Paul, righteousness is not necessarily a string of correct actions: righteousness is an uninterrupted outpouring of love infusing those actions. I can look at the Law and choose to do right, but really what I am doing is choosing to cooperate with Him doing it in His power and through His grace in me. The Law shows me what to choose, but the execution of that choice still has to be Him. Funny that when I get love right, I got out of the way. No credit for me! Just a slave of His will; just a connector between heaven and earth.
Love is a tidal wave that only the wicked heart of a human could ever deflect or deny. Righteousness is really not about us. Its all about Him in a heart cleared of itself. Halleluah!
A Gift from God
~ The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.~ Psalm 18:20-21
This is where David and I part ways. He goes north, I go south. My prayer (seriously) would be:
~ Lord, do not reward me according to “my” righteousness; not according to the cleanness of my hands recompense me. For I have not kept the ways of the LORD, and have wickedly departed from my God ~
My prayer would be more aligned with the prodigal son. (Actually it is the Father who is “prodigal!” ~ My prayer is Paul’s (new covenant) prayer:
~ But God, who is rich in mercy, for (because of) His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in (trespasses) and sins, hath quickened (made alive) us together *with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) and (?) has raised us up together, and (?) has made us sit together in heavenly places *in Christ Jesus..
[it gets more gooder!]
~ That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His lovingkindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: — it is the gift of God (!)
NOT of works, lest any man (David included) should boast.
For we are (all) His workmanship, created *in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Cain, even though you worked so hard arranging those flowers and vegetables, the produce of your labor, to present before the LORD, it was Able’s sacrifice that was acceptable before the LORD. An atonement, a covering for sin, has always from Day 1, been consistently pictured to be a blood sacrifice. God “covered” the sins of our “not-so-great” great “not-so-grand” parents Adam and Eve, with the skins of an animal, — the shadow of a final blood atonement which was yet to come.
No, David. It is not how “righteous” I am. It is how righteous He is. Not according to the “cleanness of my hands,” but according to the cleanness of the only sinless Man ever to have lived! (Moses included, btw..)
For {because] Christ also has once suffered for sins, the Just (Him) for the unjust, (me) — the Righteous [Him] for the unrighteous (me) in order that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive!) by the Spirit.. (1 Peter 3.18)
~ But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation– (Colossians 1.22)
God, be merciful to me;
On Thy grace I rest my plea
Plenteous in compassion Thou,
Blot out my transgressions now;
Wash me, make me pure within;
Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.
My transgressions I confess;
Grief and guilt my soul oppress.
I have sinned against Thy grace,
And provoked Thee to Thy face.
I confess Thy judgement just;
Speechless, I Thy mercy trust.
I am evil, born in sin;
Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Savior art,
Teach Thy wisdom to my heart;
Make me pure, Thy grace bestow,
Wash me whiter than the snow.
Broken, humbled to the dust
By Thy wrath and judgment just,
Let my contrite heart rejoice,
And in gladness hear Thy voice;
From my sins O hide Thy face,
Blot them out in boundless grace.
Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true.
Cast me not away from Thee,
Let Thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation’s joy impart,
— Steadfast make my willing heart.
Sinners then shall learn from me,
And return, O God, to Thee
Savior all my guilt remove,
And my tongue shall sing Thy love
Touch my silent lips, O Lord,
And my mouth shall praise accord
~ For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the LORD ~
My dear friends, isn’t it wonderful? “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved.” “Ask, and you will receive.. Seek, and you will find.. Knock, and shall be opened (revealed) unto you..”
Salvation is NOT a reward for the righteous, – it is a gift for the guilty!
Who gave us His life, an atonement for sin?
And opened the life-gate that all may go in?
And the answer is? In His words:
— “No man, (no, not one) comes to the Father but by Me!”
The vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives!
~ So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble:
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Lol! Yes. Yes, Praise God, – He does!
God, be merciful to me;
On Thy grace I rest my plea. Amen.
Carl, your posts always bless me.
This is simply put and simply received into this heart that has found REST only IN HIM.
YES, The Innocent One for the Guilty one…
THANK YOU c.roberts
Perhaps, Carl, David isn’t speaking of Salvation as you think of it. Perhaps David is writing about the truths that he knows – in his obedience, God rewards him. David isn’t speculating about some future event yet to take place, but about an immediate “Hebraic” idea of salvation. God delivered him from his strong enemy that was too strong for him (Ps.18:17). That sounds like a great reward, and David knows why… because he was obedient. So in this case ‘salvation’ WAS a reward for the righteous. If he wasn’t righteous and was rebelling against God, I doubt delivery would have been the reward, but rather captivity as God so often does through the Tanakh.
Yes, indeed. Christianity made salvation about heaven, but David knew it was about rescue on earth.
YES!!!
Once when i was in the midst of a stunning personal failure a wise pastor said to me “i know you didn’t sit down on the day that happend and consciously decide “i’m going to REALLY mess up this way”. But you did mess, your salvation is for today, for the moment that you created that mess, and Messiah will not disown you over this. Will you ALLOW him to be there for you and ALLOW him to forgive you? Because you will not walk away from this unless and until you do.”
He was quoting Psalm 23 when he did this and teaching me that ‘salvation’ is for NOW, for the mess i made NOW.
Yeah, i cried.
**…but since you DID mess up….oops, sorry.
What is salvation?
Reinforcements arriving at just the right time in the midst of battle.
YES!!
A proposed definition to discuss?
“Salvation is deliverance from Torah transgression, the gift of eternal life from the living Torah, Yeshua the Messiah”
And food for thought?
ROMAN SANDWICH FOR THE “ROAD TO SALVATION”:
Paul reminds us “the wages of sin is death”. (Rom. 6:23a)
Sin is transgression of the Torah. (1Jn. 3:4)
Walking in / doing Torah is RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Lev. 18:5)”
This “Word / Torah of trust that [Paul] proclaim” is the Light in our hearts and the Good News on our lips (Rom. 10:6-8) (Deut. 30:12) (Deut. 13:13) (Deut. 30:14)(Rom. 10:9-13)
Yeshua is Total Torah incarnate. (Rom. 10:4)
Therefore Yeshua CAN (are able to) save his people from all their sins. (Matt. 1:21) (Jn. 1:29)
By the Gift (Grace) of Eloah, Yeshua CAN (are allowed to) rescue us. (Rom. 6:23b)
“Life isn’t settled in the long run. It is determined one day at a time.”
Such is the righteousness of our ABBA!
As Jonathan Sacks wrote, HE (YHWH) is a God of freedom! HE desires the Israelites to become living testimonies to the power of freedom. That our future is not written, there is no fate we cannot change, no prediction we cannot defy….that we are not predestined to fail, nor succeed…..Sustained by the blessings of God, we can become greater than anyone else even ourselves, could foresee.
“..our relationship to the law of the Lord depends on our actions this day.” Yes, this very day, and every day after, our deeds and words have weight.
As I have posted before, it is not “either/or” – it’s both! To follow Christ in His teachings, to obey Him in all things, will not only “bless” us – (obedience always equates to blessing) in this life, but in the life yet to be.
What heartache (and headache) we could save ourselves by simply trusting Him (the One who is Truth Incarnate) and obeying Him. Yes, it IS that simple, – “Trust and Obey,” – or is it?
To sin (knowingly/willingly) is by definition: At best, “Foolishness.” At worst, “Insanity.” To obey God – is there any higher wisdom? None. If only His mother could speak directly to each of us – “Whatever He says, – DO IT!” Oh, Mary! Amen!
What does the Torah teach me? It tells me I am guilty, (yes, I have transgressed the Law) and now am in need of the Tslav, – the execution stake, the cross of the Chosen One.(Grace, btw, meets need!) I’m every bit as guilty as (the original) Adam, for I too “have sinned, and am no longer worthy to be called your Son..” But what’s this? What do the Scriptures teach? “If we would but confess our sins (to confess is to “say the same thing as”), He is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins – and (?) to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. “Ask, and you will receive?” No, surely it can’t be that simple..
Friends, it is NOT by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us..through the washing of regeneration (the new birth) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (the Ruach HaKodesh).
Where does all this lead us to? To the cross of Christ. The Messiah. ~ Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.. (Revelation 1.5,6). May I ask? “Who?” Who is this in reference to? None other than the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.. (John 1.29)