For all his judgments are in my sight: and his justices I have not put away from me.
כִּ֣י כָל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יו לֹא־אָסִ֥יר מֶֽנִּי׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Through continual reflection, I consider all His decrees, which encompass the blessings of the upright, the punishments of the unrighteous, the discipline of those due for correction, and the trials faced by those undergoing testing. I have not abandoned His righteousness, even as others, weary from their burdens, revert to their former ways.
Although the divine judgments are unfathomable and resemble an abyss in their mystery, everything remains visible to the eyes of the one who loves God.
The Prophet affirms that it is not unjust for God to be concerned for me; rather, He understands my intentions and recognizes my earnest commitment to uphold all His commandments. By highlighting the depth of God’s care for him, the Prophet also illustrates its righteousness, thereby motivating his audience toward virtuous living and conveying that we are not simply recipients of this care by chance, but through a genuine devotion to God. The Prophet aimed not to boast of his own merits, but to clarify how one can attain Divine Providence.
There are various categories within divine instruction: some pertain to the law, others to commandments; some relate to testimonies, judgments, and justifications. The term 'law' often refers to the complete set of God's commandments, as illustrated in the Scripture: ‘for the law was given by Moses’ (John 1:17). Meanwhile, 'commandments' denote the specific provisions of the law, such as: ‘thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery’ (Ex. 20:12, 13), among others.
'Testimony' signifies that which the lawgiver mandates, accompanied by particular affirmation, as exemplified by Moses directing his people: ‘If ye will only do this or this, I testify by heaven and earth that ye shall die by death.’ Judgments are those that pertain to God administering His justice to humanity, as when a divine sentence was executed against one who blasphemed the holy name of God (Lev. 24:10, et cetera). In the book of Leviticus, Moses presented this transgression before God’s tribunal, and God decreed that the offender should be stoned—a ruling that was subsequently accepted by God’s people as the appropriate punishment for speaking ill of His name. Furthermore, 'justifications' are directives from God, exemplified in the command: ‘If thou shalt hire a Hebrew servant, six years shall he work for thee’ (Ex. 21:2), and so forth. Such commands encompass profound truth. This clarifies the individual meanings of these terms, though they are frequently intermingled or used interchangeably, particularly in Psalm 118. It is evident in this passage that through the concepts of fate and justification, the prophet sought to encompass all of God's commands, illustrating how the whole can be grasped through its specific elements. He declares that all His commandments are before him; even though he sometimes needs to recall and reaffirm them in his mind, he ensures that they are never far from him.
David, in celebrating the blessings of God, articulates the reasons for God's decision to rescue him from his adversaries. The fundamental reason lies in his earnest effort to lead a virtuous and upright life in the sight of God. He states, "Reward me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands" (Psalm 18:20). It should not be misconstrued that David, out of vanity or arrogance, boasts of his righteousness and other virtues as if they are merits. Such arrogance cannot be found in words inspired by God, where it is acknowledged that He is the source of all goodness.
It is vital to note, as mentioned earlier, that David does not reference his righteous acts, which no individual can claim before God with pride, but rather the integrity of his actions in relation to his foes. He esteemed God with a genuine heart, practiced true piety, steadfastly rejected idolatry, and was resolute in obeying the law of the Lord. Although he did commit sins at times, he would swiftly repent and turn back to God wholeheartedly. The Lord Himself affirms, "No living person will be justified before You" (Psalm 142:2), which is directed at those who, lacking the grace of God, presume to justify themselves by their own merits or actions. Thus, no one can achieve justification before Him through their efforts alone; rather, those who are deemed righteous through God's grace will be justified. This is the premise for David’s assertion that "Everyone who lives will not be justified before You." However, presenting one's innocence before God is not disallowed, as illustrated by the examples of Nehemiah, Hezekiah, Esau, and even David himself.
The judgments and righteousness of God are found in His law, which sanctifies individuals when they obey it and place their faith in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS