A respected professor of mine was in the habit of saying, "It's not how you start that matters most, but how you finish." That truth is illustrated in this Psalm. As is often the case, David begins on a note of anxiety (v.1), but ends on a note of assurance. More importantly, the first six verses of the psalm are focused on the aspirations of "the workers of iniquity" (v.1) but God is introduced in v. 7 and our text is the triumphant climax of His response to those workers of iniquity. It was Shakespeare, I believe, who said, "All's well that ends well," and God's word assures us that all will end well for those who belong to Him.
That is a comforting thought for troublous times or troubled lives. God will have the last word.
Our text affords the key to enjoying the promise of God's ultimate victory. It is "the righteous" who may now, and then, be glad in the Lord. With this before us, it behooves us to note that the New Testament disqualifies all of us, by nature, from traversing this highway, for it is written, "There is none righteous, no not one [Rom. 3:10]." But a few verses further along we are introduced to the Glorious Alternative of God's grace in the passage which begins, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested… even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe… For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [Rom. 3:21-24ff]."
Now you may be tempted to say, why reiterate that; it is but basic Christianity. And that is precisely the reason for reiterating it; this is the bedrock of hope, and so fundamental that we may be tempted to take it for granted. This is the only ground which beneath our feet will not give way, and we should wake to joy and gratitude for it every day. Because of this glorious gospel, Christ has become our righteousness (See I Cor. 1:30), "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works [Rom. 4:6]." "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation [Rom. 10:10]." "For [God} hath made [Christ] to be sin for us…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him [II Cor. 5:21]."
There, dear friends, is all the ground of gladness in the Lord. Are you in Him? Is He "in you?" Then are you insulated from all the fiery darts of the wicked and his minions in heaven and in earth. "The body they may kill: God's Truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever." The righteous are those who have found refuge in the God of our salvation by putting their trust in Him, not in man or materialism. The believer will invest his confidence not in Wall Street or Washington, nor in sophisticated weaponry, but in the One Who died for us and rose again.
"All the upright in heart shall glory" when the King comes back. Till then, confronted with the character of this present world we may well pray with the psalmist, "Hear my voice O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy (v.1)."
Be sure your righteousness is the "righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ." Find your refuge in Him "Who is able to keep that which [we] have committed unto Him against that day," and rejoice in Him here and now in anticipation of that great day when He shall be manifested to reign forever and ever.
With eternity in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
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