The righteous judgments of God

Posted : 10 Feb, 2013 02:18 AM

PSALM 119:7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned Your righteous judgments.







The righteous judgments of God include the whole revelation

of His word-so called-as the rule by which He judges our

present state, and will pronounce our final sentence. David's

attainments here seemed to be as nothing. So much

remained unlearned and unknown, that he could only

anticipate the time, when he should have learned them. "Your

commandment"-he exclaims-"is exceedingly broad." When the

Apostle, after twenty years' acquaintance with the gospel,

expressed it as the one desire of his heart-"That I may know

Christ;" evidently he entertained the same humbling views of

his high attainments, and the same exalted apprehensions of

the value of treasures yet unexplored, and progressively

opening before him. Thus the wisest saints are only students

in the Divine School. Yet whatever their learning be, it casts

them into the mold and spirit of their doctrine. Conceit,

however, of knowledge is the greatest enemy to knowledge,

and the strongest proof of ignorance; so that, "if any man

thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he

ought to know."-"He deceives himself."

But what is the motive, that enlivens the believer in this holy

learning? Is it that he may live upon the airy breath of human

applause? No, rather that he may "praise his God with

uprightness of heart." When our mind is dark, our lips are

sealed. But when "He opens our understandings" to "learn His

judgments," He will next "open our lips, and our mouth shall

show forth His praise." And this indeed is the end for which

"His people are formed;" for which they "are called out of darkness into marvelous light." This is the daily frame, in

which our God will be glorified. Yet must we live as well as

sing His praise. "The praise of the upright heart will be shown

in the holy walk and conversation."

But let us watch, that our praise really flows "out of the

abundance" of what our hearts have "learned" of His

"righteous judgments." For do we not sometimes speak of our

Savior with a secret lurking after self-exaltation? May we not

really be seeking and serving ourselves in the very act of

seeming to serve and honor Him? Surely the very thought of

the selfishness that defiles our holiest earthly praise, may well

quicken our longings after that world of praise, where the

flame burns active, bright, incessant; where we shall offer our

sacrifices without defilement, without intermission, without

weariness, without end.



by

Charles Bridges

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