Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is the truth.

Posted : 11 Aug, 2013 05:45 AM

Psalm 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is the truth.





The Psalmist in the midst of his trials could not forget the

precepts, while he maintained so just a perception of their

exalted character. His mind at this time seems to have been

filled with the contemplation of the righteous government of

God. He therefore repeats his adoration, not as applied to any

particular instance, but as distinguishing the general character

of His administration from everlasting.

But on whom is this government appointed to rest? Think of

our Immanuel- the human brow encircled with Divine glory-the

crucified hands wielding the scepter of the universe-Him,

whom they mocked as the King of the Jews, seated on His

own exalted throne-"King of Kings and Lord of lords!" "The

government is upon His shoulder: and of the increase of His

government and peace there shall be no end." How delightful

to join Jehovah Himself in the ascription of praise-"Your

throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness

is the scepter of Your kingdom!" How glorious also to praise

that everlasting righteousness-the ground on which the

administration of His church is framed-which Jesus "brought

in," and "which is unto all them that believe;" which, when

once clothed with it, is our infinite glory and reward!

"Every ordinance of man" is connected only with time. The

Divine government has a constant reference to eternity, past

and to come. "And I heard"-said the enraptured disciple-"the

angel of the waters say; You are righteous, which are, and

was, and shall be; because You have judged thus."

Every instance, therefore, of His righteous administration, is

that display of the Divine character which constrains the

adoration of heaven. "One cried to another, and said, Holy,

holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His

glory." His law-"the manifestation of His righteousness"-is the truth. "Your word is true from the beginning! and every one of

Your righteous judgments endures forever."

This truth is the law of righteousness, which Jesus bound

Himself to "fulfill"- to which He "came to bear witness," and for

which He commended His people to His Father as the means

of their sanctification; for what else is holiness, but the

influence of truth, digested and practically embodied in the life

and conduct? There may be fragments of truth elsewhere

found-the scattered remnants of the fall. There may be

systems imbued with large portions of truth deduced from this

law. But here alone is it found perfect-unsullied. How carefully,

therefore, should we test, by this standard, every doctrine-

every revelation; receiving with implicit subjection all that is

conformed to it; rejecting with uncompromising decision

whatever will not abide the fiery trial. Most careful also should

we be to preserve its unadulterated simplicity. Even the most

seemingly trifling infusion of fundamental error is the grain of

poison cast into the food, and making it "a savor of death unto

death." Such was the error of the Galatian Church-"another

gospel, yet not another"- not deserving the name-not putting

ordinances in the stead of Christ (an error too gross to beguile

a Christian profession), but what is far more subtle, and

equally destructive, mixing them with Christ; thus impairing

the integrity of the foundation, paralyzing the springs,

poisoning the sources of life, yes, converting life itself into

death. Let this church stand out as a beacon to our own-as a

much-needed warning to each of her members.

But in a more general view, let us adore the Divine revelation,

as bearing so full an impress of a "God that cannot lie"-of a

"covenant ordered in all things" beyond human contrivance,

"and sure" beyond the possibility of a change. How many

dying testimonies have sealed the truth of the precious

promises! Joshua, Simeon, and a "cloud of witnesses with

which we are compassed about," have "set to their seals that God is true"-that "all the promises of God are in Christ Jesus

yes and amen"-that "all are come to pass unto them, and not

one thing has failed thereof." Equally manifest is the truth of

His threatening. Hell is truth seen too late. Those on the right

hand and those on the left, at the great day of God, will

combine their testimony to the declaration of the "Faithful and

True Witness"-"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my

words shall not pass away."



by

Charles Bridges

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